Features

The Frog Prince

By Myrna Sokolinsky
Tuesday December 30, 2003

A lovely young princess was walking about 

And she stopped by the edge of a pond. 

As she sat there a frog from the water came out, 

So she asked it to kindly respond: 

 

“Will you tell me if you are a prince?” “Yes I am, 

And my soldiers will shortly appear.” 

And then, sure enough, in formation they swam, 

two by two came each brave volunteer. 

 

And the frog prince said, ‘Hup, two, three, four” to his corps 

And “‘Tenshun,” said the prince very loud, 

As his disciplined soldiers lined up on the shore 

And the prince stood up war-like and proud. 

 

Now each of these knights wore a tiny gas mask 

As they waited for their next command, 

So the princess was puzzled and she had to ask, 

“Why the gas masks? I don’t understand.” 

“Our frog population is dying today,” 

Said the prince, “and our babies are born 

with birth defects causing their parents dismay. 

I gives them a feeling forlorn.” 

 

“But what is the cause,” asked the lovely princess, 

“Of this suffering that you endure?” 

“It’s the pesticides, Miss, that have cause this distrees 

And the herbicides, that is for sure. 

 

“And that is the reason that we have to wear 

These gas masks on our little heads. 

The poison they put in our water and air 

Is what every little frog dreads. 

 

“If you humans think that it’s only us frogs 

Who’s affected by your pesticide, 

That it’s only the creatures who live in the bogs, 

Note: the Fall cometh after the Pride.” 

 

And with this last word for the whole human race. 

They marched with the prince in the lead, 

With courage to go and fight face to face, 

And the princess cried to them, “Godspeed!”