The Well of the World's End facts for kids
The Well of the World's End is an old fairy tale from the border region between England and Scotland. It was written down by Joseph Jacobs in his book English Fairy Tales. He found the story in an older book called The Complaynt of Scotland. This tale is very similar to the famous German story, The Frog Prince. Both stories are known as "The Frog King" or "Iron Henry" in a system that helps classify different types of fairy tales.
What Happens in the Story?
The story begins with a young girl whose mother has passed away. Her father then marries again, and her new stepmother is very unkind to her. The stepmother makes the girl do all the chores around the house.
One day, the stepmother decides she wants to get rid of the girl. She gives the girl a sieve (a basket with holes) and tells her to go to a place called the Well of the World's End. The stepmother orders the girl not to come back until she has filled the sieve with water.
The girl sets off on her journey, asking everyone she meets for directions to this special well. Finally, a kind old woman tells her how to get there. When the girl reaches the well, she tries to fill the sieve, but the water just runs out through the holes. She becomes very sad and starts to cry.
The Frog's Help
Suddenly, a frog appears and asks the girl why she is crying. The frog offers to help her fill the sieve, but only if she promises to do everything it asks for one night. The girl, desperate to go home, agrees to the frog's request.
The frog then tells her a clever trick: she should plug the holes in the sieve with moss and clay. The girl follows the frog's advice, and this time, she is able to carry the water back home in the sieve.
A Promise Kept
When the girl returns, her stepmother is very angry that she succeeded. Soon after, the frog arrives at their house, reminding the girl of her promise. The stepmother insists that the girl must keep her word.
The frog asks the girl to let it sit on her knee, share her dinner, and then take it to bed with her. The girl does all these things, even though it's a bit strange.
In the morning, the frog makes one last request: it asks the girl to chop off its head. The girl is scared but remembers her promise and bravely does as the frog asks.
A Prince Appears
As soon as the girl chops off the frog's head, something amazing happens! The frog instantly changes into a handsome prince.
The stepmother is even more furious to see this magical transformation. However, the prince is very grateful to the girl for keeping her promise. He asks her to marry him, and she agrees. The prince then takes her away to his home, where they live happily ever after.
