So I recently translated this fairy tale from German to English, and it struck me as rather touching. Therefore, I decided to elaborate on it. Here's the result.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Chapter 1:

Once upon a time, in a land full of magic, enchanters, kingdoms, princes and princesses, there was a king with seven daughters. All seven were quite lovely, but it was generally agreed that Gretchen, the youngest, was the most beautiful. This is how it always happens, of course. The oldest are always much less attractive than their younger siblings.

When Gretchen had almost grown up, and her six older sisters had all married and left the castle, something most unfortunate occurred. The queen, Gretchen's mother, fell ill and died.

Naturally, the entire kingdom was heartbroken, for the queen had been very good and generous. The king was devastated; the queen had been his wife for many decades. Gretchen was completely crushed. She had loved her mother fiercely, and now felt very alone in the world. The castle was too large and empty without the queen. So, to escape the horrible emptiness, Gretchen often fled into the woods on the castle grounds. Always she fled to the same little well, and always she brought a little golden ball with her. The ball had belonged to her mother, so it was her most treasured possession.

Gretchen never knew what exactly to do with the ball, but she always carried it on her person. As she sat by the well, she would toss the ball high into the air, then catch it again. Toss it, and catch it, all the while remembering her departed mother and fighting the tears that threatened to spill out of her eyes.

A frog lived in the well. He often would poke his head out of the water and watch the princess. He never bothered Gretchen, and Gretchen never noticed him.

One day in late spring, several months after the death of the queen, Gretchen was again sitting by the well, tossing the golden ball into the air and letting it fall back down. She was not crying this time, but her face was glum. She moved to toss the ball upwards once again, but she threw it much too forcefully. It flew through the air, she missed it as it came back down, and it landed right in the well, quickly sinking to the very bottom.

"Oh, no," Gretchen breathed. Then tears began to trickle down her cheeks. She stared blankly into the well, crying silently, wishing that the golden ball would float back to the surface.

The golden ball did not appear. Instead, a large, green, and quite ugly frog head emerged from the dark water.

"Crying again?" the frog asked in a gentle but croaking voice.

"Please go away," Gretchen sniffled, pulling away from the well.

"Don't be like that," the frog objected. "Tell me why you are crying."

"My mother the queen is dead," Gretchen replied in a choked voice, "and I have just lost a precious memento of her."

"Is it a little golden ball?" asked the frog. "I saw one sinking."

"Yes."

"I will go fetch it for you," the frog declared. "However, I'd like you to give me something in return."

Gretchen was now staring eagerly into the well with a hopeful expression. "Truly?" she asked.

"If you give me something in return," replied the frog.

It did not occur to the young princess that a frog could have anything unreasonable to request, so she agreed. "I'll give you anything you want," she promised. "Would you like gold? Jewels? My crown? Or maybe just a bigger well. I don't know. What would you like?"

"None of those things," the frog said firmly. "Shall I tell you what I want?"

"Yes, do," said Gretchen, a little impatiently.

"I want to be accepted at your table," said the frog. "I want to eat from your golden plate, and live in your palace, and share your luxurious chambers."

"Of course," Gretchen absentmindedly replied, for she was not really listening. She was too eager to regain her mother's golden ball.

"In that case, wait just a moment," the frog croaked before diving down into the well.

Gretchen peered anxiously at the dark waters of the well, wondering if the frog would really retrieve the ball. But she need not have feared. Soon the frog reappeared, hefting the little golden sphere with his strong limbs. He looked exhausted.

"Thank you, thank you!" Gretchen exclaimed, seizing her treasured memento and standing to leave.

"Wait!" the frog desperately called out. "You promised to accept me into your palace!"

Yet again, Gretchen was not listening. You see, she was not really in the habit of listening. So, with her precious golden ball in her hand, her tears drying rapidly, she skipped back to the castle, leaving the ugly frog to croak helplessly after her.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

So that's Chapter 1!