Beschrijving
The Frog King or Iron Henry. A young princess (youngest of three sisters) drops her golden ball into a well [C41.2], and a frog [B211.7.1] gives it back to her. (In some variants the frog helps her with some other difficulty.) He makes her promise him that he may eat from her plate, drink from her cup, and sleep in her bed [S215.1].
The animal comes for his reward and the king insists the princess do as she had promised. Angry, she throws the frog at the wall and he turns into a handsome prince [D789].
In some variants the frog is disenchanted by means of a kiss, marriage, from being decapitated, etc. [D735.1, D743, D711].
In the Grimms’ version: When the prince takes the princess home in his carriage, they meet his faithful servant Henry, whose heart had broken when the prince was enchanted. The iron bands that had held it together break from joy [F875].
In some variants the bride has the iron bands on her heart, and they break from pain, not from joy. After the disenchantment, both partners may be put to a test. The princess searches all over the world for her bridegroom, and he must identify his true bride. Cf. Types 313, 425A.
The animal comes for his reward and the king insists the princess do as she had promised. Angry, she throws the frog at the wall and he turns into a handsome prince [D789].
In some variants the frog is disenchanted by means of a kiss, marriage, from being decapitated, etc. [D735.1, D743, D711].
In the Grimms’ version: When the prince takes the princess home in his carriage, they meet his faithful servant Henry, whose heart had broken when the prince was enchanted. The iron bands that had held it together break from joy [F875].
In some variants the bride has the iron bands on her heart, and they break from pain, not from joy. After the disenchantment, both partners may be put to a test. The princess searches all over the world for her bridegroom, and he must identify his true bride. Cf. Types 313, 425A.
Motief
C41.2
B211.7.1
S215.1
D789
D735.1
D743
D711
F875
Commentaar
First published in this form in the early 19th century. Variants are found all over Europe, but many are obviously dependent on the Grimms’ version.
Combinaties
425, 433B.
Oorspronkelijk Verhaaltype
440
Subgenre
sprookje