GA Writing Prompts - 15. # 59 Two Princes

Two Princes

One evening Edward, the young prince, went out to take a walk by himself in the wood. He came to a cool spring of water with a rose in the middle of it. Edward sat down to rest a while. He had taken along his ball; and Edward was tossing the ball up into the air, and catching it as it fell.

After a while Edward threw the ball up so high that he misses catching it. The ball fell down into the spring. Edward looked into the spring, but it was very deep and he could not see the bottom of it. Edward became sad and said, "Alas, if I could only get my ball again. I’d give away everything I have in the world."

A frog put its head out of the water and asked, "Young prince, why are so sad and depressed?"

"My ball has fallen into the spring. Can you help me, you nasty frog?" Edward said with a frown on his face.

"I do not want your fine clothes," the frog said. "But if you will love me, and let me live with you and eat from off your golden plate, and sleep on your bed, I will bring you your ball again."

Edward almost laughed aloud at the frog’s words. He replied quickly.

"Well, if you will bring me my ball, I will do all you ask."

The frog dived deep under the water. After a while he came up again with the ball in his mouth. He threw it at the edge of the spring.

Edward picked up the ball the quickly and without looking at the frog again, he ran home as fast as he could.

The frog called after him. "Stay, young prince and take me with you as you said."

Edward, however, did not listen to him.

The next day, just as Edward had sat down to dinner, he heard a strange noise as if something was coming up the marble staircase. There was a gentle knock at the door and a little voice cried out.

"Open the door, my young prince dear,
Open the door to thy true love here!
And mind the words that thou and I said
By the fountain cool, in the greenwood shade."

At his father’s questioning look, Edward walked to the door and opened it. He saw the frog in front of the door. The frog looked up at him. Edward was feeling frightened. He shut the door quickly and returned to his seat.　

The king gave Edward another questioning look. Edward felt obligated to respond.

"Just a frog," Edward said casually. "He lifted my ball for me out of a spring. I promised to love him. But how could I do? I cannot love a frog although he says he loves me."

There was another knock at the door. The frog spoke again.

"Open the door, my young prince dear,
Open the door to thy true love here!
And mind the words that thou and I said
By the fountain cool, in the greenwood shade."

The king smiled. He was feeling amused.

"As you have given your word you must keep it; so go and let him in," the king said to Edward. Now that was a good joke.

Edward pouted. But then he walked to the door and opened it. The frog hopped into the room. Edward returned to his seat at the table. The frog followed him.

"Pray lift me upon chair," the frog said to Edward, "and let me sit next to you."

Edward frowned. But his father made a gesture with his hand. And so Edward lifted the frog up on a chair. As soon as he had done this, the frog said, "Put your plate nearer to me that I may eat out of it."

Edward pushed the plate over and then lifted the frog on the table. Edward watched the frog eat as much as he could. He felt disgusted by the little creature. His father laughed gave a hearty laugh. Edward shot his father a furtive look. The old man apparently had no clue at all. Edward could say that frog was up to something. Edward sensed it. He felt it. He knew from the bottom of his heart. Edward watched his father and he suddenly felt disgusted by the man. Edward turned his eyes back to the little creature.

The frog looked up at him. Edward found the frog’s look was mischievous. The frog tilted his head. Edward was not sure about it. But he thought the frog had winked at him. Edward blushed slightly.

"Now I am tired; carry me upstairs, and put me into your bed," the frog said without turning his eyes from Edward. Edward’s body stiffened at the thought. His heart beat faster and his hands and forehead sweat.

Edward glanced at his father. The king had folded his hand on his stomach. He gave another hearty laugh.

‘Dumbass,’ Edward thought and frowned at his father. This, however, did not impress the king. Finally, Edward took the frog up in his hand. He carried him upstairs and into his bedroom. He put the frog upon the pillow of his bed carefully. Edward was surprised that he cared for the nasty creature. The frog slept all night on Edward’s pillow. Edward slept next to him. His sleep was a bit restless. Every time he awoke, Edward looked if perhaps he had done harm to the frog.

As soon as it was light the frog jumped up, hopped downstairs, and went out of the house. Edward felt relieved and, strangely, disappointed at the same time.

When night came again, Edward heard the same tapping. The frog came once more to the door of the dining-hall. He said:

"Open the door, my young prince dear,
Open the door to thy true love here!
And mind the words that thou and I said
By the fountain cool, in the greenwood shade."

Edward opened the door once more. The frog came in and ate from his plate, and then slept upon his pillow until morning broke. He did the same the third night. The king meanwhile had lost interest and did not pay much attention anymore to what was going on in his house. Edward, however, felt attached to the frog. When he awoke, he instantly looked out for the frog. But, instead of the frog, Edward caught sight of a handsome prince standing at the head of his bed. The prince had the most beautiful eyes Edward had ever seen.

The beautiful prince told Edward he had been by a spiteful fairy, who had changed him into a frog; and that he had been fated so to abide till some young prince should take him out of the spring, and let him eat from his plate, and sleep upon his bed for three nights.

"You," said the beautiful prince, "have broken the cruel charm, and now I have nothing to wish for but that you should go with me into my father's kingdom, where I will love you as long as you live."

Edward’s heart jumped with joy and relief. This was what he always had wished for. So Edward said ‘yes’ to all this. He did give the king a single thought. As the princes spoke a brightly coloured coach drove up, with eight beautiful horses, decked with plumes of feathers and a golden harness; and behind the coach rode the prince's servant, faithful Heinrich, who had bewailed the misfortunes of his dear master during his enchantment so long and so bitterly, that his heart had well-nigh burst.

The princes took leave of the king who stood with widened eyes in the doorway. The man still had not realized that all this was not a joke. The princes got into the coach with eight horses, and all set out, full of joy and merriment, for the beautiful prince's kingdom, which they reached safely; and there they lived happily a great many years.