BED-TIME STORIES...

                THE FROG PRINCE

Once upon a time, in a large palace, lived a king and a queen. They had 3 beautiful daughters. The youngest princess was the prettiest.

One day, the princess went to play with her golden ball beside the lake in the royal gardens. The princess tossed the ball high into the air and caught it again and again.

Accidentally, the ball fell into the well beside the lake. The princess peered into the well and saw the ball disappear deep into the well. The princess sat beside the well and cried helplessly.

Suddenly, she heard a croaky voice say, "What’s the matter, princess?"

The princess looked around and finally realised that the words were spoken by a frog. It lived in the lake.

"Oh! My favourite golden ball. It fell into the well and I can’t have it back," cried the princess.

The princess was ready to give away all the pearls, diamond and her crown for the ball. But the frog refused to have them instead he asked the princess to take him with her to the palace and let him eat from her golden plate and sleep on her golden bed. The princess then thought that a frog can never leave his lake, so she decided to pretend to agree to him and have her ball back.

Then the princess told the frog to get the ball and she will do as he says. The frog dived into the well and in a moment, brought back the gleaming golden ball. The princess was overjoyed to have the ball back. Without waiting to thank the frog, the princess ran fast towards the palace.

The frog tried to stop the princess but failed as she was gone. The next day, the princess sat down for dinner. She heard a strange sound. "Open the door let me in." The princess rushed to the door and opened it. It was the frog of the lake! The Princess slammed the door on the frog’s face and came back to have her dinner.

The king noticed her pale face. He asked the princess the reason. Then the princess told that it’s a frog and with tears in her eyes, she told him all that had happened the day before beside the lake. Her father thought for a moment and then told her that a promise is a promise. It must be kept. Let the frog enter.

Half-heartedly, the princess opened the door to let the frog in.

 The frog followed the princess to the dining table. All the people around watched the frog in disgust. The frog asked the princess to lift him so that he can sit beside her and have food from her golden plate. The princess was not ready to do it, and then the king reminded the princess of her promise made to the frog.

Twitching her nose in repulsion, she picked up the frog. She put him on the table and let it have food from her golden plate. With its long tongue, he delicately picked up the tasty morsels from the princess’s plate.

After the frog had his fill he told the princess to carry him to her bedroom as he wanted to sleep now. So the princess had to carry the frog to her bedroom.

Once they reached the bedroom, the frog asked the princess to lay him on her silken pillow. The princess cried " I won’t share my bedroom with a slim frog." The king had followed the princess. He said, " you asked for it, daughter."So the princess picked up the frog and laid him on her silken pillow.

The princess remained awake all the night. Suddenly the princess heard the frog sobbing quietly. The princess was surprised. She sat up and asked the frog what’s the matter.

The frog told the princess that he just wanted to have a good friend. But she didn’t like him because he is an ugly, slimy creature. The princess felt pity for him. She said, "Oh! I had unknowingly hurt you. I’m sorry. I’ll be your best friend." And the princess picked up the frog on her palm and gave him a goodnight kiss.

And lo! The slimy frog changed into a handsome prince. The princess was surprised. "Thank you sweet princess. You have saved me from the spell of a wicked witch," he said. Then he told the princess how the witch turned him into a frog. And the spell could be broken only if a princess would make him eat from her plate and sleep on her pillow.

The prince and the princess fell in love with each other. He proposed her to marry him. And the princess readily agreed. The prince and the princess were soon married. The king and the queen were happy for the princess. The prince took the princess to his kingdom and they lived happily ever after.