Hi everybody. My name is Natasha, and I’ve been commanded by His Royal Highnesss, Prince Bertie the Frog, to tell you a Storynory. Did you know that prince Bertie lives in a pond not a palace? His friend Tim the Tadpole asked him yesterday, “Prince Bertie, when I grow up, will I be a green frog just like you? Do you know what Bertie told him? (Pause) Really, you haven’t heard what Prince Bertie said to Tim the Tadpole? Well Prince Bertie said to Tim the Tadpole, “If you want to grow up to be a nice green frog like me, you have to eat up lots and lots of green, green slime , little Tim.” If enough Children keep listening to Prince Bertie’s stories, Tim the Tadpole will eat up his slime and grow into a handsome frog just like Bertie. So keep listening, – and tell all your friends to tune into to Storynory.com as well. Now.. do you really, really want me to read a Storynory? (Pause) Did you say yes? . Alright, listen quietly, and I will tell you the Storynory of The Frog from The Violet Fairy Book by Andrew Lang. THE FROG Once upon a time there was a rich farmer woman who had three sons. One day they all three told their mother they wanted to get married. To which their mother replied: ‘Do as you like, but see that you choose good wives; and, to make certain of this, take with you these three balls of wool, and give it to the girls to knit. Whoever knits the best pair of socks will be my favourite daughter-in-law.’ Now the two eldest sons had already chosen their wives; so they took the wool from their mother, and carried it off with them, to have it knitted as she had said. But the youngest son was puzzled what to do with his wool, as he knew no girl (never having spoken to any) to whom he could give it to be knitted. He wandered here and there, asking the girls that he met if they would undertake the job for him, but at the sight of the wool they laughed in his face and teased him. Then in despair he left their villages, and went out into the country, and, sitting on the bank of a pond began to cry bitterly. Suddenly there was a noise close beside him, and a frog jumped out of the water on to the bank and asked him why he was crying. The young man told her of his trouble, and how his brothers would bring home beautifully knitted pairs of socks from their promised wives, but that no one would knit his socks for him. Then the frog answered: ‘Do not weep because of that; give me the wool, and I will knit it for you.’ And, having said this, she took it out of his hand, and flopped back into the water, and the youth went back, not knowing what would happen next. In a short time the two elder brothers came home, and their mother asked to see the pairs of socks that had been knitted out of the wool that she had given them. They all three left the room; and in a few minutes the two eldest returned, bringing with them the socks that had been knitted by their chosen wives. But the youngest brother was greatly troubled, for he had nothing to show. Sadly he took himself to the pond, and sitting down on the bank, began to weep. Flop! and the frog appeared out of the water close beside him. ‘Take this,’ she said; ‘here are the socks that I have knitted for you.’ You may imagine how delighted the young man was. She put the socks into his hands, and he took it straight back to his mother, who was so pleased with it that she declared she had never seen such beautiful warm woolen socks, and that they were much nicer than the socks that the two elder brothers had brought home. Then she turned to her sons and said: ‘But this is not enough, my sons, I must have another proof as to what sort of wives you have chosen. In the house there are three puppies. Each of you take one, and give it to the woman whom you mean to bring home as your wife. She must train it and bring it up. Whichever dog turns out the best, its mistress will be my favourite daughter-in-law.’ So the young men set out on their different ways, each taking a puppy with him. The youngest, not knowing where to go, returned to the po