The Frog Prince

Once upon a time, in a kingdom surrounded by deep forests and winding rivers, there lived a beautiful young princess. Her father, the King, ruled over the land with wisdom and kindness, but he worried for his daughter. Though she was adored by all who knew her, the princess had one peculiar habit that concerned her father. She loved to play by the edge of a quiet, enchanted pond hidden deep in the royal gardens. There, she would sit on a large stone, gazing at the still water and talking to herself as if she were in conversation with the world around her.

One sunny afternoon, as the princess tossed a golden ball into the air, she accidentally let it slip from her hands, sending it tumbling into the pond. The ball bounced twice and then sank out of sight, disappearing into the depths of the water. Distraught, the princess knelt at the edge of the pond and wept. Her prized ball was gone, and she didn’t know how to retrieve it.

“Why do you cry, dear princess?” came a voice from the water.

The princess was startled and looked around, but there was no one in sight. “Who’s there?” she called out.

A small frog, no taller than her hand, surfaced from the depths of the pond. His green skin glistened under the sunlight, and his large, bulbous eyes stared up at her. “It is I,” the frog said. “I heard your cries and I came to offer help. If you promise me something in return, I will retrieve your ball from the bottom of this pond.”

The princess, confused yet hopeful, wiped her eyes and replied, “What would you want from me, little frog? I will give you anything.”

The frog thought for a moment before saying, “I want you to promise me that when you return to your castle, you will take me with you. You will allow me to sit at your table, eat from your plate, and sleep in your bed. You will be my friend and companion forever.”

The princess recoiled in disgust. “What a strange request! You are only a frog. How could I possibly make you my companion?” But seeing no other choice, and wanting desperately to get her golden ball back, she reluctantly agreed. “Fine,” she said, “but only because you are my only hope.”

“Swear it to me,” the frog insisted, “or I will not dive into the pond to retrieve your ball.”

The princess, in her impatience, made the promise. “I swear it,” she said, though she didn’t believe she would ever need to keep it. She thought to herself that it was just a silly frog, and once her ball was back in her hands, she would forget all about the creature.

Without another word, the frog dove into the water and disappeared. Moments later, he reappeared, holding the golden ball in his mouth. He swam to the edge of the pond and placed the ball gently at the princess’s feet.

“Here it is, as promised,” the frog said.

The princess was overjoyed. “Thank you!” she exclaimed, picking up her ball and preparing to leave. She was already turning away when the frog called out to her.

“Wait! You promised,” the frog croaked. “You swore that you would take me with you.”

The princess froze. She had forgotten all about the promise. Reluctantly, she turned back and looked down at the frog. He was waiting expectantly, his eyes wide and serious.

“Fine,” the princess said with a sigh, “I’ll take you with me. But only for a little while.”

With that, she scooped the frog up and carried him in her hands back to the castle. The moment they arrived, she set him on the floor and turned to walk away, but the frog called to her again.

“Princess, you must keep your word,” he said. “You promised me a seat at your table and a place beside you.”

The princess, feeling a bit annoyed, reluctantly had a chair placed beside hers at the royal dining table. As she sat down to eat, the frog hopped up onto the chair and stared at her expectantly. With a sigh, she took a bite of her meal, trying to ignore the little creature’s presence.

But the frog’s persistence didn’t stop there. He continued to ask for more attention, more friendship, more of the promises she had made. The princess was becoming increasingly frustrated. She wanted to be rid of the frog, but she had given her word, and she couldn’t break it.

That night, as the princess prepared for bed, the frog again reminded her of her promise. “I must sleep in your bed,” he said, “for that is what you vowed.”

At this, the princess felt truly repulsed. “No!” she cried. “I can’t let you sleep in my bed. You’re just a frog!” But the frog remained firm, and with no other option, she finally allowed him to sleep on a pillow beside her.

The next morning, something miraculous happened. As the princess awoke, she found that the frog had vanished. In his place, a handsome young prince lay beside her. He was tall, with golden hair and eyes that sparkled like the stars.

The prince smiled at her, and she gasped in surprise. “What is this? Who are you?” she asked.

The prince explained that he had once been a powerful and noble prince, cursed by a wicked witch to live as a frog until someone promised to love him despite his outward appearance. It was the princess’s promise, made out of kindness, that had broken the curse.

“You were the one who freed me,” the prince said, “by keeping your word, even when it was difficult. You treated me with respect, and that was the key.”

The princess, though still in shock, felt a deep sense of happiness. She had not only kept her promise, but she had also learned an important lesson about the power of kindness and integrity.

The prince asked her to be his bride, and she happily accepted. The two were married in a grand ceremony, and together they ruled the kingdom with wisdom and compassion. And every time they visited the royal gardens, the princess would smile at the pond, knowing that sometimes promises, no matter how strange, can lead to the most unexpected of joys.

And so, they lived happily ever after.