The Frog Princess

  "There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" said the dog.

  Eadric took off, hopping faster than I would have thought possible.

  "Hey!" yelped the dog. "Wait for me!"

  They were well down the path before I knew what had happened, and although I wanted to go after them to stop Eadric from sacrificing himself, I realized that not only would it be useless, but it was already too late. Eadric was a much better hopper than I was and I could never catch up with them. The only thing I could do was follow my plan and get the bracelet back. With any luck, Eadric and I would both be successful and we really would meet back in the tall grass.

  Worrying about Eadric made it harder to concentrate. I'd thought I'd gotten to know him during our travels, but I would never have expected him to be so brave. Eadric, of all people! For the first time I began to believe that his boasts might not have been unfounded after all.

  Watching for some sign of either Eadric or the dog, I left my hiding place and hopped to the old willow tree, sitting down beside the half-concealed entrance to the otter's den. I hadn't been waiting long when the otter appeared, a fat fish flopping between his jaws. When the otter saw me, his eyes grew wide and his mouth dropped open. The fish he had been carrying fell to the ground, thrashing and gasping for air.

  "Who in the name of all that's edible are you?" asked the otter.

  "I am the swamp fairy!" I announced in what I hoped was a confident and convincing voice.

  "You are, huh? You look like a frog, and to me that means supper. I do believe in big meals. There's always room for more."

  "Don't be impertinent," I said, holding my head high. "It's never a good idea to insult a fairy. I'm here because you have something that belongs to me."

  "Really?" said the otter. "And what's that?"

  "My bracelet. You took it from the pond and I want it back!"

  The otter laughed, a high, twittering chirp that ordinarily would have made me smile. "Sorry, you're not getting anything from me that way. Give me a reason I should think you're the swamp fairy and not the second course of supper."

  "You asked for it," I said, flinging a handful of the sparkling mica dust into the air for an impressive effect. The otter drew back and winced, using his paw to wipe the dust from his eyes. I coughed and wiped my own eyes as well, for I'd neglected to take the breeze into account and half the dust had blown in my direction.

  My eyes were watering as I pointed my magic wand at the otter. Thankful that I didn't have to read just then, I recited one of the spells I had read in Vannabe's cottage:

  Be gone ye old and dingy hue,

  Erase the old, bring on the new!

  Bright and shiny, lustrous Locks,

  Make it look real, not from a box.

  The spell, Hair So Nu, hadn't been intended for otters, so I decided to customize it.

  Redo yon fur to shades of blue!

  And make the color ever true!

  With the sound of tiny cymbals and a flash of blue light, the otter's fur turned a nice shade of turquoise.

  "Aagh!" screamed the otter. "What have you done to me?"

  "I thought you needed a little convincing. Now do you believe that I'm the swamp fairy?"

  The otter snorted. "I don't know if you're the swamp fairy or just some overdressed frog, but either way I'm not giving that bracelet to you! What would you do with it anyway? The thing is almost as big as you are! You can forget it!"

  "What if I make all of your fur fall out?" I bluffed. "What will you do in the winter?"

  The otter glanced down at his thick pelt and shivered. When he looked up, he seemed resigned, although none too happy. "You drive a hard bargain. Wait here, I'll get the bracelet. The light from the darn thing was keeping me awake at night anyway."

  I was so excited, I hugged myself with glee as the otter trudged down the entrance to his den. The sound of thumping and scrabbling came from the tunnel, and then he reappeared, his blunt muzzle speckled with dirt. Frowning his displeasure, he shoved the bracelet into my hands. It was bigger than my head and would fit easily around my neck, but I was afraid it would choke me if I suddenly turned back into a human. Although I knew it was supposed to take a kiss to turn me back, just holding the bracelet made me nervous. After all, it had already done something unexpected once. I stared at it, trying to decide what to do.

  "Well?" said the otter. "Did you want something else?"

  "No, no, that was it," I said, backing away. "You may go about your business again, otter."

  "Huh," said the otter, scratching his head. "Fairy or not, you sure are a strange one!"

