Once Upon A Lily Pond

REWRITE 03/21/2019
Update 03/15/2022

Once upon a time in a valley, far, far, away, there lived a  yuppie princess. Her favorite pastime was visiting the Lily Pond and dancing with the little green frogs.

What would you do if a frog said hello to you?

I would probably stare at it. Not sure if the frog was he or she, not that that would really matter.

I would look around to see if anyone else heard the same thing. I’d hope that I was in a crowded room. You know safety in numbers and all that.

But if I was in a room full of people I knew and no one else was reacting to a frog talking, I would begin to back away slowly. And join in some conversation going on.

If that frog was still there after a few minutes, I would ask if anyone saw a frog sitting on the lamp table under the lamp. And if someone said yes, I would ask, “Who is that frog?”

If one of my friends said, “Oh, that’s Rupert.” I would wait for my friend to explain. I would look them directly in the eye, my arms crossed, tapping my foot. Waiting.

Then I heard a few snickers. And finally someone let the cat out of the bag, “That’s my baby sister’s new toy. It has a motion detector and says hello when you walk by.

Whew, what a relief!

Then I turned to the frog.

He said, “Hello Princess Penelope.”

I fainted right there at the party.

***

Prince Thomas was on board the Remington Corsair returning from across the sea. He had been on a secret mission for his father, the King. His ship docked as the sun was setting.

When the prince deboarded he carried a duffel bag over his shoulder. He headed to the wharf stables to get a horse. He didn’t see the small figure come out of hiding in the long shadows behind him.

Ambushed on the way to the stables, a stranger yanked his duffel causing him to lose his balance and turn awkwardly to face his attacker. The stranger whipped a cloth sack over his head and blew dust into his face as the cloth came down. He became dizzy and heard an angry female voice intoning an incantation. He felt himself grow smaller. The sack completely enclosed him blocking off all light.

Thomas couldn’t do anything. His arms and legs didn’t feel right, they moved strangely, and the cloth sack stuck to his skin. In the darkness, he felt very light. He didn’t understand what was going on, who could have done this, and why?

Thrown over his attacker’s shoulder, Thomas felt the sack sway and bump as the angry woman walked away from the docks. The smooth town roads changed to rough terrain. After a long time, the movement stopped, and the sack was laid on the ground. Thomas heard footsteps walk away.

A small bit of light reached Thomas from the loose end of the sack. Clawing to get out, he heard leaves rustling and water lapping. He stopped moving at the noise of footsteps coming back.

The Evil Witch opened the sack, “Well, there you are my little frog prince. You have something I want, and you are going to tell me all you know.” She dumped him out of the sack.

Thomas hit the ground. His legs went to work putting himself upright. That’s when he realized he was a frog. When he was asked questions all he could do was croak. After three hours of question after question, the Evil Witch left and never returned. Thomas went hopping away to find a friend.

Three days later his friend George was walking past Goose Down Lake and found a frog alone by the lake. To Thomas’ surprise when he called out to his friend, his human voice had returned. George was surprised about finding Thomas as he was, but they talked for some time. George had an idea, but for it to work Thomas had to go by his middle name, Rupert.

***

Penelope woke up in the library the next morning.

My head was lying on my open textbook. I had been exhausted from studying for exams late last night. I woke with a vague memory of a dream about a talking frog.

The heat of the day was climbing, I needed a visit to the shady oak trees by the lily pond, I hoped to visit the little green frogs.

My stomach was growling. I stopped by the Kitchen to drink some water and on the way to the Lily Pond I stuffed a napkin and a croissant in my pocket.

A cool breeze blew through my hair as I approached the pond. Usually, the little green frogs would be splashing about. But there were no frogs.

I did find a huge frog sitting on a boulder, with his back to me.

I walked around the boulder and found a table set for tea next to the frog. He was looking at the plate of tea cakes. One cake was partially eaten. I looked up at the frog and saw crumbs all over his green belly. Obviously, he was no ordinary frog, he liked tea cakes.

