If you read my blog posts “Bohemians, Romanians, Gypsies, And Reincarnation” Parts I, II, & III, I say that we have all met before. I must be in Dickinson for some reason.
I don’t remember signing up for this, or agreeing to this, being in Dickinson, but I am here just the same. Part of why we have met before is because my ancestry is German. My German ancestry of course would involve German Folklore. This German Folklore was very well collected and recorded by the Brothers Grimm, die Bruder Grimm.
The Brothers Grimm collection of folk tales included more than two hundred stories. You easily know some of these: Snow White, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, and Rumpelstiltskin. Some of you ladies may be feeling uneasy now, because you know full well the theme and lessons of these stories. You must know, that the Brothers Grimm always included one story first, Der Froschkonig, The Frog King!
The Frog King, is about a very beautiful and spoiled young princess. Can any of you ladies tell who amongst you this most resembles? Allow me to tell some of this story.
In olden times when wishing still helped one, there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful, but the youngest was so beautiful that the sun itself, which has seen so much, was astonished whenever it shone in her face……
Now it so happened that on one occasion the princess’s golden ball did not fall into the little hand which she was holding up for it, but on to the ground beyond, and rolled straight into the water. The king’s daughter followed it with her eyes, but it vanished, and the well was deep, so deep that the bottom could not be seen. At this she began to cry, and cried louder and louder, and could not be comforted.
And as she thus lamented someone said to her, “What ails you, king’s daughter? You weep so that even a stone would show pity.”
She looked round to the side from whence the voice came, and saw a frog stretching forth its big, ugly head from the water.
“Ah, old splasher, is it you,” she said, “I am weeping for my golden ball, which has fallen into the well.”
“Be quiet, and do not weep,” answered the frog, “I can help you, but what will you give me if I bring your plaything up again?”
“Whatever you will have, dear frog,” said she, “My clothes, my pearls and jewels, and even the golden crown which I am wearing.”
The frog answered, “I do not care for your clothes, your pearls and jewels, nor for your golden crown, but if you will love me and let me be your companion and play-fellow, and sit by you at your little table, and eat off your little golden plate, and drink out of your little cup, and sleep in your little bed – if you will promise me this I will go down below, and bring you your golden ball up again.”
Let me interrupt, that I am not unlike this frog, I only wish for what this frog wishes.
But the frog when he had received this promise, put his head into the water and sank down; and in a short while came swimming up again with the ball in his mouth, and threw it on the grass.
The king’s daughter was delighted to see her pretty plaything once more, and picked it up, and ran away with it. “Wait, wait,” said the frog. “Take me with you. I can’t run as you can.” But what did it avail him to scream his croak, croak, after her, as loudly as he could. She did not listen to it, but ran home and soon forgot the poor frog, who was forced to go back into his well again.
Now you must know, that this frog turned up at her house, and her father demanded of her that she honor the promise that she made to this frog. She did so reluctantly, and when the frog tried to climb into bed with her, this is what she did:
At this she was terribly angry, and took him up and threw him with all her might against the wall. “Now, will you be quiet, odious frog,” said she.
Now this is not the end, though you might be hoping that it might have been.
But when he fell down he was no frog but a king’s son with kind and beautiful eyes. He by her father’s will was now her dear companion and husband. Then he told her how he had been bewitched by a wicked witch, and how no one could have delivered him from the well but herself, and that to-morrow they would go together into his kingdom.
What you should know about these German Folk Tales, is that they teach a lesson. No, you will not literally have frogs speaking to you, but you will have people that seem like frogs talking to you, with their big heads, short legs, and cold wet skin. But you see, it all worked out in the end.
Now, if I am not like this frog in this tale, I am like the Brothers Grimm in involving you in my tales. You see, I can’t help it.
Croak croak croak! Codi is competing in the Miss North Dakota USA pageant in Fargo in late November of 2016! Good luck Codi!