The Frog Prince

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Once upon a time there
was a Princess. Many a
suitor came to the palace

to win her hand in
marriage, but it seemed
to the Princess that each
one of them looked at her
without really seeing her

at all.

castle

“They act like there’s
nothing more to a

princess than her fine
crown and royal

dresses,” she said to
herself with a frown.

One afternoon after one of these visits, the Princess
thought, “Sometimes I wish I were little again.”
She found her favorite ball from childhood, the one
that sparkled when she threw it up high to the sun.
She took the ball to the palace yard and threw it

higher and higher.
One time she threw it extra high and when she ran
to catch the ball, she tripped on a tree stump. The
ball fell and plopped right down into the royal well!
She raced over to fetch her ball before it dropped too

far, but by the time she got there she could no
longer see it in the water.

“Oh no!” she moaned, “This is
terrible!” Just then a small green frog
poked its head above the water.

“Maybe I can help you,” said the
Frog.

“Yes,” said the Princess. “Please get my ball!”
“No problem,” said the Frog. “But first there’s
something I must ask of you.”
“What do you mean?” said the Princess.
“It’s for you to spend time with me today,” said
the Frog.
“I’m not sure I know what that means,” said the
Princess.
“Just spend time with me today,” repeated the Frog.

“I’m on it,” said the Frog. He dived deep into the
well. A few moments later, up he came with the ball
held high in one hand.
“Thank you,” said the Princess, taking it from him.
She turned to go.
“Wait a minute!” said the Frog. “You promised to
spend time with me today!”
“I already did,” she said with a shrug. And the
Princess walked back to the palace.

That night at dinner with her family and the royal
advisers, there was a knock on the door. The servant

opened the door and saw no one there. The Frog,
standing down low, cleared his throat.



“The Princess promised to spend time with me today,” said the
Frog in as loud a voice as he could. “So here I am.”



“Daughter!” said the King from the far end of the table. “Did
you promise to spend time with this Frog, as he claims?”



“Sort of,” said the Princess. After a pause, she added, “Oh
very well, come on in.”

Conversation turned to a topic of concern in
the kingdom. None of the royal advisers
knew what to do.


“Father, if I may,” said the Princess.
“Perhaps we could–“


“Stop!” said the King, cutting her off.
“I have enough advisors, believe me.”


“If I may,” said the Frog, and it was

the first time he had spoken at the table.

“There’s more to a princess than her fine crown and
royal dresses.”
The Princess stared at the Frog. How could this little frog
– more than anyone else – understand such a thing?
After dinner, the Frog bowed to the Princess. He said,
“You have done what you said you would do. I suppose
it’s time now for me to go.”
“No wait!” said the Princess, “it’s not that late. How
about a walk in the garden?”
The Frog was delighted. The two of them walked in the
royal garden, the Frog hopping along the stone wall so he
and the Princess were at the same level and could talk
easily.

They laughed about many things.
Later, when the sun set, they

admired the deep rosy reds it cast
in the sky.



The Princess said, “You know,
being with you tonight was a lot

more fun than I thought.”



“I had a very good time, too,”
said the Frog.



“Who knew?” said the Princess
with a laugh. She leaned over and

kissed the Frog lightly on his
cheek.

She leaned over and kissed
the Frog lightly on his cheek.

At once, there was a puff of clouds
and smoke. The small green frog had
changed into a young prince! The
Princess jumped back in surprise, and
who could blame her? The Prince
quickly told her not to worry, that all
was well. Years before, an evil witch
had put a spell on him that he must
stay a frog until he was kissed by a
princess.
The witch had laughed an evil laugh,
saying, “Like THAT will ever
happen!” But it did!

Now the Prince and Princess could get to
know each other better. Years later, after
they were married, they had a beautiful
setting made for the ball and placed it on
their royal dining table. And when the
sunlight shone in through the palace
windows, the ball sparkled for all to see.

THE END