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The Welcome back everyone to one thousand one classic short stories and tales.

This is your host, John Haggard.

Today, two family-friendly stories from the Brothers Grimm,

The Frog Prince, and the story of Briar Rose.

Hope you enjoy.

Thank you. Our first story is called The Frog Prince, a brother's grim tale, and one of my favorites.

In olden times, when to wish was to have, there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful,

but the youngest was so fair that the sun himself, although he saw her often,

was enchanted every time she came out into the sunshine. Near the castle of this king was a large and gloomy forest, and in the midst grew an old linden tree, beneath whose branches splashed a little

fountain. When the days were very warm, the king's youngest daughter ran off to the woods

and sat down by the side of the fountain.

When she felt dull, she would often amuse herself by throwing a golden ball up in the air

and catching it. This was her favorite form of play.

Now, one day it happened that this golden ball did not fall down into her

hand, but on the grass, and then it rolled past her into the fountain. The child followed the ball

with her eyes, but it disappeared beneath the water, which was so deep that no one could even see

to the bottom. Then she began to lament, and to cry louder and louder,

and as she wailed, a voice called out, "'Why do you weep, oh, princess? Your tears would move even a stone to pity.'

She looked around at the spot from which the voice came, and saw a frog stretching his fat, ugly head

out of the water.

"'Ah, you old water-paddler,' said she.

...