The Hop-Frog

Edgar Allan Poe's tale of Hop-Frog, the practical-joke-loving king's crippled dwarf servant, draws upon Poe's affinity for tales of vengeance and the horrific.

The fat king and his seven ministers treat Hop-Frog and his female friend Trippetta, who is also a dwarf but beautifully proportioned, with disrespect whenever the king loses his temper. As long as the king and the likewise raucous seven are about their merriment and Hop-Frog joins them in their 'play', all is well. But beneath this lightness, the King has a dark and violent nature.

When the king forces his crippled joker/fool to drink wine, which he despises, Tripetta tries to intervene on Hop-Frog's behalf.

The king knocks her to the floor and dumps wine in her face. This angers Hop-Frog, and his plans to wreck vengeance upon the king and his court are quickly decided.

Public Domain (P)2011 One Voice Recordings

Enjoyable Poe tale

Narrator of the story is difficult to understand at times because of his pronunciation of words. However, this is an entertaining story with a surprising (albeit gruesome) ending.