Kisses

by Ray Wright

 

The frog looked up at the girl. “So just let me get this right. You are a Princess, you say?”

“Yes,” said the girl.

“Ok,” said the frog, “and you say that when you kiss me I’ll turn into a handsome human Prince.”

“That’s right,” said the girl. “We’ll get married and live happily ever after. Eventually, we’ll have a Kingdom of our own.”

“I see,” said the frog. “Well,” he continued, “having given the matter due consideration, I am going to say no to the kiss.”

“What! You can’t refuse,” said the girl. “It’s traditional.”

“Yes, I can,” said the frog. “I’m quite happy here in the pond. The responsibilities of running a Kingdom do not interest me and, anyway, you’re not my type.”

The Princess began to cry.

“Oh don’t do that,” said the frog. “It’s important to be honest with each other.”

He sat and thought for a short while.

“I know,” he said. “I suggest that you go to the next pond down on the left. There you’ll find a lad called Bertie. He thinks that he’s a frog, but scrub off the green paint and he’s as human as you. I’m sure that he’ll be pleased to have a kiss.”

So the Princess rushed away, found Bertie, and gave him a big kiss. Immediately he forgot all about being a frog and began to have new interests.

The Princess and Bertie married and, in time, became King and Queen. The frog became a Lifestyle Counsellor, and they all lived happily ever after.