The frog croaked and burped and looked quite happy. He noticed that I was staring at him. He said, in a melodious voice, “Hello, Princess Penelope.”

I gasped, my eyes popped opened wide and my jaw dropped. I gulped and took a breath, “You’re… talking!” And he looked like the frog in my dream.

The frog said, “Yes, Princess Penelope, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rupert. Please join me for tea.”

I was still staring, after a moment, I blinked, and gathered my wits. “How do you know my name?”

“I know your brother Prince George.”

I tried to think of all of George’s friends, but I was too surprised to think of anyone. He never mentioned knowing a frog.

“This is most unusual. Who put this table here?”

“Please don’t be alarmed, George thought it would be a good idea. I must thank him for arranging everything.”

“I came here to dance with the little green frogs,” I  looked over at the water and checked the lily pads. “But I don’t see them.”

Rupert looked at the pond, “I believe they were scared off by the noisy servants who set up the tea table.”

I raised one eyebrow, crossed my arms, and looked at him with concern. “How do you know George?

***

Rupert sighed. George had told him he had to be careful about what he said to Princess Penelope, although he could see that she needed to know more before she would help him.

Rupert wondered if George’s idea would work. It seemed like a good plan, and if it worked, this would be a dream come true, for Penelope was the girl of his dreams. And if his dreams came true, he would be the luckiest prince in the world. Penelope just didn’t know he was “Prince Thomas” under a spell.

***

“Your brother is my longtime friend. He found me at Goose Down Lake as a frog. He had an idea about me having tea with you. He also suggested that I dance by the Lily Pond too.”

“Please, have a seat, enjoy the delicious tea cakes,” Rupert said. “I would love to pour for you, but, as you can see, I am a frog. And it’s not polite to pour with one’s feet.”

This was no ordinary tea. It did have the all the requisite edibles, but you were supposed to pour tea for your friend, not yourself. I sat and poured myself tea. I picked the most delicious looking finger sandwich on the plate.

Looking around the pond, I hoped the little green frogs would show up, I decided to enjoy the afternoon and wait for them to return.

“It’s lovely sitting here by the Lily Pond,” I said. At least the delicious finger sandwich calmed my stomach’s hungry mumbling, I smiled with satisfaction. I looked over at the flowering lily pads for any telltale signs.

Rupert looked around the princess, “Did you bring your iPod?”

I took another sip of tea and wiped my fingers with a napkin. “Yes, I did.” I pulled the music player from my dress pocket. “I like to dance to the music. It makes me feel like I’m in a world of my own out here beneath the oak trees.”

“Your brother mentioned that the servants would set up speakers under the table.”

I looked and there they were. I plugged in my iPod. And instantly music filled the air. A dancing tune played and dancing magic filled the air.

Rupert began to tap his big green, webby toes. I danced by a feathery fern and twirled across the grass beneath the shady oak trees. My dress billowed as I spun around.

Suddenly Rupert felt something happening to his green arms and legs. When I had danced around the biggest oak tree three times, Rupert leaped off the huge boulder. Magically in midair, he changed into a man with curly brown hair, wearing a royal uniform with crumbs on his jacket. He landed on his feet near the table as the tune ended.

I turned toward the table at that moment, “Oh!” I said. In front of me, a man stood, brushing off tea cake crumbs.

I smiled. Somehow I knew him. “Rupert?”

The prince looked up and smiled, “I am Thomas Rupert of Wellesley, at your service.” He didn’t add Crown Prince to his name. He could see in my eyes that I understood. Everyone knew him as Prince Thomas.

“Ahh,” I said, with a happy look in my eyes. “That was some tea cake! Or was it the music?”

I curtseyed and extended my hand towards him, in a gesture of greeting. Thomas bowed, took my hand and lightly kissed it.

Another dancing tune began.

The prince bowed and asked, “May I have this dance, Princess Penelope?”

I smiled and curtsied. “Yes, Your Royal Highness.” For the rest of the afternoon, we danced around the trees by the Lily Pond.

