Fritz the Frog....part two

Fritz the Frog 1

Part Two2

Chapter Four3

Going Home4

It was late afternoon when Fritz reached the edge of the city and he was a little nervous about traveling at night but there were still a few hours of daylight left.  He’d keep going until he came to the little muddy pond he remembered from his trip into the city.  It would be a good enough place to spend the night and he would be sure to find algae there.5

It felt good to be back on the road again, to feel the dirt under his feet, the country air in his nostrils.  He had forgotten how much he loved the country, aside that is, from the taunts of the other frogs about not being like them.  It would be different now, they’d listen to him, be in awe of his worldliness.  And the princess, they would love her, too.  He could hardly wait!6

It was getting dark and he hadn’t yet come to the little muddy pond.  Things looked different now, too.  There were houses where there had been none before, many of the trees were gone, cut down to make room for the houses.  When he came to the spot where he was sure the pond should be, it was nowhere to be seen.  He pranced on in search of a place to spend the night.7

After a few more hours he was feeling too tired and hungry to continue.  He looked for a place to stop for rest and settled on a secluded spot beneath a bush several feet from the road.  It wasn’t very good but it would have to do.8

By now he was hungry and thirsty but there were no flowers in sight, not a drop of water.  He realized he should have brought at least a small container of water but he had counted on the pond being available.9

He managed to finally fall asleep and slept fitfully until nearly dawn.  He awoke with a start as a snake slithered over his body then slipped away quickly when Fritz moved.  He sat up, rubbed his eyes sleepily and looked around, at first trying to figure out where he was and what he was doing here.  Then it all came back to him, he was going to his beloved princess.10

His stomach was growling hungrily and his mouth was dry but the expectations of the end of his journey drove him on.  He would make it, he had to.  His love was waiting.11

As he pranced on, mile after mile, things began to look more familiar.  There were trees and a little stream which he remembered from his first trip.  He hurried to the water’s edge and jumped in.  The water was cold but felt wonderful against his parched skin.  And there were flower petals to eat, even a few little bugs flying around if he chose to partake of them.  But too many years of never eating them kept them safe from his long tongue.  He still thought they were yukky!  12

After a hearty meal of flower petals, a nap beside the stream and another plunge into the water Fritz was ready to continue his journey to meet his princess.  It couldn’t be more than a few miles further.  He should be able to make it by early afternoon.13

He pranced down the road, singing and dancing as he went.  “Soon”, he said out loud, “soon we’ll be together forever”.14

As the day wore on and it began to get hot Fritz wished he could go faster, hurry to his love’s side.  Sit with her beside the cool waters of the pond where they’d first met.  She must be tired of waiting for him after all this time.  15

Then he began to worry.  What if she doesn’t remember me, he thought.  Surely she couldn’t forget me …could she?  What about the man she had wept over, that day by the pond?  What if he’s finally realized that she’s not ugly and has come back?  What if my princess is no longer mine?  All these questions and worries.  16

Fritz sat down to take a short rest and all of these questions and more came flooding into his mind.  What if, what if?   “I should have stayed”, he proclaimed out loud.  “What good is a fortune without the one I truly love?”.  He felt sad and forlorn at the prospect of living the rest of his life amidst riches but without his beautiful princess, without the love of his life.17

He continued his journey with a heavy heart, lightened only by the slim hope that his princess would be waiting for him.  The sun was high in the sky now and he knew he was getting close.  Soon he would know if his future was going to be gloom and doom or happy days forever.18

Just as he rounded the next bend he could see the top of the castle, it’s spires gleaming in the afternoon sun.  His pace quickened, so did the beat of his heart.  He was minutes away from his destiny.19

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Chapter Five21

Love Comes Knocking22

Fritz approached the pond, looking for some sign of his princess but she was nowhere to be seen.  Should he go to the castle door?  Should he be so bold as to knock and ask for his princess?  Yes, why not.  Perhaps she’d already been to the pool today and wouldn’t come back until tomorrow.  He couldn’t wait that long so he set off for the castle.  It loomed in front of him as he drew nearer and the door looked huge even from a distance.23

