Once upon a time, there was a beautiful but spoiled princess who loved to play with a golden ball by a well near the palace. One day, while tossing the ball in the air, it fell into the deep well with a loud splash. The princess was heartbroken and began to cry, for the golden ball was her favorite toy.
As she wept, she heard a croaky voice nearby. “Why are you crying, princess?” asked a frog sitting at the edge of the well.
The princess, startled that a frog could talk, explained that her golden ball had fallen into the well. “I can help you get your ball back,” said the frog. “But what will you give me in return?”
“I’ll give you my jewels, my crown, anything you want!” the princess promised.
But the frog shook his head. “I don’t want your jewels or crown,” he said. “If you promise to be my friend, let me eat from your plate, and let me sleep on your pillow, I will fetch your ball.”
The princess didn’t think much of the frog’s request. “Sure, sure,” she said quickly, not intending to keep her promise. She just wanted her ball back. The frog dove into the well, and moments later, he returned with the golden ball in his mouth.
Delighted, the princess grabbed the ball and ran back to the palace, forgetting all about the frog and her promise.
The next day, while the princess was dining with her father, the king, there was a knock at the door. “Princess, open the door for me!” croaked a voice from outside.
The princess’s face turned pale. She knew it was the frog, and she didn’t want to keep her promise. The king, noticing her discomfort, asked what was wrong. Reluctantly, the princess explained the whole story—how the frog had helped her retrieve the golden ball in exchange for her promise to be his friend.
The king frowned. “A promise is a promise, my dear. You must keep your word, no matter how small or strange it seems.”
Unhappily, the princess opened the door, and the frog hopped into the dining hall. He jumped onto the table and said, “Lift me up to sit beside you and let me eat from your plate.” The princess did as she was told, but she wrinkled her nose in disgust the whole time.
Later, the frog asked to sleep on her soft pillow. The princess didn’t want to, but her father reminded her of her promise. With great reluctance, she carried the frog to her room and placed him on her pillow.
The next morning, something magical happened. When the princess woke up, she didn’t find a slimy frog on her pillow—she found a handsome prince! The princess was shocked.
The prince explained that he had been cursed by a wicked witch, and only the kindness of a princess could break the spell. By keeping her promise and treating him with kindness, even though it was difficult, the princess had freed him from the curse.
The princess, realizing her mistake, was now glad that she had kept her word. The two became close friends, and soon after, they fell in love. The prince asked the princess to return to his kingdom with him, where they married and lived happily ever after.
Story adapted from: The Frog Prince - Studycat.com
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