another
place, and at once swam back to Lidushka.

Lidushka tried again and again to drive it away. Each time she struck at
it, the frog dived, came up at another place, and then swam back. At
last Lidushka lost all patience.

"Go away, you old fat thing!" she screamed. "I have to finish my wash!
Go away, I tell you, and when your babies come I'll be their godmother!
Do you hear?"

As if it accepted this as a promise, the frog croaked: "All right! All
right! All right!" and swam off.

Some time after this, when Lidushka was again doing her washing at the
river, the same old frog appeared not looking now so fat and bloated.

"Come! Come, my dear!" it croaked. "You remember your promise! You said
you'd be godmother to my babies. You must come with me now for we're
having the christening today."

Lidushka, of course, had spoken jokingly, but even so a promise is a
promise and must not be broken.

"But, you foolish frog," she said, "how can I be godmother to your
babies? I can't go down in the water."

"Yes, you can!" the old frog croaked. "Come on! Come on! Come with me!"

It began swimming upstream and Lidushka followed, walking along the
shore and feeling every moment more frightened.

The old frog swam on until it reached the mill-dam. Then it said to
Lidushka:

"Now, my dear, don't be afraid! Don't be afraid! Just lift that
stone in front of you. Under it you'll find a flight of stairs that
lead straight down to my house. I'll go on ahead. Do as I say and
you can't miss the way."

The frog disappeared in the water and Lidushka lifted the stone.
Sure enough there was a flight of stairs going down under the
mill-dam. And what kind of stairs do you suppose they were? They
were not made of wood or stone but of great solid blocks of water,
laid one on another, transparent and clear as crystal.

Lidushka timidly went down one step, then another, and another, until
halfway down she was met by the old frog who welcomed her with many
noisy croaks.

"This way, dear godmother! This way! Don't be afraid! Don't be afraid!"

Lidushka picked up courage and took the remaining stairs more bravely.
The frog then led her to its house which, like the stairs, was built of
beautiful crystal water, sparkling and transparent.

Inside everything was in readiness for the christening. Lidushka at once
took the baby frogs in her arms and held them during the ceremony.

After the christening came a mighty feast to which many