Frog King Traditional Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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I have
always been fond of fairy tales and nursery rhymes. Since
there are so many tales to choose from I have begun a series
based on some of my favorites.
In old 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. Close by the King's castle lay a great dark forest, and
under an old lime-tree in the forest was a well, and when the day
was very warm, the King's child went out into the forest and sat
down by the side of the cool fountain, and when she was dull she
took a golden ball, and threw it up on high and caught it, and this
ball was her favorite plaything. 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. On this she began to cry, and cried
louder and louder, and could not be comforted.
And as she thus lamented some one said to her, "What ails thee,
King's daughter?" She looked round to the side from whence the
voice came, and saw a frog stretching forth its thick, ugly head
from the water.
"Oh yes," said she, "I promise thee all thou wishest, if thou wilt
but bring me my ball back again." She, however, thought, "How the
silly frog does talk! He lives in the water with the other frogs,
and croaks, and can be no companion to any human being!"
The King's daughter began to cry, for she was afraid of the cold
frog which she did not like to touch, and which was now to sleep in
her pretty, clean little bed. But the King grew angry and said, "He
who helped thee when thou wert in trouble ought not afterwards to
be despised by thee." So she took hold of the frog with two
fingers, carried him upstairs, and put him in a corner. But when
she was in bed he crept to her and said, "I am tired, I want to
sleep as well as thou, lift me up or I will tell thy father." Then
she was terribly angry, and took him up and threw him with all her
might against the wall. "Now, thou wilt be quiet, odious frog,"
said she. But when he fell down he was no frog but a King's son
with beautiful kind eyes. He by her father's will was now her dear
companion and husband. Then he told her how no one could have
delivered him from the well but herself, and that to-morrow they
would go together into his kingdom. Then they went to sleep, and
next morning when the sun awoke them, a carriage came driving up
with eight white horses, which had white ostrich feathers on their
heads, and were harnessed with golden chains, and behind stood the
young King's servant Faithful Henry. Faithful Henry had been so
unhappy when his master was changed into a frog, that he had caused
three iron bands to be laid round his heart, lest it should burst
with grief and sadness. The carriage was to conduct the young King
into his Kingdom. Faithful Henry helped them both in, and placed
himself behind again, and was full of joy because of this
deliverance. And when they had driven a part of the way the King's
son heard a cracking behind him as if something had broken. So he
turned round and cried, "Henry, the carriage is breaking."
"No, master, it is not the carriage. It is a band from my heart,
which was put there in my great pain when you were a frog and
imprisoned in the well." Again and once again while they were on
their way something cracked, and each time the King's son thought
the carriage was breaking; but it was only the bands which were
springing from the heart of faithful Henry because his master was
set free and was happy.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Arkg gb n fznyy ybt.