The Frog Prince

In a palace beside a great green forest lived a young princess who loved to play by a cool spring. Her favourite toy was a golden ball. On sunny afternoons she tossed it high, watched it flash in the light, and caught it with both hands.

One afternoon she threw the ball higher than ever. It sailed above her fingertips, bounced across the grass, and tumbled into the spring with a splash. The water was so deep that the princess could not see the bottom.

She sat on a stone and began to cry. Then a small green frog lifted his head above the water. 'Why are you sad?' he asked.

'My golden ball has fallen into the spring,' said the princess. 'I cannot reach it.' 'I can fetch it,' said the frog, 'but I would like something in return.

Will you welcome me as a friend? Will you let me sit beside you, share a meal, and visit the palace?' The princess thought it a strange request.

She wanted the ball so badly that she answered at once, 'Yes, I promise.' The frog dived beneath the water. A moment later he emerged carrying the golden ball.

The princess snatched it up and ran toward the castle, forgetting her promise. The next evening, while the royal family ate supper, a soft knocking came at the palace door. 'Princess, princess, open to me,' called a small voice.

'Remember your promise beside the spring.' The princess opened the door and saw the frog. She was embarrassed to have a talking frog on the marble steps, so she tried to close it again.

But the king asked what was happening. When she told him the story, he said, 'If you give your word, you must treat it seriously. A promise matters even when keeping it is inconvenient.'

The princess let the frog enter. He sat on a cushion beside her chair and ate a tiny portion of bread from a small plate. To her surprise, he was an interesting guest.

He told her about moonlit ponds, dragonflies, and hidden paths in the reeds. He listened when she spoke about the books she loved. Over the next few days, the frog returned for short visits.

The princess learned to greet him warmly instead of hiding from him. She began to see that friendship had little to do with appearances. One evening she asked, 'Why do you live alone by the spring?'

'I did not always,' the frog said quietly. 'Long ago an enchantment changed my shape. I was told it would end only when someone chose to treat me as a true friend.'

The princess thought of the afternoon when she had run away with her ball. 'I was wrong to forget you,' she said. 'Thank you for giving me another chance to keep my word.'

She took the frog gently in her hands and placed him on the soft garden grass beside her. A golden light flickered around him. In an instant the frog changed into a young prince, astonished to be himself again.

The princess laughed with delight, and the prince thanked her for the friendship that had broken the spell. They remained good friends and often visited the spring together. Sometimes the prince skipped stones while the princess played with her golden ball.

And every time the ball flashed in the sunlight, the princess remembered a simple lesson: a promise is not a small thing, and every friend deserves to be treated with care.