Once upon a time there was a beau­tiful princess who used to go each day to a small pond for the purpose of bathing. One day, after disrobing and entering into the chilly water, she noticed that she was being watched by a little green frog. She took such delight in the little frog that she decided to carry it back with her to the castle where she lived with her father, the King of Bagravia. She made a small aquarium for the little frog and kept it well-fed. Unbeknowst to the princess, the little frog was actually a prince who had been turned into a frog by an evil magician (a common practice in the days of yore). The little frog longed to kiss the beautiful princess so that the evil spell would be lifted and he could once more be a prince. However, the princess was not really too hot on kissing the little 
 frog. Frogs really are not too appealing, especially to beautiful princesses who have things going for them elsewhere in the kingdom. After months in the aquarium of the princess, the prince, who was a frog, came to realize that he would forever remain a frog if he did not figure someway in which to kiss the princess. The next morning when the princess opened the aquarium to feed the little frog his daily portion of dead flies, the little frog leaped vigorously out of the confines of the aquarium. Hopping rapidly across the room, he, or it, whichever you prefer, took refuge under the bed of the princess. After a futile search, the beautiful princess gave the little frog up for lost. That evening, after the princess had retired, the little frog came out of its hiding place and leaped silently upon the bed. Inching its
Brasso
way toward the head of the bed, the little frog finally stood opposite the sleeping face of the beautiful princess. With a little croak of anticipation, it leaped forward and kissed the slightly parted lips of the princess. Suddenly, in a multi-colored cloud appeared a prince. The beautiful princess awoke startled. Upon perceiving a strange man standing at her bedside, she let loose with a piercing scream. The palace guards rushed in, and upon finding the stranger, bound him hand and foot. The stranger cried out that he was a prince of a foreign land who had once been a frog and had just been released from an evil spell by the princess' kiss. Naturally both the guards and the princess were slightly skeptical of such a story. The prince stated that he could prove the reliability of his story if he could be returned to the form of a frog, then have the princess again kiss him. After calling upon the court magician, the chief of the guards informed the stranger that his story would be put to the very test he had suggested. Hypnotizing the prince, the magician suggested that he change into something more comfortable whereupon he changed into a frog. Suddenly the princess grabbed the little frog and thrust it into the aquarium, securing fast the glass covering. Then the princess stated to the amazed palace attendants that the prince, being rather short, fat, ugly, and dull, made a better frog than a prince. To which everyone heartily agreed, except the little frog who really did not count for much. Besides, the princess added, she had no desire to kiss an ugly little frog. Being a beautiful princess she thought she had better things going for her in other parts of the kingdom. Too bad little frog.
--Retold by R. Welch Huffhines
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