  Clutching the bracelet, I hopped back along the riverbank to the tall grass where I had last spoken with Eadric, but he was nowhere in sight. I started to call his name until I realized how dangerous that would be. If the dog was somewhere around, the last thing we wanted to do was attract its attention. We were still frogs, after all, and still needed to be careful. I waited in the tall grass for the longest time, getting more and more worried, until I heard the slap of something wet landing on the mud behind me, nearly making me jump out of my skin.

  "So you got it! I knew you would!"

  I whipped my head around and my knees went weak with relief. "Eadric! You got away from the dog! How did you do it?"

  Eadric smiled smugly and tapped himself on the chest. "I'm a better swimmer, that's how. No dog can keep up with me!"

  I grinned and threw my arms around his neck in a big froggy hug. "I was so worried!"

  "Why?" he asked, frowning. "I told you I'd meet you here. Now put on that bracelet before we lose it again!"

  "Is something wrong?" said a voice, and I looked up to see Grassina striding through the grass.

  I shook my head and grinned up at her. "Not a thing! In fact, everything is perfect! Look, I got the bracelet!" I held it up to show her. It was so big it took both of my hands to lift it.

  Grassina smiled back at me absentmindedly, as if she were thinking about something else. "I know. I saw. You did very well."

  "I'd like to get a little farther from the otter before I put it on, though, just in case he changes his mind."

  "Good idea," said Grassina. "Although I don't think he will. Excuse me, I'll be back in a few minutes. There's something about that otter..." She walked away in a daze, not noticing the prickers that caught at her skirts as she passed.

  I would have followed her or tried to make her come with us, but Eadric grabbed my arm and tugged. "Come on," he said. "Let's get this over with."

  "Fine, but as soon as we're back to normal, we have to find my aunt. She looks so odd.... "

  "Stop right there!" said an authoritative voice. A glimmering light descended from the sky and settled on the ground. The light swirled and shifted into the form of a fairy, her blue hair streaked with gray, her violet-colored eyes looking tired and slightly bored. Enormous, iridescent wings of violet and mauve fanned the air behind her. When she took a step toward us, her long blue flower-petal skirt, browned and curling at the edges, rustled around her ankles. Bending down, she stretched out her hand and said, "That bracelet belongs to me now!"

  I gasped. "Who are you?"

  The fairy glared at me. "I am the swamp fairy! The real, one and only, honest-to-goodness swamp fairy! I was told that someone was impersonating me! What is the world coming to? A fairy goes away on vacation for a couple of decades and suddenly everybody tries to take advantage Shame on you! I have to fine you for that! Hand over the bracelet!"

  I took a step back. "What do you want with my bracelet?"

  The fairy looked me over as if I might be hiding something. "It seems to be the only thing you have of any value, so that's how you'll pay your fine."

  "No, wait! I can't give you this bracelet!" I said, clutching it to my chest. "We really need it! Isn't there anything else I can give you?"

  "Nope, that's it. I don't need any firstborn tadpoles, if that's what you're thinking. So give me the bracelet and be on your way."
br />   I couldn't do it, not when we were so close! Panicking, I turned to look at Eadric and my eyes fell on the vial of dragon's breath. "I know! Eadric, turn around!" I hurriedly untied the twine holding the vial on Eadric's back.

  "I thought you said there wasn't any swamp fairy," Eadric whispered.

  "I didn't think there was," I whispered back.

  "But how do we know she's—"

  "Eadric, don't say another word! You're going to get us in even more trouble!"

  "I can hear you!" trilled the swamp fairy. "Hasn't anyone ever told you that it's not polite to whisper? Now I have to raise your fine!"

  "Sorry," I said. "Here, would this do instead of the bracelet?" I held the vial in the sunlight so the fairy could see the beautiful swirling colors.

  "What is it?" asked the swamp fairy, looking skeptical.

  "It's a vial of dragon's breath. I understand it's very valuable."

  "Dragon's breath? I haven't seen any of that in ages! Here, let me have it!"

  I started to pass the vial to the swamp fairy, but I was fumble-fingered and it slipped out of my hand. My heart jumped into my throat when the vial landed with a thud on her foot.