He approached it with some trepidation, what if she refused to see him?!  He had a difficult time jumping high enough to reach the knocker but finally after several tries he managed it.24

It was a few minutes before it was opened by a large man in a formal suit, looking down on Fritz as if he was the ruler of the universe.  It took another few minutes of scrutinization by this formidable creature before he asked, “Who are you and what do you want?”25

Fritz gulped, rather loudly, he thought and then replied, “I’m here to see the princess”.26

“The princess?  Why do you wish to see the princess?”27

“It’s a personal matter, Sir.  Will you please tell her I’m here?”.  28

“She’s not available at the moment.  You’ll have to come back later, or call her on the phone.  If she wishes to see you, she will let me know”.29

Well, Fritz knew that a phone call was out of the question and he also had the feeling that if he came back later he’d receive the same kind of answer he was getting now.  “Please just give her a message for me.  Tell her I’ll be waiting for her by the pond.  Tell her it’s an old friend who she hasn’t seen for about three years”.30

“I shall do that, Sir, as soon as she’s available”.  With that he closed the door and left Fritz feeling rejected once again.  Why would she come to the pond to see someone who she barely knew from three years ago.  And probably doesn’t even remember.  31

He returned to the pond and began his lonely, almost hopeless vigil.  It was nearly dusk when he saw her in the distance running towards the pond.  His princess, his love, she’s coming, she didn’t forget me!  His heart began to beat faster, his pulse raced.  But as she came closer to the pond, barely fifty feet from it, she stopped.  She stood there, looking around.  “Albert, Albert where are you?  Please don’t play games with me.  Please, where are you?”.32

Albert?  Albert??  She thinks I’m someone named Albert?!  His heart sank.  She thinks it’s him, returning to her after these three years?  33

Poor Fritz was crushed, heartbroken to think that all this time he thought she loved him as much as he loved her.  Until today it hadn’t occurred to him that she could not feel the same as he did. 34

She walked slowly to the edge of the pond, looked around once more and began to weep, just as he’d remembered that day three years ago when he first saw her weeping as she gazed into the pond.  Only this time was different. She spoke softly and she wasn’t sobbing the way she did three years ago.  35

“I should have known you would never return, Albert.  It’s been three years and not a word from you.  I can forget you now.  I guess I knew in my heart it was never meant to be.  I hope you’re happy, whatever you’re doing, whoever your with now”.  She took a ring from her finger and dropped it into the pond.  “Goodbye, Albert”, she said softly.36

Fritz looked on, sadness in his heart.  He felt sad for his princess, understanding that her heart had been broken by the man named Albert.  And Fritz realized now that she wasn’t really his either. But he would love her always.  Then he remembered, he didn’t even know her name.  He had to know and he wanted her to know his name, too.  He wanted her to somehow know that she would always be in his heart.  He wanted her to always feel loved and beautiful.37

She sat quietly for a moment then rose to leave.  He had to do it.  It was now or never.  Never ever to know each other.38

She still hadn’t noticed him so he pranced closer.  “Hello, princess.  Do you remember me?  We met briefly on this very spot three years ago”.39

She looked at him blankly for a moment then spoke, in a soft musical voice this time, not the harsh way in which she’d spoken to him that day so long ago.  “It was you who left the message for me to meet you here!  Yes, I remember you.  You were the frog who told me I should be dancing with joy”.  She seemed to look deeply into his eyes and the world lit up for Fritz.40

She remembered, she remembered HIM!  “I have thought many times of what you said that day.  I’ve wished it could be true.  And now I think it can.  I came here because I thought an old love had returned but now I know it will never happen.  I’m a little sad about it but at the same time I feel relieved.  I can go on with my life now”.41

Fritz could hardly believe his ears.  She’d remembered what he had said and she was telling him that now it could be so.  Even if he never saw her again he could be happy for her, knowing that she would allow happiness back into her heart.42

“I have you to thank for that, don’t I?  Well, I do thank you, kind sir.  You know, I don’t even know your name”, she said, smiling.  Such a lovely smile she had.  He’d never seen her smile before this moment, a moment he would treasure forever.  43

