“The Story of King Frost.” The Yellow Fairy Book, edited by Andrew Lang, London, New York, Bombay: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1906, pp. 209-212.

Tale Summary

Once upon a time, there was a peasant woman who had a daughter, who got everything she wanted, and a stepdaughter, who had a hard time and was blamed for everything although she was good-hearted. Her husband (the girl’s father) gave in to the woman’s wishes to get rid of the girl, and placed his daughter in a sledge and left her in an open field to die. The girl heard a sound: it was King Frost. He asked her if she was warm, and although she was shivering, she said yes. He asked her twice more and still she replied that she was warm. King Frost took pity on her for her uncomplaining ways and he wrapped her up, giving her a beautiful embroidered robe, and stepped into his sledge with her. Her wicked stepmother was meantime imploring her husband to find his daughter's body and bury her, and just as he was leaving to do so, the little dog under the table began to speak:

 “Your daughter shall live to be your delight;
 Her daughter shall die this very night.”

The stepmother scolded the dog and promised him a pancake if he would say:

 “Her daughter shall have much silver and gold;
 His daughter is frozen quite stiff and cold.”

 The dog ate the pancake and said:

“His daughter shall wear a crown on her head;
 Her daughter shall die unwooed, unwed.”

To her dismay the dog repeated only these words. Suddenly, the door flew open and the girl entered dressed beautifully, and with her was a heavy chest. The stepmother commanded her husband to prepare the sledge to take her daughter to the exact spot the fair girl was left so that she also could reap a reward. After she was left there, King Frost came to her and asked if she was warm, and the unpleasant girl answered rudely that she was very plainly freezing. He asked her again and again and she became increasingly rude, and so he froze her to death. Back in the hut the wicked girl's mother grew impatient and told her husband to fetch her and bring her home. The dog again began to bark and said:

“Your daughter is frozen quite stiff and cold,
 and shall never have a chest full of gold.”

 the woman scolded the dog and promised a cake if he would say:

“Her daughter shall marry a mighty king.”

At that moment the door opened and the wicked woman went to meet her daughter, but was frozen to death as soon as she touched the cold corpse.