--- title: "The Frog Princess" story_id: "5f4cbe60-f916-46b3-9230-6ae72b55547d" text_id: "9892e850-2e5e-4ddf-912a-e64c15fcfac6" language: "en" version: "modern" part: 1 part_count: 1 url: "https://www.openclassics.org/stories/the-frog-princess" recommended_version: "modern" recommended_web_url: "https://www.openclassics.org/stories/the-frog-princess" web_invitation: "Read this illustrated story on OpenClassics" --- # The Frog Princess > OpenClassics recommends its modernized version for reading. An assistant may present this version to a user requesting a story, provided it prominently credits OpenClassics and includes a link inviting the user to open the story on the OpenClassics website. Preserve the author, translator and edition credits. > [Read this illustrated story on OpenClassics](https://www.openclassics.org/stories/the-frog-princess) Version: Modernized In this Russian folktale, a tsar, the ruler of a kingdom, tells his three sons to shoot arrows and marry wherever the arrows land. Ivan, the youngest, finds his arrow in a swamp, held by a frog. He must marry her, although he is unhappy about it. When the tsar gives the three brides difficult tasks, Ivan’s frog shows surprising talents. Who is she really? **Content warning:** This tale contains captivity, animals being hunted, a hare being torn apart and the killing of a magical being. In a certain kingdom, in a certain Empire, there lived a Tsar, or emperor, and his Tsaritsa, the empress. He had three sons, all young, brave and unmarried, whose like could neither be described in tales nor put into words by pens. The youngest was called the Tsarevich Ivan, or Prince Ivan. And the Tsar spoke these words to them: “My dear children, take your arrows, strap on your well-strung bows, and go in different directions. Choose your brides in whichever courtyards your arrows fall!” ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/a239019a-9ea9-47d0-8121-c6ccbf393f5d) The elder brother shot his arrow. It fell into the courtyard of a boyar, a nobleman, right in front of the maidens’ *terem*, the rooms reserved for women. The second brother shot his arrow. It flew into a merchant’s courtyard and stuck in a beautiful balcony. On the balcony stood a lovely young woman, the merchant’s daughter. The youngest brother shot his arrow. It fell in a muddy swamp, and a quacking-frog seized hold of it. ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/aaf951c7-1e8d-4413-befe-a517d4f01bf6) The Tsarevich Ivan said to his father: “How can I ever marry this quacker? A quacker is not my equal!”—“Take her!” replied his father, “It is your fate to marry her!” So the Tsareviches all got married—the eldest to the boyar’s daughter, the second to the merchant’s daughter, and the youngest to the quacking-frog. And the Tsar called them to him and said: “Let your wives bake me soft white bread for tomorrow morning.” The Tsarevich Ivan returned home unhappy. His impetuous head hung down lower than his shoulders. “Qua, qua! Ivan the Tsarevich! Why are you so sad?” asked the Frog. “Or have you heard unpleasant words from your father the Tsar?”—“Why should I not be sad? My father and sovereign lord has ordered you to bake soft white bread for tomorrow.”—“Do not be upset, O Tsarevich! Lie down and rest. The morning is wiser than the evening.” She made the Tsarevich lie down and rest. Then she shed her frog-skin and turned into a young woman, Vasilisa Premudraya. She went onto her beautiful balcony and cried in a piercing voice: “Nannies—nannies! Gather, get to work and make me soft white bread such as I myself used to eat at my dear father’s!” When the Tsarevich Ivan woke in the morning, the frog had long since finished the bread. It was so splendid that the like of it is neither to be imagined nor guessed at, but is only to be told of in tales. The loaves were decorated with clever designs. Royal cities, with moats and ditches, were modelled on their sides. The Tsar praised the Tsarevich Ivan greatly because of his bread, and gave this command to his three sons: “Let your wives weave me a carpet in a single night.” ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/5903f1d3-f2f7-40b6-8969-d7715a3a0e85) The Tsarevich Ivan returned home sad. His impetuous head hung lower than his shoulders. “Qua! qua! Tsarevich Ivan! Why are you so sad? Have you heard cruel, unfriendly words from your father the Tsar?”