Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-04-30

back to its place by. the lre, and croak
and blink its sparkling eyes.
Then the sisters became enraged, SO
they gave their husbands no peace until
they turned out the youngest brother,
The poor lad took his frog and wander
ed disconsolate through the village.
By and by he came to hut, so old
and dilapidated that no one cared to
/ live in it. But as he had no other
home. he was glad to enter the hut
and rest. He gathered some fagots in
the wood and made fire in the CRATE,
and having placed the frog there, he sat
down and mourned.
For few days kind neighbor came
in and took care of the place and pre-
pared his food; but she soon grew tired
and left him alone. He mourned and
bewailed his fate a little while. and
then, one morning, he got UP and went
out to labor.
When he returned he found the side
board laden with tempting viands, the
hearth was swept clean, and the table
was laid for his dinner.
MY sisters-in-law did this kind act
for me- the boy thought; and the frog.
sitting by the hearth. blinked its
bright eyes and croaked.
So the next day he went cut again to
work, and on his return he found the
place in order. with his dinner pre-
pared as before. For long time this
continued, and then the youth deter
mined to find out who his benefactor
was, SO the next day, after leaving the
house, he climbed upon the roof and
through a chink watched within.
Suddenly the frog leaped from its
place by the fireside, hoped around the
room and to the door, as if to see that
no one was there, and finding the place
clear, it hoped back to the fire,
croaked three times. and. wonder of
wonders. off fell the frog skin, and up
stood maiden, as fair as the dawn,
who began ito arrange the room and
prepare the dinner.
The youth could scarcely remain
quiet, SO great was his JOY at beholding
this transformation; but while he look
ed, the girl finished her task, went back
to the hearth, spoke few words, and
again she was covered with the frog
skin, and sat croaking, on the hearth
and blinking her bright eyes.
That evening, when he entered the
hut, the young man gently stroked the
freq, which showed its joy by leaping
around. And the next morning he
again concealed himself and saw the
frog search around carefully. and find
ing the coast clear, again became a
maiden. Then, while she was busy
with her task, he stole quietly into the
house, caught the empty skin lying by
the hearth. and threw it into the
flames.
At that the girl uttered a Shrek,
flew over to where he stood. and i'm
plored him not to burn the frog-skin
Trouble will surely come to you if
you do, and 1 cannot help you or shield
you," she cried
But the fire had been burning it all
this time, and it was too late. Then
the wretched woman wept and re-
preached him, but he scothed and COM
forted her as best he could.
1t was not long until the country
rung with the news that the man who
had owned frog now had beautiful
fairy, who had come tc him from heav-
en-.
Now, there was in that land a very
unjust king, and when he heard of this
fairy, he wanted to make her queen,
for he thought that then he could have
all his ambitions gratified; so he sent
messengers to bring her to the palace.
But when the young man saw them
coming he hid the maiden, and refused
to let her go. This angered the king,
and he summoned the man to appear
before him. and said to him:
"On one condition may you retain
the fairy. Sow my acres with wheat,
and have the work done before sum
down tomorrow"
THAT is an impossible task the
man said, and returning home he
wept, and told his wife what the king
had commanded.
Then she upbraided him for burning
her frog-skin, reminding him of her
warning that trouble would come of
it. But then to comfort him she said:
go to the lake, where you found
me, and say, Mother and father, l pray
you lend me your bulls!'"
This the man did. and while he
waited On the bank, out from the water
came such a team of oxen as had never
been seen before. With them he
ploughed and furrowed all the acres of
the king, and planted the wheat, and
before shutdown the enchanted beasts
had returned to their home in the lake.
When the king saw the impossible