There once lived a princess who was very, very beautiful.

She loved to spend her time outdoors, playing among the plants and trees.

Her father, the king, loved her dearly.

On her birthday, he gave her a lovely golden ball.

Oooooh!

What a nice ball!

Thank you father, I will have a super time playing with it.

The princess ran outside with her ball.

It was a lovely sunny day, and she had so much fun bouncing the ball, throwing it up

and catching it.

What a great gift father has given me.

I can spend hours just playing with it.

Up and down goes my golden ball, bounce bounce bounce, up and down goes my golden ball, bounce

bounce bounce.

Whippee wee wee wee, how I love my golden ball!

The princess spent the whole day playing with her ball, till it started getting dark.

Let me throw the ball high just one more time before I go in.

The princess threw her ball as high as she could.

Alas!

Because it was getting dark and she could not see well, the ball fell on the ground,

bounced, and rolled away into a nearby pond.

Oh no!

My beautiful ball!

How will I get it out of the dirty pond water?

There are so many water lilies here, I cannot even see the ball!

The princess sat down beside the pond, crying her heart out.

Suddenly, she heard a sound beside her.

Croak croak, croak croak.

Stop that awful noise!

Can’t you see I am upset?

I can see that princess, that is why I have come to help you.

You, help me?

And how would you do that?

Well, I could jump into the pond and look for your golden ball.

I saw how much fun you were having with it the whole day.

Really?

Would you do that for me?

Oh please, please, please find my golden ball.

Of course I will do it for you.

And I will not give up till I find it.

But I need something for that.

What do you want?

I will give you anything if you find my ball.

Hear what I want before you make your promise, sweet princess.

Come on, come on, anything, just get my ball back.

Well, I want you to be my friend.

You must play with me, let me dine with you, and then let me sleep beside you on your pillow.

Do you agree?

Are you totally mad?

The choice is yours.

You either agree to my condition, or I will say goodnight now.

Hey, wait, wait!

I have no other way of getting my ball back, I better agree for now

and see how to handle this creature later.

Oh, dear froggie, of course you can be my friend.

You get the ball, and we will both play with it, I promise.

Well then, here I go!

The frog dived into the pond.

The princess waited impatiently for him to come up, pacing up and down.

Finally, up popped the frog from the water, holding the golden ball.

There you are princess, I have found your precious ball.

The princess snatched the ball and fled away fast with it, without even thanking the frog!

My friend indeed!

Wonder if he has seen that dirty face of his in the mirror.

The princess happily forgot about her promise to the frog, thinking she would never see

him again.

The next day when she was having dinner with her father, the king, there was

a splishy splashy kind of sound, and then a gentle knock on the door.

Yoo hoo, princess, this is your friend the frog here.

You made me a promise that you would let me dine with you at your table, remember?

I am very, very hungry now.

Good Heavens!

I completely forgot about that pest, didn’t think he would actually come to the palace

itself.

What is this I hear?

Er, nothing father, nothing, just a stupid frog who wants to be my friend.

Well, I would like to hear what the stupid frog has to say.

Oh father, I don’t think we should bother…

Princess! I said I want to hear what the frog wants.

The princess had to obey her father, so she reluctantly went to bring in the frog.

Nice to see you, friend.

Why did you have to come here, you creepy thing?

I would have come out and played with you.

Aww, princess, I waited for you the whole day and you did not come.

I was missing you so much

Come, eat and then get lost.

Why are you being so mean and rude to me?

I helped you find your golden ball, didn’t I?

What is the matter, may I ask?

Oh, nothing much, Your Majesty.

Yesterday the princess’s golden ball fell in the pond, and she promised me that she

would be my friend, let me dine with her and let me sleep on her pillow if I found her

ball.

But I think now she does’nt want to be my friend.

Is this true, princess?

I didn’t really mean that, Father.

I needed to get my ball, but how can I be friends with this, this…

That’s enough!

I am ashamed of you!

If you have made a promise, you should honour that promise.

I love you dearly, but I cannot allow this behaviour!

Now be good and say sorry to the frog.

The princess was furious!

Say sorry to that dirty creepy thing!

But she had no choice but to do as the king said.

Belch!

Disgusting fellow!

No table manner

And now I have to make him sleep beside me!

What have I landed myself into!

So when the princess went to bed, she carried the frog with her and put him beside her pillow.

Will you tell me a story, princess?

If you don’t behave yourself and go to sleep, I…

I will choke you!

The frog looked frightened and quietly moved away.

Oh, I didn’t mean that, you know I didn’t.

Look, I’m sorry, okay?

I’m just very tired, so please go to sleep and let me sleep also.

The next morning, the frog had left before the princess woke up.

Now where has the frog gone?

I was nasty to him yesterday, I hope he is not feeling too bad about it.

The princess did not see the frog the whole day, but when dinner time came, it hopped

onto the table beside her with a sweet smile.

Oh, so you are back.

After last night I thought you might be angry with me.

Oh, my dear, dear princess.

I couldn’t be angry with you even if I wanted to.

And I promise not to belch again.

The princess smiled at the frog, and they finished dinner and went to bed.

Come, you can sleep on my pillow.

And I’ll even tell you a story to make up for yesterday.

The frog was soon asleep, and like the day before, he had gone by the time the princess

awoke, coming back again in time for dinner.

Why do you leave without saying goodmorning?

Oh, were you missing me?

Come along, it’s time for your story.

No my dear, I am very tired today and just want to sleep.

The frog soon fell asleep, snoring away softly.

The princess looked at him with a smile.

He’s not such a bad guy, actually.

So saying, she gently kissed the frog, and then fell asleep.

She woke up the next morning expecting the frog to have gone as ususal.

But what did she see??!!!

There was no frog, but a very, very handsome young man lying beside her.

Who.. who.. who are you?

And what are doing in my bed?

My beautiful princess!

I have been waiting for you to wake up.

But who are you?

I am the ugly frog, your friend.

For such a long time I have been watching you from the pond, loving you from far.

What!!!

Yes, my dear.

A very long time ago, a nasty witch cast a horrible spell on me.

She turned me into a frog, and said I would remain one till someone kissed me.

The spell was broken last night when you kissed me.

I can’t believe this!

Now let’s go to your father, the king, so I can ask for your hand in marriage.

If he had not made you keep your promise, I don’t know when the witch’s spell would have been broken.

So the princess and the handsome young prince went up to the king, where the prince told him his story.

And now, Your Majesty, I would like to marry your daughter and take her with me to my kingdom,

where my mother and father must be waiting for me to return.

Of course, young man, it would indeed make me a very happy man if you married my daughter.

Off went the prince with his princess to his kingdom, where they were welcomed with a lot

of joy and rejoicing, living a happy life thereafter.