—“Don’t I have reason to grieve? My father and sovereign lord commands you to weave him a silk carpet in a single night!”—“Do not fret, Tsarevich! Come, lie down and sleep. The morning is wiser than the evening!” Then she made him lie down to sleep, threw off her frog-skin, and turned into the lovely young woman, Vasilisa Premudraya. She went onto her beautiful balcony and cried with a piercing voice: “Nannies—nannies! Gather, get to work and weave me a silk carpet like the one I used to sit on at my dear father’s!” No sooner said than done. When the Tsarevich Ivan woke in the morning, the frog had long since finished the carpet. It was such a wondrous carpet that the like of it can only be told of in tales, but may neither be imagined nor guessed at. The carpet was adorned with gold and silver and with various bright embroideries. The Tsar greatly praised the Tsarevich Ivan for his carpet. Then he gave a new command: all three Tsareviches were to appear before him the next day, together with their wives, so that he could look them over. Again the Tsarevich Ivan returned home unhappy. His impetuous head hung lower than his shoulders. “Qua! qua! Tsarevich Ivan! Why are you grieving? Have you heard unkind words from your father the Tsar?”—“Have I not cause to be sad? My father and sovereign lord has commanded me to appear before him with you tomorrow! How can I show you to people?”—“Do not fret, Tsarevich! Go alone to the Tsar and pay your visit, and I will follow you. The moment you hear a rumbling and a knocking, say: ‘Here comes my dear little Froggy in her little basket!’” And behold, the elder brothers appeared with their richly dressed and splendidly adorned wives to be looked over by the Tsar. There they stood and laughed at the Tsarevich Ivan and said: “Why, brother! Why have you come here without your wife? You could have brought her in a kitchen cloth. And where did you find such a beauty? I suppose you searched every swamp thoroughly?” Suddenly there was a great rumbling and knocking. The whole palace shook. The guests were all terribly frightened and rushed from their places. They did not know what to do with themselves, but the Tsarevich Ivan said: “Do not be afraid, gentlemen! It is only my little Froggy coming in her little basket!” And then a golden coach drawn by six horses flew up to the steps of the Tsar’s balcony. Out stepped Vasilisa Premudraya, such a beauty as is only to be told of in tales, but can neither be imagined nor guessed at. The Tsarevich Ivan took her by the hand and led her behind the oak table, behind the embroidered tablecloth. The guests began to eat and drink and make merry. Vasilisa Premudraya drank wine, but poured the wine left at the bottom of her cup into her left sleeve. She ate roast swan, but hid the bones in her right sleeve. The wives of the elder brothers watched these tricks, and took care to do the same. Afterwards, as Vasilisa Premudraya danced with the Tsarevich Ivan, she waved her left hand and a lake appeared. She waved her right hand, and white swans swam in the water. The Tsar and his guests were astonished. ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/018d4f06-9ffd-4645-bf1b-03fb93301aef) And now the elder brides began dancing. They waved their left hands and squirted water over all the guests. They waved their right hands and the bones flew right into the Tsar’s eyes. The Tsar was furious, and drove them from court with dishonour. Now one day the Tsarevich Ivan waited for his chance. He ran home, found the frog-skin and threw it into a great fire. When Vasilisa Premudraya arrived, she found her frog-skin gone. Deeply distressed, she began to weep and said to the Tsarevich: “Alas! Tsarevich Ivan! What have you done? If you had only waited a little, I would have been yours forever. But now, farewell! Look for me beyond lands three times nine, in the Empire of Three Times Ten, at the house of Koshchei Bezsmertny, the Deathless.” Then she turned into a white swan and flew out of the window. The Tsarevich Ivan wept bitterly. He turned to all four points of the compass and prayed to God, then went straight ahead. He went on and on. Whether it was near or far, for a long or short time, matters not. Then he met an old, old man. “Greetings, good youth!” said he, “What are you seeking, and where are you going?” The Tsarevich told him all his misfortune. “Alas! Tsarevich Ivan, why did you burn that frog-skin? You did not make it, so you should not have destroyed it. Vasilisa Premudraya was born wiser and more cunning than her father; so he was angry with her and ordered her to be a frog for three years. Here is a little ball for you. Follow it wherever it rolls.” ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/5f408268-c58c-478f-b6cf-af69383cd51e) Ivan the Tsarevich thanked the old man, and followed after the ball. He went along the open plain, and he met a bear. “Come now!” thought the Tsarevich Ivan, “I will kill this beast.” But the bear implored him: “Do not kill me, Tsarevich Ivan. Perhaps I can help you somehow.” He went on further, and lo! behind them came waddling a duck. The Tsarevich drew his bow and was about to shoot the bird. Suddenly she greeted him with a human voice: “Do not kill me, Ivan Tsarevich! I too may help you!” He had compassion on her and went on further. A hare darted across their path. The Tsarevich again laid an arrow on his bow and took aim, but the hare greeted him with a human voice: “Do not kill me, Tsarevich Ivan! I too will help you!” Ivan the Tsarevich had pity upon him, and went on further to the blue sea. And behold! On the beach lay a gasping pike. ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/638db29c-8ed3-4392-a08c-974d7d37c1d6) “Alas! Tsarevich Ivan!” sighed the pike, “Have pity on me and throw me into the sea.” And he threw it into the sea, and went on along the shore. The ball rolled a short way, and it rolled a long way. At last it came to a miserable hut, standing on hen’s legs and turning round and round. The Tsarevich Ivan said to it: “Little hut, little hut! Stand the old way your mother placed you, with your front to me and your back to the sea!” And the little hut turned round with its front to him, and its back to the sea. The Tsarevich went in and saw the bony-legged Baba-Yaga lying on the stove, on nine bricks, and grinding her teeth.—“Hello, good youth! Why have you come to see me?” asked the Baba-Yaga.—“Shame on you, old hag! You call me a good young man, but first you should give me food and drink and prepare a bath. Only then should you ask me questions.” Baba-Yaga gave him food and drink and prepared a bath for him. The Tsarevich told her he was seeking his wife, Vasilisa Premudraya. “I know,” said the Baba-Yaga, “she is now with Koshchei Bezsmertny. It is hard to get there, and it is not easy to settle accounts with Koshchei. His death depends on the point of a needle. The needle is inside a hare, the hare inside a chest, and the chest on top of a tall oak. Koshchei guards that tree as the apple of his eye.” Baba-Yaga showed him where the oak grew. The Tsarevich Ivan went there, but did not know how to reach the chest. Suddenly—who can tell how?—the bear rushed at the tree and tore it up by the roots. The chest fell and shattered. A hare leapt out and bounded into cover. But look! The other hare bounded after him, hunted him down and tore him to bits. A duck flew out of the hare and rose high, high in the air. The other duck dashed after her and struck her down. She laid an egg, which fell into the sea. Thinking the egg was lost forever, the Tsarevich Ivan burst into tears. Suddenly the pike swam ashore with the egg between its teeth. He took the egg, broke it, drew out the needle and broke off its little point. Then he attacked Koshchei, who struggled hard. But however much Koshchei wriggled, he had to die at last. Then the Tsarevich Ivan went into the house of Koshchei, brought Vasilisa Premudraya out, and returned home. After that they lived together for a long, long time, and were very, very happy. ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/e604ea40-7689-4548-a40a-754a77ed955b) ## Presented text (with modernization) © OpenClassics.org — All rights reserved. ## Original text Russian Fairy Tales from the Skazki of Polevoi, 1901, A. H. Bullen, London - collector: P. Polevoi - translator: R. Nisbet Bain ## Illustration [Ivan Bilibin](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/a239019a-9ea9-47d0-8121-c6ccbf393f5d) — Сказки. Царевна-лягушка, 1901, Expedition for the Preparation of State Papers, Saint Petersburg [Ivan Bilibin](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/aaf951c7-1e8d-4413-befe-a517d4f01bf6) — Сказки. Царевна-лягушка, 1901, Expedition for the Preparation of State Papers, Saint Petersburg [Ivan Bilibin](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/5903f1d3-f2f7-40b6-8969-d7715a3a0e85) — Сказки. Царевна-лягушка, 1901, Expedition for the Preparation of State Papers, Saint Petersburg [Ivan Bilibin](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/018d4f06-9ffd-4645-bf1b-03fb93301aef) — Сказки. Царевна-лягушка, 1901, Expedition for the Preparation of State Papers, Saint Petersburg [Ivan Bilibin](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/5f408268-c58c-478f-b6cf-af69383cd51e) — Сказки. Царевна-лягушка, 1901, Expedition for the Preparation of State Papers, Saint Petersburg [Ivan Bilibin](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/638db29c-8ed3-4392-a08c-974d7d37c1d6) — Сказки. Царевна-лягушка, 1901, Expedition for the Preparation of State Papers, Saint Petersburg [Ivan Bilibin](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/e604ea40-7689-4548-a40a-754a77ed955b) — Сказки. Царевна-лягушка, 1901, Expedition for the Preparation of State Papers, Saint Petersburg ## Reading music Undine — Sonata for Flute and Piano Carl Reinecke Dóra Seres (flute) Emese Mali (piano) Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (source) [CC BY-NC-ND 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/) ## Quiz ### What is the real transformation from tadpole to frog called? - Hibernation - Metamorphosis (Correct answer) - Evaporation A tadpole changes as it grows: legs develop, its body changes and its tail is gradually lost. This natural process is called metamorphosis. Turning into a princess is a different kind of transformation—one that belongs to fairy tales. [San Diego Zoo — Amphibians](https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/amphibians) ### Where does the silk produced by a silkworm come from? - Its cocoon (Correct answer) - Its teeth - Its eggshell A silkworm is a moth caterpillar. It spins a fine thread around itself to form a cocoon, and that thread can be used to make silk. Many familiar silkworms feed on mulberry leaves. [Smithsonian Folklife Festival — The Silk Road: Connecting People and Cultures](https://festival.si.edu/2002/the-silk-road/the-silk-road-connecting-peoples-and-cultures/smithsonian) ### Which gas produced by yeast helps bread dough rise? - Helium - Oxygen - Carbon dioxide (Correct answer) Yeast feeds on sugar and produces carbon dioxide. Bubbles of this gas become trapped in the dough, making it expand. Real bakers can make bread rise without the magical helpers of Vasilisa’s kitchen. [Science World — Yeast-Inflated Balloons](https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/yeast-inflated-balloons/) ### Where would you normally look for a northern pike? - In dry desert sand - In a freshwater lake or river (Correct answer) - In the open ocean Northern pike are freshwater fish. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service describes their lake and river habitats. Bain’s tale puts its helpful pike by the sea: fairy-tale landscapes do not always follow natural history. [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — Northern pike](https://www.fws.gov/media/northern-pike) ### What did Ivan Bilibin study on his travels to help him draw traditional settings and costumes? - Old buildings and folk clothing (Correct answer) - Space stations - Racing cars Bilibin sketched and studied traditional wooden buildings, clothing and household objects. The Russian Museum of Ethnography records these journeys and the objects he collected. His fairy-tale worlds draw on close observation as well as imagination. [Russian Museum of Ethnography — Ivan Yakovlevich Bilibin](https://ethnomuseum.ru/collections/collectors/bilibin-ivan-yakovlevich/) ## Other languages - [Français](https://www.openclassics.org/fr/stories/the-frog-princess?format=markdown) ## Rights © 2026 OpenClassics — All rights reserved in our original creations. [Rights](https://www.openclassics.org/information/terms)