seen such a
carpet. Not only was it as thick and soft as eiderdown, but it shone
with wondrous colors that changed as one looked at them, and it was
embroidered with gold in strange designs.

The Tsar was filled with admiration. All the same he still was
unwilling to have a frog reign in his kingdom.

"This is all very well," said he, "and never before have I seen such a
beautiful carpet. But now I wish you all to appear before me to-morrow
with your wives. Let the Princesses wear their most beautiful dresses
and their finest jewels, and whichever of you has the wife best fitted
to be Queen, to him will I leave the kingdom."

When the Prince Ivan heard this he was in despair. How could he ever
bring the frog to court and present her to the Tsar as though she were
a beautiful Princess?

When he went home the frog at once asked him why he was so sad and
woebegone. "Is not the kingdom to be yours?" she asked.

"No," answered the Prince, "for now my father, the Tsar, has demanded
something else of us." He then told her how the Tsar had bidden him
and his brothers bring their wives to court, and had said that
whichever of the Princesses was the finest and most beautiful should
reign as Queen, and her husband should be the Tsar.

"Do not trouble over that," said the frog. "Only go to bed and sleep
quietly. The kingdom shall still be yours."

Then the Prince went to bed, but he only closed his eyes and pretended
to go to sleep, for he had grown very curious as to how the frog had
been able to provide him with the wonderful loaf and the carpet.

The frog kept very still until she thought the Prince was asleep. Then
she arose quietly from his side and slipped away, but the Prince also
arose and followed her without her being aware of it. She went to the
far-off chamber, and there she laid aside her frog-skin; and when the
prince saw her in her human form he was amazed at her beauty, and his
heart melted within him for love of her, for her hair was like spun
gold, her eyes as blue as the sky, and her skin as white as milk.
Never had he seen such a beauty.

The Princess went out on a balcony as she had before, and cried aloud
three times, "Nurses dear, nurses true, bring me fine clothes and
jewels to wear, richer than ever were seen before."

At once the three crows appeared, carrying with them jewels and fine
robes all encrusted with gems and embroidery. These they laid at the
Princess's feet and bowed three times, c