The Frog’s Prince

 

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a boy named Jonah. Jonah sat in the shadow of the old oak tree and chuckled quietly. He watched the parade of prancing princesses proceed to the pond, kiss the poor frog, and then storm angrily away when nothing happened. He chuckled because he knew his best friend in the entire world, Lucas, was having yet another dreadful day. He watched until all the princesses were gone, and the frog sat alone by the pond’s edge. Jonah left his hiding spot, walked to the pond, and sat facing the poor little frog. 

“No luck again today, I see, Lucas. Just how many princesses are there in the world anyway?” Jonah grinned down at the frog.

“Ribbit.” Said the frog. The frog made a face as close to annoyance as a frog’s face can get.

“Oh, yeah, sorry,” Jonah said, reaching down and touching the frog’s head.

“UGH! Thanks. That’s much better. I still can’t figure out why that only works for you. I can’t even talk to my father or brother. As far as the princesses go, there seems to be an unending supply! I wish one would finally break this spell. I’m sick of being a frog!” The frog darted its head to the side, flicked out its tongue, and caught and ate a fly.

“That’s so gross!” Jonah pretended to gag but ended up laughing.

“I know, right! But I can’t help it. It seems to be instinct for this body. This curse really sucks!” Lucas groaned.

“Why were you cursed, Luke? We’ve never talked about that. Obviously, I know you are the prince of this kingdom. Is that why she cursed you?” Jonah asked.

“Get me out of this pond for a while. Let’s go for a walk, and I’ll tell you.” Lucas said. Jonah reached over and picked up his friend. He set the frog on his left shoulder, stood, and walked onto the path into the woods.

Lucas began his story. “Even as a small child, I was a spoiled rotten brat. My dad always told me I was meant to lead our glorious kingdom, but all I wanted to do was play and have fun. Book learning and army training were boring. I avoided my duties as often as I could. Then I turned thirteen, and my mind switched from my toys to girls. Honestly, I didn’t treat the girls any better than my toys. They were princesses who were sent to woo me and win the heart of the crown prince of Lerithia, and I played silly games with their hearts, kissed them once or twice, and sent them on their way.” Lucas blushed as much as a frog can be said to blush.

“That just doesn’t sound like the Lucas that I know.” Jonah turned his head, so he was looking at Lucas. “You’ve changed so much. Cut yourself some slack. Hell, maybe being a frog has been good for you.” Jonah snickered.

“Anyway.” Lucas rolled his little froggy eyes at Jonah. “To continue my story, I was mean to many people, especially girls. One night at dinner, this old lady burst into our dining hall and pointed at me. She shouted at me about how I broke her granddaughter’s heart.” Lucas sighed. “Jonah, I couldn’t even remember what her granddaughter looked like. She drew a wand out of her cloak and pointed it at me. My father’s guards reacted, but not in time. The wand glowed, and she said, ‘Shallow Prince with much vanity, like a frog you’ll now be. No cure for you shall they find until True Love’s Kiss clears your mind. If no love finds you before eighteen, you’ll end your days with skin of green.’” Lucas sighed again. “I’m doomed, Jonah. Tomorrow is my eighteenth birthday!”

Jonah gasped and sat down on the side of the trail on an old tree stump. “Oh my god, Luke. Why didn’t you say something before? Tomorrow? Is that why your dad has been bringing in even more princesses than usual the last few weeks?”

“Yeah. My dad thinks if enough girls kiss me, one will be the right one. The trouble is, I can’t even talk to any of them like I can talk with you. How can I know if it’s true love? Do I want some silly spell to decide my future even if the curse is broken?” Lucas sounded depressed, even in his froggy voice.

Jonah wanted to reach out and comfort him so badly, but how do you hug a frog? “What kind of girl would you want it to be if you could choose?” Jonah thought he could get Lucas talking and get his mind off tomorrow.

“Someone kind and caring and compassionate. Someone who listens to me and doesn’t just want to talk about herself and her clothes. Someone… well, someone just like you, Jonah. Why can’t you be a beautiful princess?” Lucas laughed.

Now, it was Jonah’s turn to blush. “Shut up, Luke. I’m trying to help figure this out for you.” Jonah got back up and started walking back towards the pond. Suddenly, the King’s Guards burst through the trees. One scooped Lucas off Jonah’s shoulder, and two more grabbed Jonah by the arms. The one in charge said, “Aha! We’ve found you! How dare you kidnap Prince Lucas. To the dungeon with you!”

Lucas was yelling at the top of his lungs for them to unhand his friend, but all they heard was the ribbiting of a frog. Jonah proclaimed his innocence, but they wouldn’t listen and dragged him to the castle dungeons. Jonah was yelling, “You don’t understand! He’s my friend! You don’t know what’s going on. You don’t even know who I am!” The guards refused to talk to him and locked him in the dungeon.

That night and the next day passed slowly for both Lucas and Jonah. Jonah couldn’t find a way out of the dungeon. No one even came to talk to him. He was concerned and scared for his friend. He wanted to be with him, especially since it was such an important day for Lucas.

Lucas was also worried about Jonah and blamed himself for his friend getting locked in the dungeon, possibly forever. If he couldn’t break this curse and talk to his father, there would be no way to convince his dad to free Jonah. So, hoping to break the curse, Lucas stayed in his pond instead of running off to be with Jonah and submitted himself to today’s parade of princesses.

