literature

The Frog King

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Literature Text

We know this tale. Yet evermore
we act as foolish as before.
Oh princess fair
and frog – beware!
A warning take from ancient lore!


Once upon a time a frog
lived gaily in a muddy bog,
ate fireflies,
sang lullabies
and slept in a decaying log.

His dreams went to a lovely toad.
“The warty face! So green her throat!
Oh toad divine,
oh werest thou mine,
I’d made thee Queen of Bog and Moat!”

He gave her beetles, gave her flies,
croaked out her name to nightly skies,
and then, one night -
Oh, which delight! –
he climbed upon her springy thighs.

So they hopped happily along.
“Oh Frog, my hero! You’re so strong!”
“Oh Toad! Our bliss,
eternal t’is!”
But here, alas, the frog was wrong.

For one sad day, a car of steel
squashed Toadie – splotch! – under its wheel.
The frog, he cried:
“My true love died!
It is too cruel, it can’t be real!”

The frog, who deeply felt depressed,
lay in his log and thought it best
that he should die.
“Oh, tell me why
to live on when my love’s at rest!”

But when one day he took a swim
to look out for the reaper grim
to end it all,
a golden ball
sank sparkling brightly towards him.

“A miracle! The Golden Sun,
she saw my pain and seized her run!
To stay with me!
To play with me!
To tell me: ‘Geeze, Frog! Now have fun!’”

Now things were different, you might know –
it was a clumsy princess’ blow
that sent the ball
to our frog’s hall –
for girls can neither catch nor throw.

So she sat wailing on the shore
and cried: “Whoever shall restore
my ball to me,
my man shall be!
I’ll serve him well forevermore!

Deep down, the frog, he heard those pleas.
“What’s all this racket? Stop it! Please!
Cannot a frog
deep in his bog
at least find quietude and peace?”

You see, the frog was furious.
But then he got quite curious
and swam to see
what it might be…
“A maiden most luxurious!”

A princess  do you think he’d see?
A princess t’was, but puberty
had stained her face
with toadlike grace –
She caught the frog’s heart instantly.

“Oh maiden with the shimmering face!
Thou blotchy angel, full of grace,
why doest thou cry?
Perhaps that I
might help your Grace in any ways?”

‘As if a frog could help at all…
but well, let’s try…’ “My golden ball
fell in this bog.
Oh valiant frog –
perhaps you know and saw it fall?”

“Oh, always shall I praise the day
that led your ball so far astray!
Just wait, my dear!
I’ll fetch it ere
another tear thou shedst, my fay!”

And in no time, the lovesick frog
fetched his own sun out of the bog.
“Oh frog so sweet!
For this brave deed
what can I do for you? A SNOG???

Now, really! – I am very glad
you got the ball. But this is mad!
A frog to kiss –
disgusting t’is!
So think of something else, queer lad!”

“But princess! Knowest thou no more
the promise thou madest on the shore?
I am thy man
now!” “Ha! You can
forget about that, filthy bore!”

And so the princess, she took flight.
But late at dinner that same night
she heard a croak
that made her choke:
“Princess, I am thy man by right!”

“What’s that for a ludicrous tale,
my daughter? Tell us! And more ale!
Why does this thing
want our ring?”
Thus roared the king. “Is it for sale?”

And so the princess had no choice
and told the tale with quivering voice.
The king went white.
“You are his bride,
so no more messing with the boys!

“But father!” “Silence! It is fate!
So place Sir Frog beside your plate,
and while we dine
you’ll share your wine
and meal with him!” ‘Now this I hate!’

The princess sulked. The princess thought
and then sighed “I’m not well. I ought
to get some rest.”
‘Now comes the best!’
rejoiced the frog and croaked “My Lord,

I think that I should go as well.”
‘I think you’d  better go to hell!’
But took her groom
and left the room
quite calmly, every inch a swell.

But when they finally reached her suite
she sounded nothing less than sweet
and dignified –
she raged, she cried
“Bad luck! We twain shall never meet!

I loathe you, frog! Once and for all!”
With this, she took him like a ball
in her small hand,
took good aim and
with full force smashed him ‘gainst the wall.

“Hah! This felt good! Now I am free
to go to bed. But first I’ll see
to his remains!
But neither stains
nor bones were where she thought they’d be.

‘Now this is strange!” The princess frowned.
She cast quick glances all around
and then she gasped
and then she clasped
her hands, for, lying on the ground

there was no frog’s mesh, but a youth!
‘How splendid is he! Skin so smooth!
The golden hair!
Oh, he’s so fair!
But he’s unconscious! Oh, I’ll soothe

him, wake him up by kiss,
just kiss these rosy lips… What bliss
came of that throw!
But wait – oh no!
What if he sees me just like this?

So pimply, ugly? He’ll fall sick!
Good heavens! Where’s my cover stick?
She called her maids
for women’s aids –
“Now make me up and mind you’re quick!”

The servants did as they were told.
(They knew the princess’ whims of old…)
“Get me that gown!
Polish my crown!
And light a fire! I feel cold!”

Within ten minutes all was done.
Her face was flawless, her gown shone
with shimmering perls.
With perfect curls
she smiled. “Well done! And now be gone!”

At last alone, the princess went
to her betrothed and softly bent
her knees to his
and with a kiss
bade him come back from slumberland.

Slowly, the youth opened his eyes,
then rubbed them once and rubbed them twice…
“Can it be real?
How strange I feel,
like when I ate too many flies

and had this nightmare being in
a…Aah! What happened to my skin,
its grassy green?
What does this mean?
Why are my limbs so long and thin?

A nightmare, surely! When I wake
I’ll be right in my homely lake…”
“Relax, my dear!
Your bride is here…”
”And who are you, for heaven’s sake?”

“Be calm, my darling! All is well!
You…kinda bumped your head and fell,
and then you changed!”
“Are you deranged?
Please, end this dream and lift this spell!”

“No spell, no dream, it all is true!
Your loving wife shall share with you
a happy life!”
“You’re not my wife,
although I haven’t any clue

where she is now…Where did she go?”
”But I am her!” “I don’t think so!
My wife had spots
and blackheads – lots!
As pretty as a toad, you know?

Farewell! I’ll look for her abode!”
And off he jumped, into the moat
to find his Queen
in waters green
for all he wanted was a toad.

And in the dying light of day,
where water lilies softly sway
he found a mate,
told her his fate
and knowledgeably, she did say:

“A princess is a person which
ensnares your senses like a witch.
Remind princess
of promises –
she’ll throw you ‘gainst the wall, the bitch.”

Meanwhile the princess, every day,
longed for a lover that would stay,
collected frogs
from ponds and bogs
and tried the trick she first did play.

Alas, the princess tried in vain
and many a frog was sadly slain
and tears were cried
until, one night,
the jester tried to ease her pain.

“Oh princess – if you want to snog –
before you dive into the bog
for princes fair
just be aware
that they ain’t there, frog remains frog!”
Finally! I did it! My first epic English piece of poetry! I would put it into the category "Fairytales for realists"... Just hoping there aren't too many mistakes - please tell me if you find some!
Have fun with it!
© 2007 - 2024 Samaji
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