THE STORY OF “THE FROG PRINCE”:
BRETON VARIANT, AND SOME ANALOGUES.
IN the following tale we have a Breton form of the well-known märchen, in Grimm’s collection, of “The Frog Prince”, combined with incidents found in other popular European and Asiatic fictions. It was taken down from the recital of an old beggar woman of Plouaret by M. F. M. Luzel, and published in Mélusine for September 1888, under the title of “Jannac aux Deux Sous”, or
Penny Jack.
A poor orphan lived on alms which he daily collected from door to door. One day a gentleman, passing along the highway, gave him a penny (deux sous). Laughing and dancing with joy at the possession of so much money, he rushed to the town, shouting through the streets, “I’ve a penny! I’ve a penny!” As his clothes were in rags, he went to a draper’s and ordered coat, vest, and trousers. “Have you the money, my boy?” asked the merchant. “O yes,” showing his cash. “Get you gone, Penny Jack!” said the draper, pushing him out of the door. The name “Penny Jack” stuck to him. At play with some youngsters he lost his money, wept like a calf, and set off for the country.
On the way he drinks at a fountain, lies down, and passes the night. In the morning, as he is about to drink again, he perceives an enormous frog in the basin, and shrinks back in horror. “Don’t be alarmed, my boy; come, kiss me”; and the frog leaps up on the edge of the basin. After some persuasion and the promise of his finding money in abundance, Jack kissed the frog. He is directed to look behind a moss-grown stone for money, and is told he will get as much more there to-morrow