17th Dec 2024
Once upon a time, a lovely princess named Elara was playing with her golden ball. "Catch it!" she squealed happily, tossing the ball in the air. She skipped along the path until she approached a cool spring in the woods. Suddenly, the ball slipped through her fingers and plopped into the water! "Oh no! My ball!" cried Elara, her eyes wide with worry. "What will I do now?"
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As Elara sat by the spring, a small green frog popped its head out of the water. "Princess, why do you cry so?" it croaked, tilting its head. "My ball fell in the spring!" Elara exclaimed, looking at the frog with doubt. "I can help you!" said the frog. "If you let me live with you, I will get your ball back!"
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At first, Elara laughed. A frog living in her palace? No way! But she needed her golden ball back. "Alright, frog, if you can fetch it, I will allow you to come home with me," she decided, hoping the frog couldn't even reach the bottom. The frog nodded and dove into the deep water. As she waited, she couldn’t help but smile at the thought of her ball.
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Suddenly, the frog emerged with her golden ball in its mouth! "Here it is!" it said proudly, dropping the ball on the bank. Elara squealed with delight and picked it up quickly. "Thank you!" she shouted, running off before the frog could say another word. The frog called after her, but she didn’t look back. "Why would I keep a frog?" she thought, feeling silly for even considering it.
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The next evening, while dining, Elara heard a strange noise - tap, tap, splash. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Open the door, my princess dear, open the door to thy true love here!" croaked the little voice. Elara froze, remembering. "Oh no, not the frog!" she gasped, looking at her father, the king. "He wants to come in!"
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The king frowned and said, "You promised him, my dear. You must keep your word!" Reluctantly, Elara opened the door, and the frog hopped in, right up to the table. "Lift me to the chair, please!" he said. Elara sighed but did as he asked, feeling a bit guilty for not welcoming him.
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The frog ate from her plate, savoring every bite. When he was done, he declared, "Now I am tired. Carry me to bed!" Elara grimaced, feeling a lump in her throat. She picked him up and placed him on her fluffy pillow, hoping he wouldn’t be there in the morning. But as the sun rose, the frog was still there, ready for another day with her.
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And so it went for three nights. Each evening, the frog would appear, singing his charming song as he entered her room. Elara lost track of time, and despite herself, began to feel less disgusted and more fond of the little creature. But on the dawn of the fourth day, she was in for a surprise!
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Waking up that morning, she discovered a handsome prince lying beside her! "Who are you?" she whispered, rubbing her eyes. The prince smiled gently and explained. "A wicked fairy turned me into a frog until a kind princess helped me with her promise. You freed me, dear Elara, and I am grateful! Will you come with me to my kingdom and be my bride?"
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Elara's heart raced with joy. "Yes!" she cried. The two of them were soon joined by a grand coach and eight magnificent horses, ready to take them to the prince's homeland. As they rode into the sunset, both Elara and the prince were filled with happiness, and they lived happily ever after.
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