Unhappily Ever After: A Collection of Feary Tales

The Frog and the Prince

The Frog and the Prince OR Matilda and the Prince

Matilda was always a pretty frog whose smooth skin glowed a bright green. She was excited because now she was of age to find a partner and lay eggs. She left her home and was headed to the big pond to meet with other frogs who were also looking for potential mates. It was to her shock that two humans stood arguing near a smaller pond. Humans usually didn't venture out so far. Suddenly there was only one human and the other was gone.

"How curious." She thought.

Soon the other human walked away, leaving the pond in peace. Hopping over to where the two had stood, Matilda was surprised to see a pile of human clothing laying on the ground. Approaching the discarded heap carefully, she nudged it and leaped back in surprise when the fabric moved. A muffled voice called out for help, Matilda grabbed a mouthful of the strange feeling cloth and tugged.

Free from his prison, the most handsome frog that Matilda had ever seen, sat up looking confused.

"Are you alright?" Matilda asked.

"Bloody hell! Seriously? Made a witch mad because she couldn't understand the meaning of the word 'fling.' And what does she do? Makes it so that I could understand toads?

"We're not toads. We're frogs."

"Yeah, whatever." The handsome frog said sarcastically. "Wait what do you mean 'we?'"

Matilda stares at him. Looking down he gasps in shock and horror. In the most ungraceful stumble, hop, leap that she ever saw, the male frog looked into the pond's reflection and screamed.

"What's wrong?" Matilda asked alarmed.

"I'M A FROG! NO, NO, NO! I'M SUPPOSED TO BE A HUMAN AND THAT WITCH TURNED ME INTO A FROG!!!" He tried to pace but landed in the mud instead.

"NOOOO!!! How could-? Why am-? AAARRGHHH!!! I'll kill her!!!"

Matilda backed away from the raging weeping amphibian. She wondered if she should just leave.

"I'm hideous!" he wailed and Matilda felt sorry for him. It must be strange to suddenly be a frog when you've been a human all your life.

"Well," She started interrupting his tirade. "As far as frogs go, you're quite the specimen."

"Oh, that's just great!" he burst out sarcastically. "I went from being a handsome prince to a frog but at least I'm an attractive warty slimy green water sucker!"

She didn't care for his sarcasm but decided that if she cleared up a misconception then perhaps, he would calm down. "We don't have warts like humans do. These bumps on our skin are glands that secrete mucus that keeps us moist."

"Ugh, gross."

"Come on." Matilda said trying to be nice. Making her way to a large rock near some reeds, she sat still and patiently waited.

"What are you doing?" the prince asked as he flopped down next to her. Almost knocking her off the hard surface.

"I'm catching my dinner." She said right before her tongue shot out and caught a large plump fly.

"I can't live like this!" The prince whined.

"Well then sit right there and in an hour or two a bird or snake will find you." Matilda said, having enough of his spoiled attitude, before hopping off.

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Despite all his indignation and anger, the frog prince knew that he needed Matilda to survive this unfamiliar life and return to the palace. He was determined to find a way to turn back into a human. If that meant begging the witch, Gwendolyn, to continue their clandestine affair, then so be it.