Night fell without the curse breaking. The princesses were gone, and the guards were out of sight. Lucas decided that, since he didn’t know if he’d still be able to talk to Jonah after the curse became permanent, he wanted to spend his last few hours before midnight with his best friend. He hopped out of his pond and headed for the tree line. Once in the trees, he leaped towards the castle as fast as he could. Lucas knew precisely where his dad would have locked up Jonah, and Lucas knew how he could get to him. He snuck in, undetected, through the back kitchen doors when the cooks were bringing the night’s trash out. He stayed hidden amongst the pots, pans, and brooms and finally found his chance to sneak into the cellar when a cook opened the door. From the basement, he made his way to the dungeons. He hopped right into Jonah’s cell. Jonah curled tightly into a ball and, crying, didn’t see Lucas at first. Lucas hopped over to him. “I’m here, Jonah, I’m here.”

Jonah looked up, saw Lucas was still a frog, and started crying even harder. Through his tears, he said, “No luck with the princesses again? I’m so sorry, Luke. I’m just so sorry. If that witch could see you now, maybe she’d undo the spell herself. You’re not a spoiled, arrogant brat anymore. You’re the kindest, sweetest guy I’ve ever met.”

Lucas blushed. “Thanks, Jonah. You’re a pretty great guy yourself.”

“Luke, it’s almost midnight. What’s going to happen? Will I still hear you like now?” Jonah asked.

“I don’t know. I hope so, but I don’t know. I’ve never understood why you’re the only one who hears me anyway.” Lucas said.

Jonah reached down and picked up Lucas. He stared directly into the frog’s eyes. “If this is our last conversation, I have to say this aloud for you to hear. I love you so much, Luke. More than you know. You’re my best friend in the entire world. I… If you were a boy and not a frog, I might love you even more than that.” Jonah blushed a deep, bright red. “You have an amazing soul, Lucas. I’ll love you forever.” He bent down and kissed the frog.

Electricity crackled around the boy and the frog, and purplish-colored smoke swirled around them. When the smoke cleared, Jonah was looking up into the bright, crystal blue human eyes of Prince Lucas. Lucas brought both hands up and cupped Jonah’s face between his hands. He bent down and kissed him. After he broke the kiss, Lucas smiled and said, “I love you, too, Jonah.”

 

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King Samuel’s night of worry over his son Lucas’s predicament was interrupted by news that a small army, led by the neighboring king, had entered his lands. King Samuel led a small force out to greet the other king. King Edmond rode out from his army and greeted King Samuel when the two armies met.

“My guards last saw my son, Prince Jonah, enter your kingdom, Samuel. He has not returned home. I’ve come looking for him. Have you or any of your people seen him?” Edmond described Jonah to Samuel. One of the King’s Guards spoke up and told his King what had happened at the pond and that he thought Jonah might be that boy. Samuel relayed that information to Edmond with his apologies, and they rode together to the castle.

The two kings walked into the dungeon, turned the corner, and saw the two boys curled up together, sound asleep in each other’s arms. Both kings were momentarily speechless, and then Samuel yelled, “Lucas! You’ve broken the spell! What happened? Why are you in the dungeon? Guards, unlock this cell at once!”

The boys, shocked by the sudden intrusion, untangled from each other’s embrace and stood up. Jonah noticed his father standing behind the other king. Lucas spoke first. “Dad!” He ran and hugged his father when the guards opened the cell door. “I hopped in here when I was still a frog. I wanted to spend my last few hours with Jonah. Then, just before midnight, he kissed me and broke the spell!”

Both kings audibly gasped and turned and looked at each other. Samuel looked back at his son. “The spell said only True Love’s Kiss could break the enchantment. Is Jonah your True Love?”

Lucas blushed and looked down. “Yes, Dad. I’m in love with Jonah, and he’s in love with me. We want to be married. You always told me that whoever broke the enchantment was the one I would marry. I couldn’t talk to you, but I heard everything you said. I want you to keep your word. I want to marry Jonah.” Lucas told his father that Jonah could hear him for the last year, and they talked for hours every evening after the princesses left. He told his father everything.

“Jonah? Son, is this what you want also?” King Edmond asked, stepping forward.

Samuel stepped aside to let Edmond to the front. Samuel spoke to Lucas, “Son, this is King Edmond from Garlandia, Prince Jonah’s father.”

Lucas’s jaw dropped, and he turned to Jonah. “Prince Jonah? You never told me!”

“It wasn’t and still isn’t the most important thing about me. I love you, not your kingdom, and I wanted the same in return. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I didn’t want it to get in the way of our friendship.” Jonah said.

“It’s fine, Jonah, I definitely understand,” Lucas said.

Jonah turned towards his father. “Dad, to answer your question. Yes. This is what I want. I know I’m just sixteen. I know you planned on me marrying some princess and having lots of babies, but I’ve never wanted those things. I didn’t know how to tell you. I’m in love with Luke. Like head over heels in love. The type of love I see between you and Mom. Please let me have this.” Jonah was looking at his father, but his hands gripped Lucas’s arm, and he leaned into the taller boy.

The two kings looked at each other and nodded in silent agreement. Samuel spoke. “I’ll put the proclamation out to the other kingdoms. The marriage of our sons, the crown princes of Lerithia and Garlandia, will take place one month from today. May fortune smile on you both and upon both our kingdoms.”

With both of their fathers and a dozen guards watching, Lucas pressed his forehead against Jonah’s and whispered: “I love you.” Jonah leaned in, and they kissed.