Party at the Pond (3 page)

Two eyes stared in at him.

Frog stared back.

“In case you do not know, I am a girl,” the voice said.

“Let me out!” Frog jumped again and hit his head. “Ouch!”

“Sorry,” the girl said. “I am going to hold you. And then I am going to kiss you.”

“
What
?” Frog was shocked.

“When I kiss you, you will turn into a prince,” the girl said. “And you will marry me. And I will be a princess.”

“
What
? ” Frog was shocked again.

“Hold still!” The girl lifted Frog.

She held him close to her face. They were eyeball-to-eyeball.

“I am sorry you are so ugly,” the girl said.

Frog sniffed. “I am sorry you are so rude.”

The girl made an
O
of her lips. Her face came closer. She closed her eyes.

“Wait!” Frog croaked in his bossiest voice. “I do not want to be a prince. I like being a frog. If you make me be a prince, I will not marry you.”

She opened her eyes. “Why not?” she asked.

“You would not be happy with me. I shed my skin a few times each year. It is not a pretty sight. Do you want me to show you?”

The girl shuddered. “No. Thank you.”

“I like to sleep underwater. Cold, cold water.”

“Brr,” the girl said.

“I like to have flies and moths for dinner. I catch them on my sticky tongue. See?” Frog flipped out his tongue. A squashed fly, four bumblebee legs, and a half mosquito were still stuck on it since lunch.

“Oh, yuk and double yuk.”

“By the way, your hands are too warm. I am quite uncomfortable,” Frog said.

“I am sorry.” The girl opened her hands a little. “You will not do those things when you are a prince.”

“I will. You could change me outside.

But I will always be a frog at heart. What things do girls do?”

“We jump rope. We play soccer. We climb trees.”

“I do not think princesses jump rope or play soccer or climb trees. A princess has to wear a crown, and sew, and sit at long dinners. Long, long, long dinners. You will still be a girl at heart. And you will not be happy.”

“You are wise,” the girl said. “Being a princess sounds boring. I think I will stay agirl.”

Frog smiled. “And I will stay a frog.

Will you please let me go now?”

“Yes,” the girl said. “But first I will kiss you because we are friends.”

“Oh no! That might be dangerous. We could shake hands.”

“Good.”

They shook hands.

She set Frog down and he quickly hopped into his pond. “Come back and see me again,” he called. “But no kisses.”

He finished off the squashed fly, the four bumblebee legs, and the half mosquito that were left over from lunch. They were delicious.

Then he took a nap.

It was so good to be a frog.

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