  "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" she said, hopping on one foot while cradling the other in her hand. "You dropped it on me! Ow! Ow! Ow!"

  Eadric and I backed behind a clump of grass, trying to stay out from under the hopping fairy. "I'm sorry!" I said, feeling like an idiot. "I didn't mean to!"

  "Never mind that!" said Eadric. "Is the vial all right?"

  The swamp fairy gave him a nasty look. Ignoring Eadric, I hurdled over the grass and bent down to pick up the vial. When I offered it to the fairy, she snatched it from my hand and gave me a nasty look as well.

  The fairy uncorked the vial and sniffed it cautiously. Her face promptly turned a bright green. Coughing, she rammed the cork back into the opening. "Hoo-wee! Does that stuff ever stink! That's dragon's breath, all right. Sure, I'll take this as your fine. I have a good friend who's a dragon. He's getting old and fat and has been short of breath for years. This would make a great birthday present for him. But now you have another fine to pay. Two, come to think of it. One fine for whispering about me, and the other for hurting my foot! What else have you got that you can give me?"

  "Why, nothing, other than the bracelet."

  "Then I'd better take that as well. It is awfully pretty...." Grabbing the bracelet, the fairy turned it over and shook it, smiling when the light danced on the little symbols.

  "But we need it!" Eadric wailed. "Without that bracelet, we'll be stuck as frogs forever!"

  "Really?" said the fairy. "What does this bracelet have to do with you being a frog?"

  I didn't want to tell her, but Eadric had already said too much. I couldn't see any harm in telling her the rest. "I was a human until I kissed Eadric, but I was wearing the bracelet "

  The fairy's eyes opened wide. "And the bracelet turned you. into a frog?"

  I nodded. "Yes, it's a—"

  "Here! Take it!" she said, thrusting the bracelet at me. "The last thing I want to do is turn into a frog! Imagine, me as a hairless, slimy—"

  "Hey!" said Eadric, scowling at the fairy. Afraid of what he might say, I jabbed him in the stomach with my elbow.

  "But that's all we have," I said.

  The fairy took a step back. "Never mind. The dragon's breath will do just fine. If you promise never to impersonate me again, I'll forget your other offenses and we'll call it even."

  "Oh, I promise!" I said.

  Eadric and I hopped away from the river as if a dragon were after us. Faster than you can say "four fat frog feet" five times fast, we had jumped through a small copse of saplings and into a nearby meadow.

  "Now can you put it on?" Eadric asked as soon as he'd caught his breath. "I hate to be pushy, but something else is bound to happen if you don't."

  "Just a minute," I said, setting the bracelet on the ground. Since the bracelet seemed to remain the same size no matter what, I wasn't going to take any chances. I sat down, placed my wrist inside the bracelet, and patted the ground. "Eadric, have a seat over here."

  Eadric hurried to sit beside me. "I'm ready," he said, puckering his lips.

  "Let's hope this works!" I crossed my fingers and leaned over to kiss him.

  I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and looked up to see the dirty white dog trotting into the meadow, its nose held high as it snuffled the air. A sparrow shot from the ground by the dog's feet, but the beast swung its head from side to side as if homing in on a scent, oblivious to everything else. I tried to ignore the dog as I kissed Eadric long and hard on the lips. When nothing happened right away, Eadric's face drooped in disappointment and I felt as though I was about to cry.

  A breeze blew from behind us, carrying our scent directly toward the dog. With his ears pricked forward, he swung his head in our direction and trotted toward us, his tail wagging like a flag. Resigned to certain doom, I was watching the dog when my fingers and toes began to tingle. The feeling spread up my arms and down my legs. A shiver ran along my spine, chased by the golden, fuzzy feeling. Once again my head felt light and full of bubbles. Once again a tremendous wind rushed past me and I fell to the ground with a gray cloud filling my head, but not before I saw the dog collapse as well.