Finally, I sat down to catch my breath. We feasted on scones and jam with butter. Finally, for the last course, I picked up a tea cake. I looked up at Thomas, leaning on the boulder. He put another tea cake in his mouth.

My cheeks felt warm. “That was a delightful mysterious and magical afternoon.”

Prince Thomas returned my look with a grin of his own. He nodded in agreement. He poured tea for me, and I poured tea for him.

Seeing that Princess Penelope was happy, the little green frogs came out of hiding in the Lily Pond. Wearing little green hats they danced and leaped.

“Oh, look!” I said. “My little friends are here, dancing on the lily pads!”

The prince turned and chuckled. He saw frogs leaping around joyfully, throwing their green hats in the air.

I got up to dance with my little friends. When the music ended, I watched them jump into the pond one by one. I waved as they left.

“So, Prince Thomas, how did you become a frog?” I asked.

The prince took a sip of tea and cleared his throat. “Several days ago, I returned from a voyage across the sea. In the shadows on the dock lurked an evil witch. She followed me from the ship. She turned me into a frog and captured me with a sack. She took me to Goose Down Lake in the forest. She tried to grill me with questions. But all I could do was croak. After several hours of no success, she stomped off.”

He looked at the forest across the water, remembering his ordeal.

“That was three days ago. I’m lucky George came by Goose Down Lake when he did. My voice had just returned when I saw him. As he walked by I called out to him. He looked around. I kept talking, and soon he recognized my voice. He spotted me and I told him what had happened. George brought me to your Lily Pond and said, “Stay here, I have an idea.”

“Do you think the Evil Witch will come back, looking for you?” Penelope asked.

“I don’t know,” Thomas said, looking with concern at the forest across the pond. He was overdue to report to his father, once that was done, he could relax about all that he knew.

***

Thomas escorted Penelope home to her castle. He borrowed a golden horse and rode home. The King was ecstatic over his son’s safe return and ordered a “Welcome Home” celebration.

Two weeks later, George escorted his sister to the king’s party. In the royal carriage, she asked him about Thomas’ ordeal. George was happy that his friend was no longer a frog. “He’s a fine fellow. I’ve known him a long time.”

At the castle, George gave Thomas a bear hug, “Welcome home, my friend.”

Thomas smiled, “Thanks, my friend, your idea worked. She’s all I dreamed about.”

I found Thomas by a grand display of tea cakes. I asked if he had eaten any. He laughed and said, “Nope!” I laughed with him.

He bowed and held out his hand for mine, I accepted his invitation. We danced around the ballroom. Everyone joined us.

At the first dance break, George gathered everyone around Prince Thomas. He told the amazing story of finding a talking frog with the crown prince’s voice at Goose Down Lake.

Raising his teacup, George toasted his friend. “To my dear friend, Thomas Rupert, who returning home from across the sea found he was to experience life as a frog. May he always be happy on two feet.”

Everyone cheered, “Here! Here!” And pulling party poppers they filled the air with colorful streamers and confetti.

Waving away the streamers, Thomas asked Penelope, “What’s so special about the little green frogs?”

“At the beginning of summer, I had a dream about them dancing at the Lily Pond. We found them too.” She looked around at her friends, they giggled. “Sometimes we all saw them dancing at the Lily Pond,” she said. “I told George too.”

“After they had danced a few times, I felt something was missing. Finally, at the end of summer, you showed up.” All her friends sighed and smiled at the prince.

Thomas escorted Penelope outside. Her hair sparkled from the confetti. The end of summer heat lingered, but it was cooler outside than inside on the dance floor.

The royal carriage arrived. George walked out to join them after saying goodbye to their friends.

Thomas gave Penelope a hug and handed her into the coach. Her brother joined her.

In the open carriage window, I blew a kiss to Thomas.

He grabbed it with his fist and held it to his heart.

“Penelope, you are my hero.”

The prince and the princess became friends on that remarkable day at the Lily Pond. They lived happily ever after, but you never know in today’s economy where you’ll find the perfect yuppie palace.