Once upon a time
~~~~~~~~~~~
in a land far away,
~~~~~~~~~~~
a beautiful, independent,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
self-assured princess
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
happened upon a frog as she sat
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
contemplating ecological issues
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
on the shores of an unpolluted pond
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
in a verdant meadow near her castle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The frog hopped into the princess' lap
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
and said: "Elegant Lady,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was once a handsome prince,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
until an evil witch cast a spell upon me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One kiss from you, however,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
and I will turn back
~~~~~~~~~~~~
into the dapper, young prince that I am
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
and then, my sweet, we can marry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
and set up housekeeping in your castle
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
with my mother,
~~~~~~~~~~
where you can prepare my meals,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
clean my clothes,
~~~~~~~~~~~
bear my children,
~~~~~~~~~~~~
and forever feel
~~~~~~~~~~~
grateful and happy doing so."
That night,
~~~~~~~
as the princess dined sumptuously
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
on lightly sauteed frog legs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
seasoned in a white wine
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
and onion cream sauce,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
she chuckled and thought to herself:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't freakin think so!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Warmie