  Eighteen

  When I woke, my head felt woozy; nothing would come into focus. Gradually my vision sharpened, but everything looked different. The colors seemed duller and there were fewer of them. I shook my head, trying to get rid of the funny feeling in my ears, not liking the way the sounds were muffled. Glancing down, I saw that my clothes looked just the way they had on the day I had turned into a frog. My blue gown and kirtle were only slightly soiled, but no more than they had been when I kissed Eadric. My soft leather shoes were still damp, the mud on them fresh.

  I heard a sound and turned to see Eadric struggling to sit up beside me. He was wearing a warm traveling cloak over his clothes, and his boots were splattered with muck. His tousled brown curls framed a strong jaw, laughing eyes, and a nose as prominent as my own. He was slightly pudgy and rather short. I thought that he was the most beautiful person I had ever seen.

  Eadric looked at me and grinned. "We did it!" he said, laughing out loud.

  "Finally!" I agreed. I had been convinced so often over the last few days that I was about to die that I felt giddy with relief now that I was a human again.

  "You look beautiful, Emma."

  "You do, too."

  "But aren't you tired of wearing those wings?" He reached behind me and tugged something loose from the back of my dress. The dragonfly wings lay in his hand, limp and broken.

  "Oh," I breathed, taking the wings from him. "I'll cherish them forever."

  "Those old things!" said Eadric. "Why would you want to keep them?"

  "Eadric, how can you say that? They made me look like a beautiful swamp fairy!"

  When I tried to stand, my movements were stiff and awkward. I took a step and tripped over my own feet, landing in Eadric's arms. He held me with my head cradled on his shoulder so that I was looking up into his eyes.

  "I was hoping I could get another kiss," he said, his eyes laughing.

  "You never give up, do you? Well, I'm sorry! I'm not kissing anybody until I get this back to my aunt Grassina!" I raised my arm and jingled my bracelet next to his ear. "I don't want to—"

  "—take any chances," Eadric finished for me.

  "We'd better be careful or we're going to end up finishing each other's sentences like Clifford and Louise."

  "Who?" Eadric asked.

  "Never mind. I'll tell you all about it when we have the time."

  Something snorted, sounding like the chuffing of an ancient dragon. Startled, Eadric and I looked up. A white horse with a silver mane lay on its side, trying to roll to its feet. Saddled for riding, it wore the trappings of royalty.

  "Eadric! Why did you run away?" whinnied the horse.

  "Brighty?" said Ea
dric, shading his eyes against the sun. "Is that you?"

  "Who's Brighty?" I asked.

  "My horse, Bright Country! I left him tied to a tree while I hunted for the meadwort and that's when I ran into Mudine. I was so worried about you, boy!"

  With a lunge and a flurry of hooves, Brighty rolled to his feet and stood with his legs wobbling beneath him. "Dang, I'm sore!" he grumbled. He snorted again and looked toward Eadric, who dumped me on the ground and climbed painfully to his feet.

  "Hey!" I said, struggling to sit up. "Why did you do that?"

  "I've got to go. It's Brighty!"

  I looked at his horse again. There was something about... "That's where the dog was standing when we kissed!" I said. "The big white dog that was chasing you!"

  "You don't suppose that Mudine cast a spell on Brighty, too?"

  "I guess it's possible! Then the reason the dog was chasing us ..."

  Eadric stumbled toward his horse. "Brighty! I always knew you were a good and faithful beast! You wanted to be with me, even when I was a frog!" With a happy sigh, Eadric flung his arms around the horse's neck and hugged him. Brighty leaned into his owner, making the prince stagger back.

  The horse snorted, his breath ruffling Eadric's hair. "I've been looking for you everywhere! I saw that woman turn you into a frog; then she came after me. I was a dog, Eadric! You can't imagine what it was like. I had this urge to sniff everything! And some things were really disgusting and I didn't want to eat them, but I couldn't help myself. I'm so glad I found you. I knew if I did, everything would be all right. Don't ever leave me like that again!"

  "Everything will be fine now, Brighty. I'm here," said Eadric, hugging his horse again.

  I smiled and let out an unladylike snort of my own. "I bet your horse would kiss you if you let him."