Diamonds and Toads facts for kids
Diamonds and Toads (which in French is called Les Fées) is a famous fairy tale written by Charles Perrault. It first appeared in a special handwritten book in 1695. This book was called Contes de ma mêre l'oye, which means Tales of Mother Goose. It was made for the king's niece and included four other stories by Perrault.
The story was later published in Paris in 1697. It was part of a collection of eight fairy tales called Histoires ou contes du temps passé (or Stories or Tales of Past Times). There are other similar tales, like "Le Doie Pizzelle" in a book called Pentamerone by Giambattista Basile. Even the Brothers Grimm collected a similar version of this tale.
Many people believe the main message of this story is about how kindness and good manners are always rewarded. It shows that humble people can achieve great things, while proud people might face difficulties. The tale was likely written for young people to teach them the importance of being polite.
Contents
The Story of Diamonds and Toads
This classic fairy tale begins with a widow who has two daughters. These sisters are very different from each other.
The Kind Younger Sister
The older daughter is not very nice and can be quite rude. But the younger daughter is beautiful and always polite. One day, the mother sends the younger daughter to fetch water from a nearby spring.
While at the spring, the girl meets an old woman dressed in simple clothes. This old woman is actually a fairy in disguise! The fairy asks the girl for a drink of water. The kind girl politely gives her some. To thank her, the fairy gives the girl a magical gift: whenever she speaks, beautiful diamonds and fresh roses fall from her mouth!
When the younger daughter returns home, her mother is amazed by this wonderful gift.
The Rude Elder Sister
Seeing this, the mother quickly sends her older daughter to the same spring. This time, the girl meets a grandly-dressed lady, who is also the fairy. The fairy asks for a drink of water, just as she did before. But the older daughter responds very rudely.
Because of her bad manners, the fairy gives the older daughter a different kind of gift: whenever she speaks, ugly snakes and slimy toads drop from her mouth!
What Happens Next
When the older daughter comes home, her mother is furious. She blames the younger sister for what happened. The younger girl gets scared and runs away into the woods.
In the woods, she meets a prince. The prince quickly falls in love with her kindness and beauty, and they decide to marry. Meanwhile, the older sister runs away from home and sadly dies alone.
The story ends with a simple lesson: being polite and using gentle words is much more valuable than any jewels. These good qualities can bring unexpected and wonderful rewards in life.
Gallery
Illustrations of the tale by Laura Vlentine from Aunt Louisa's Nursery Favorite (1870).
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Rose, the youngest, and the fairy.
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Rose and her mother : the gift.
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Fanny, the eldest, and the fairy.
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Fanny and her mother : the curse.
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Rose in the forest with the prince.
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Fanny alone in the forest.
See also
In Spanish: Diamantes y sapos (cuento) para niños
