Once, sometime ago, there was a privileged young girl, who often went out into the forest to play. Her name was Adeline. Despite her many admirable qualities, Adeline was often a victim of her own carelessness. One evening, while playing, she set down her gold ball on the edge of a local well. Not only was this ball actually made of gold, but it had been given to her by her father, who was often absent due to his numerous responsibilities in the adult world. This being said, the ball also held a significant sentimental value and Adeline was loath to part with it. However, she did part with it, as the moment she set it down it fell into the well. Several hours later, upon discovering this blunder, she fell into a fit of hysterical weeping. Little did Adeline know that recently a frog had taken up residence in that very same well. The frog, disturbed by her excessive crying, arose in the hopes of restoring the peace. At first she was surprised, and turned away as she was not overly fond of amphibians. But her father had always encouraged her to be courteous to others regardless of their exterior, so she momentarily ceased crying and turned attention to the frog. The frog, charmed by Adeline’s attentive gaze and surpassing beauty, quickly inquired about the sources of her distress,
“Why are you crying?”
“Well, you see, I’m afraid I’ve lost my cherished gold ball to the bottom of your well” she sobbed
Retrieving the ball would require no great effort from the frog, as nature had equipped it with an ideal physique for water related activities. But the frog was a shrewd businessman and instead of diving for the ball directly he put forth this bargain:
“I can easily retrieve you’re ball for you, and I won’t ask much in exchange. You may not know this, but the life of a frog is lonely and fraught with the danger of predators and the misfortune of inadequate resources. I see that you are well provided for and so I ask that, in exchange for your ball, you take me in and provide me with necessities and the pleasure of your company.”
Being an adolescent, Adeline rarely gave appropriate consideration to the consequences of her actions. This poor judgment, coupled with the desire to have the ball and her inexperience in the ways of the world, resulted in a quick acceptance of the frogs offer.
Unfortunately, the ball preceded the frog out of the well, giving her enough time to both contemplate the potential reaction of her father, and to snatch the golden ball away before the frog could stop her.
The next day, she was surprised to find the frog knocking at her door. Her father was even more surprised and not altogether pleased by the visit. After hearing his daughter re-account the events of the previous day, he declared;
“I am unhappy with the importance you have placed on the material vs. the importance you have placed on your own safety. However, since the frog appears to be relatively harmless, I encourage you to make good your word and invited it in. That which you have promised, you must preform.” Having been thusly directed, Adeline took the frog into the house. That night it ate off of her plate, slept on her pillow, and flattered her shamelessly. The frog left at dawn but returned by the next evening. This it did for three days and three nights. On the fourth evening, the frog made it’s final request; a kiss.
So overwhelmed was she with sympathy for the frog that she begrudgingly agreed, and placed her mouth against the point of the frogs face. Instead of falling to the pillow afterwards, the frog transformed. “I, who was cruelly tricked by wicked forces and transformed into a frog, have been freed. You have broken this evil spell and now I am restored to my original form. I am eternally grateful to you for this service, and want to demonstrate my new-found love by making you my bride-to-be.” The religion of the girls family, which gave them their our solid morals and respect for right and wrong, also encouraged an unreasonable faith in the miraculous. Therefore she accepted this explanation without question.
Retrieving the ball would require no great effort from the frog, as nature had equipped it with an ideal physique for water related activities. But the frog was a shrewd businessman and instead of diving for the ball directly he put forth this bargain:
“I can easily retrieve you’re ball for you, and I won’t ask much in exchange. You may not know this, but the life of a frog is lonely and fraught with the danger of predators and the misfortune of inadequate resources. I see that you are well provided for and so I ask that, in exchange for your ball, you take me in and provide me with necessities and the pleasure of your company.”
Being an adolescent, Adeline rarely gave appropriate consideration to the consequences of her actions. This poor judgment, coupled with the desire to have the ball and her inexperience in the ways of the world, resulted in a quick acceptance of the frogs offer.
Unfortunately, the ball preceded the frog out of the well, giving her enough time to both contemplate the potential reaction of her father, and to snatch the golden ball away before the frog could stop her.
The next day, she was surprised to find the frog knocking at her door. Her father was even more surprised and not altogether pleased by the visit. After hearing his daughter re-account the events of the previous day, he declared;
“I am unhappy with the importance you have placed on the material vs. the importance you have placed on your own safety. However, since the frog appears to be relatively harmless, I encourage you to make good your word and invited it in. That which you have promised, you must preform.” Having been thusly directed, Adeline took the frog into the house. That night it ate off of her plate, slept on her pillow, and flattered her shamelessly. The frog left at dawn but returned by the next evening. This it did for three days and three nights. On the fourth evening, the frog made it’s final request; a kiss.
So overwhelmed was she with sympathy for the frog that she begrudgingly agreed, and placed her mouth against the point of the frogs face. Instead of falling to the pillow afterwards, the frog transformed. “I, who was cruelly tricked by wicked forces and transformed into a frog, have been freed. You have broken this evil spell and now I am restored to my original form. I am eternally grateful to you for this service, and want to demonstrate my new-found love by making you my bride-to-be.” The religion of the girls family, which gave them their our solid morals and respect for right and wrong, also encouraged an unreasonable faith in the miraculous. Therefore she accepted this explanation without question.
