2 Grimms Fairy Tales- (Without Music) By Stephanie Poppins

Welcome weary traveller.

This series is designed to transport you to a place of peace quickly and securely.

Use these tracks when you require a speedy transition into deep rest.

Perhaps that well-needed daytime nap or a necessary break from the everyday on your train or bus ride home.

This series is focused on the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen.

But before we begin,

Let's take a moment to focus on where we are now.

Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out with a long sigh.

That's it.

Now close your eyes and feel yourself sink deeper into the support beneath you.

It is time to relax and fully let go.

Happy listening.

The Frog King by the Brothers Grimm Read and abridged by Stephanie Poppins.

In the old times,

When it was still of some use to wish for the thing one wanted,

There lived a king whose daughters were all handsome.

But the youngest was so beautiful that the son himself,

Who had seen so much,

Wondered each time he shone over her because of her beauty.

Near the royal castle there was a small castle.

Near the castle there was a great dark wood and in the wood under a linden tree there was a well.

And when the day was hot,

The king's daughter used to go forth into the wood and sit by the brink of the cool well.

And if the time seemed long,

She would take out a golden ball and throw it up and catch it again.

This was her favourite pastime.

Now it happened one day the golden ball,

Instead of falling back into the maiden's little hand,

Dropped to the floor near the edge of the well and rolled in.

The king's daughter followed it with her eyes as it sank,

But the well was so deep that the bottom could not be seen.

She began to weep and she wept and wept as if she could never be comforted.

In the midst of her weeping,

She heard a voice saying,

What ails thee,

King's daughter?

Thy tears would melt a heart of stone.

And when she looked to see where the voice came from,

There was nothing but a frog stretching his thick,

Ugly head out of the water.

Oh,

Is it you,

Old waddler?

Said she.

I weep because my golden ball's fallen into the well.

Never mind,

Do not weep,

Answered the frog.

I can help you,

But what will you give me if I fetch up your ball again?

Whatever you like,

Dear frog,

Said she.

Any of my clothes,

My pearls and jewels,

Or even the golden crown that I wear.

Thy clothes,

Thy pearls and jewels and golden crown are not for me,

Answered the frog.

But if thou wouldst love me and have me for thy companion and playfellow and let me sit by thee at the table and eat from thy plate and drink from thy cup and sleep in thy little bed,

If thou wouldst promise me all this,

Then would I dive below the water and fetch thee thy golden ball again.

Oh,

Yes,

The princess answered.

I will promise it all,

Whatever you want,

If only you will get me my ball back.

But secretly,

She thought to herself,

What nonsense he talks,

As if he could do anything but sit in the water and croak with the other frogs,

Or could possibly be anyone's companion.

But the frog,

As soon as he heard her promise,

Drew his head under the water and sank down out of sight.

After a while,

He came to the surface again with a ball in his mouth and he threw it onto the grass.

The king's daughter was overjoyed to see her pretty plaything back and she caught it up and ran off.

Stop,

Stop,

Cried the frog.

Take me up too,

I cannot run as fast as you.

But it was of no use.

Croak after her as he might,

She would not listen to him,

But made haste home.

Very soon,

She forgot all about the poor frog who had to betake himself to his well again.

The next day,

When the king's daughter was sitting at table with the king and all the court and eating from her golden plate,

There came something pitter-patter up the marble stairs and knocking at the door.

From behind it,

A voice cried,

Youngest king's daughter,

Let me in.

The princess got up and ran to see who it could be.

But when she opened the door,

To her horror,

The frog was sitting outside.

She shut it hastily and went back to her seat,

Feeling very uneasy.

The king noticed how quickly her heart beat and said,

My child,

What are you afraid of?

Is there a giant standing at the door ready to carry you away?

Oh no,

Answered she,

No giant,

But a horrid frog.

And what does the frog want?

Asked the king.

Oh dear father,

Answered she,

When I was sitting by the well yesterday and playing with my golden ball,

It fell into the water.

And while I was crying for the loss of it,

The frog came in and got it again,

On condition I would let him be my companion.

But I never thought he could leave the water and come after me.

Then the frog called again,

Youngest king's daughter,

Open to me.

By the well water,

What promised you me?

Youngest king's daughter,

Now open to me.

That which thou has promised must thou perform,

Said the king to his daughter.

So go now and let him in.

Reluctantly,

The young girl went and opened the door and the frog hopped in,

Following at her heels until she reached her chair.

Lift me up to sit by you,

He cried.

But the king's daughter delayed doing so until the king ordered her to.

And once the frog was on the chair,

He wanted to get on the table.

She placed him on the table.

Now push your golden plate a little nearer so we may eat together,

He said.

So she did that too.

But everybody might see how unwilling she was.

And the frog feasted heartily,

But every morsel seemed to stick in her throat.

I have had enough now.

Said the frog at last.

And as I am tired,

You must carry me to your room and make ready your silk and bed.

And we will lie down and go to sleep together.

The king's daughter began to weep.

She was afraid of the cold frog.

She was afraid that nothing would satisfy him.

And now he must sleep in her pretty clean bed.

The king grew angry with her and said.

Thou which thou hast promised in thy time of necessity must now be performed.

So the princess picked up the frog with her finger and thumb.

Carried him upstairs and put him in a corner.

And when she had laid down to sleep,

He came creeping up saying.

I am tired and want sleep as much as you.

Take me up or I'll tell your father.

She felt beside herself with rage and picking him up.

She threw him with all her strength against the wall.

Now will you be quiet,

You horrid frog,

She screamed.

But as he fell,

He ceased to be a frog.

He became all at once a prince with beautiful,

Kind eyes.

It came to pass that with her father's consent.

They became bride and bridegroom.

And the prince told her how a wicked witch had bound him by her spells.

And how no one but she alone could have released him.

And so they came to the door,

A carriage drawn by eight white horses.

With white plumes on their heads and golden harnesses.

And behind the carriage was standing faithful Henry.

The servant of the young prince.

Now faithful Henry had suffered such care and pain when his master was turned into a frog.

That he had been obliged to wear three iron bands over his heart.

To keep it from breaking with trouble and anxiety.

And when the carriage started to take the prince to his kingdom.

And faithful Henry helped them both in.

He was full of joy at his master's deliverance.

And when they had gone a part of the way.

The prince heard a sound at the back of the carriage.

As if something had broken.

He turned around and cried.

Henry,

The wheel must be breaking.

The wheel does not break,

Said Henry.

Tis the band around my heart.

To lessen its ache when I grieve for my master.

Tis the band around my heart.

To lessen its ache when I grieve for your sake.

I bound round my heart.

Then once again there was the same sound.

And the prince thought it must be the wheel breaking.

But it was the breaking of the other bands.

From faithful Henry's heart.

Because now he was so relieved and happy.

That he had his prince back at last.

The end.

The end.