The Friendly Frog
A king, engaged in a prolonged war, sends his queen to a distant castle for safety. Heartbroken, she longs for him and devises a plan to escape back to his side. During her escape, she encounters a giantess known as the Lion-Witch, who captures her and takes her to a dark cavern filled with monsters. The queen, desperate and alone, saves a talking frog from a raven, who offers to help her. The frog, part fairy, uses her magic to assist the queen in fulfilling the Lion-Witch's cruel demands, including catching flies for a pastry. As time passes, the queen gives birth to a daughter, Moufette, while the frog remains a loyal friend. The king, unaware of his wife's fate, mourns her loss and is pressured to remarry. The frog eventually journeys to the king, revealing the queen's survival and their daughter's existence. The king, determined to rescue them, confronts the Lion-Witch, leading to a fierce battle against her monsters. With the help of the frog and a dragon, the king ultimately frees the queen and Moufette. In a twist of fate, the frog transforms into a beautiful lady, revealing her true identity. The story concludes with a grand celebration of love and loyalty, as Moufette and her prince are united in marriage, marking the triumph of true love over adversity.
By Charles Perrault · First published 1697 · Genre: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Fairy Tale · 12,466 words
First lines
Once upon a time there was a king who had been at war for a long time with his neighbours. After many battles had been fought his capital was besieged by the enemy. Fearing for the safety of the queen, the king implored her to take refuge in a stronghold to which he himself had never been but once. The queen besought him with tears to let her remain at his side, and share his fate, and lamented loudly when the king placed her in the carriage which was to take her away under escort.
What this Textopian page supports
The Friendly Frog is listed on Textopian as a short story by Charles Perrault, dated 1697 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Charles Perrault
- Date: 1697 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's Literature, Fantasy, Fairy Tale, Adventure
- Length: 12,466 words
- Structure: 1 section, 135 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Friendly Frog by Charles Perrault
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Friendly Frog?
- How does this short story by Charles Perrault fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Children's Literature first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Children's Literature — The title implies a friendly, accessible theme that would be found in children's literature.
- Fantasy — Frogs are often anthropomorphized in fantasy literature. The adjective 'friendly' implies the frog may have human-like qualities, typical of fantasy.
- Fairy Tale — Charles Perrault is known for fairy tales, and talking animals are a common element in this genre.
- Adventure — The title suggests the possibility of an adventure story as it may follow the escapades of the 'friendly frog'.
Tags
frog · friendship · fairy tale · animals · adventure · morality · children's literature · imagination · nature · fantasy · whimsy · storytelling