The Leap-Frog, Flea & Grasshopper Story For Kids

 

The Story of Leap-frog, Grasshopper, Flea And A Princess

 

The Leap-Frog, Grasshopper & Princess Story: The Leap-Frog story is a famous story authored by Hans Christian Anderson. Anderson wrote many stories for children and we have taken this story from his collection of fairy tales. Here is the story:

A Flea, a Grasshopper, and a Leap-frog once wanted to see which could jump highest; and they invited the whole world and everybody else besides those who chose to come to see the festival.

Three famous jumpers were they, as everyone would say when they all met together in the room. “I will give my daughter to him who jumps highest,” exclaimed the King; “for it is not so amusing where there is no prize to jump for.”

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King’s Proposal To Flea, Grasshopper, And The Frog

The Flea was the first to step forward. He had exquisite manners, and bowed to the company on all sides; for he had noble blood, and was, moreover, accustomed to the society of man alone; and that makes a great difference. Then came the Grasshopper.

He was considerably heavier, but he was well-mannered and wore a green uniform, which he had by right of birth. He said, moreover, that he belonged to a very ancient Egyptian family, and that in the house where he then was, he was thought much of.

The fact was, he had been just brought out of the fields and put in a pasteboard house, three stories high, all made of court-cards, with the colored side inwards; and doors and windows cut out of the body of the Queen of Hearts.

“I sing so well,” said he, “that sixteen native grasshoppers who have chirped from infancy, and yet got no house built of cards to live in, grew thinner than they were before for sheer vexation when they heard me.”

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A Short Story About The Courage of A Wise Frog

How The King Decided The Princess’s Groom

It was thus that the Flea and the Grasshopper gave an account of themselves, and thought they were quite good enough to marry a Princess. The Leap-frog said nothing but others assumed he thought more. When the housedog snuffed at him with his nose, he admitted the Leap-frog was from a good family.

The old councilor, who had been given three orders to keep his mouth shut, claimed that the Leap-frog was a prophet because he could tell whether there would be a severe or mild winter, something the man who prepares the almanac could not.

“I say nothing, it is true,” exclaimed the King; “but I have my own opinion, notwithstanding.”

Now the trial was to take place. The Flea jumped so high that nobody could see where he went to; so they all asserted he had not jumped at all, and that was dishonorable.

The Grasshopper jumped only half as high but he leaped into the King’s face, who said that was ill-mannered.

The Leap-frog stood still for a long time lost in thought; it was believed at last he would not jump at all. “I only hope he is not unwell,” said the house-dog; when pop!

A few moments later, Frog made a jump all on one side into the lap of the Princess, who was sitting on a little golden stool close by.

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How The Frog Married A Beautiful Princess

Hereupon the King said, “There is nothing above my daughter. Therefore to bound up to her is the highest jump that can be made; but for this, one must possess understanding, and the Leap-frog has shown that he has understanding. He is brave and intellectual.”

And thus frog won the Princess and the king arranged their marriage in a flamboyant way. “It’s all the same to me,” said the Flea. “She may have the old Leap-frog, for all I care. I jumped the highest, but in this world merit seldom meets its reward.

A fine exterior is what people look at nowadays.” The Flea then went into foreign service, where, it is said, he was killed. The Grasshopper sat without on a green bank, and reflected on worldly things; and he said too,

“Yes, a fine exterior is everything—outer beauty is what people care about.” And then he began chirping his peculiar melancholy song, from which we have taken this history; and which may, very possibly, be all untrue, although it does stand here printed in black and white.

Moral of The Story: Courage and ambition are good things but you can’t go higher without understanding and good conduct.

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