The Frog Prince

Once upon a time, in a grand castle, there lived a beautiful princess. One warm summer day, the princess was playing by a pond near the castle. She had a golden ball, her favorite toy, which she tossed into the air and caught. But suddenly, she missed the catch, and the ball fell into the deep, murky water of the pond. The princess, upset and helpless, began to cry. As she wept, a voice interrupted her: “Why are you crying, dear princess?” She looked around and was surprised to see a small, ugly frog sitting at the edge of the pond. “I lost my golden ball in the water,” she sobbed. The frog thought for a moment and said, “I can fetch your ball for you, but I want something in return.”