Lily was excited, but did as she was told. She fell asleep in the goddess’ hold. When she
woke at the crack of dawn, she was shocked at what she saw. Her legs were...still small. She
looked around, confused, and saw that she was, indeed, back at shore. She looked down and
saw that she was resting on a soft round leaf with a flower resting next to her. She did not
recognize the leaf, nor the flower, but they closely resembled the hands and lotus of
Padparadscha. She then gasped as she looked out at the pond. The water’s surface was
beautifully decorated with these leaves and flowers. Lily would no longer have to swim tirelessly
to cross the pond. She could rest upon the leaves when she needed a break, or she could walk
across adjacent ones. She would no longer need an escort. Lily was full of joy.
After beholding the beauty for a few minutes longer, Lily went as quickly as she could to
her parents to tell them about her experience and about the pond. The king and queen were in
awe, as were the rest of the frogs. To honor their daughter and the goddess who brought them
this gift, they called these new plants “Lily’s Padparadschas.” Today, we know these plants as
lily pads.