“Nor I, yours”, he replied.  “My name is Fritz.  What’s yours?”44

“I’m Arialla”, she replied.  “In the country my father is from that means ‘light of my life’.  Are you from around here? “45

“Arialla, what a beautiful name.  Arialla, light of my life.  It fits you perfectly”.  His voice was barely audible over the beat of his heart.  “I’m from a farm a few miles away but I traveled to the city three years ago to seek my fortune.  I was a dancer in a theater group there”.46

“A dancer!  Is that why you told me I should be dancing with joy?”  Then teasingly she added, “Did you find your fortune in the city?”47

“Just like a woman”, he teased back, wanting to know the state of a mans’ wallet first thing”.  He laughed then answered her question. “I was very fortunate.  I became a successful performer, lived very nicely and made a great deal of money through wise investments and savings”.48

She laughed.  A bubbly, musical laugh, not giggly like some of the girls he’d met.  “Dance for me, Fritz, please?” she asked coaxingly.49

Fritz smiled, and his love must have shown through that smile because when she smiled back, he felt the glow of her love.  He began to dance, his heart going into every step.  Then she reached for his hand and began to dance with him.50

Afterwards they sat together on the little wall by the pond.  They talked and talked until they knew just about everything about each other.  As darkness fell she said she should be going.  “Will you still be here tomorrow”, she asked?51

He replied that he would at least spend the night at the pond before finishing his trip home.  She turned to go, then turned back to Fritz.  “Thank you, Fritz, for all you’ve done for me.  You’ve made me feel happiness for the first time in many years.  Goodnight, dear friend.  I’ll be here first thing in the morning to say goodbye”.  52

“Goodnight, my love, my beautiful princess”.  He watched her as she walked away towards the castle. He wished she wasn’t going.53

Later as he was getting ready to settle in for the night he heard something.  A voice, a soft melodic voice calling his name. I’m dreaming, he thought to himself, and I’m not even asleep yet.54

The voice came closer.  “Fritz?  Where are you?”.  It was Arialla!55

“Over here”, he called to her.  She came towards him, arms outstretched.  “I don’t know what’s come over me, Fritz.  I feel such love for you, but you’re a frog”.  56

Love? Love for me? Arialla loves me!  And for the first time he thought of the difference between them, him being a frog and she being a human.  This is never going to work.  How could I be so stupid all this time.  Of course it wont work.  She’s a person.  I’m a frog.  Nope, no way, this could never work57

“What shall we do, Fritz, what can we do.  I love you.  I want never be apart from you”.  She looked at him with those beautiful eyes, now pleading silently.58

Oh, Arialla, I love you, too.  I’ve loved you since the first moment I saw you.  My plans, my dreams, my work have always revolved around my love for you, my beautiful princess.  I’ve had so many dreams and hopes for us.  But you’re right, it cannot work.  You’re human and I’m just a frog”.  59

They looked at each other with tear filled eyes.  “I love you”, they both said in unison.  And each felt the pain of knowing they could never be together except as friends.  Oh, how it hurt.  60

“I shall always love you, Arialla and I shall always be your friend, no matter what”.  Fritz spoke with sincerity and compassion.  61

“And I feel the same for you, Fritz.  I wish there was a way but I know it can never be.  I’ll love you forever”.  Saying that, she leaned down and kissed him.  He kissed her back and they held each other tightly.  Fritz couldn’t help but remember the fairy tale where the frog turned into a handsome prince when the princess kissed him.  He wished he could do that, turn into a handsome prince for his princess.62

They sat there in the darkness, holding each other as if there was no tomorrow. But something was happening.  Something felt different.  What was going on?  63

He pulled away from Arialla, and then she was gone. “Arialla, where are you?”, he called her name again.  “I’m right here, silly, right in front of you, can’t you see me?”  There before him was the most beautiful frog he’d ever seen.  Fritz was confused.  “Arialla?  Is that you?”   As soon as he looked into those beautiful eyes he knew … it was his Arialla, his princess.  She had turned into the most beautiful frog he had ever seen.  64

They laughed, they danced, they sang.  Finally they could be together.  Love had found a way to bring them happiness forever and ever.65

Fritz and Arialla, happy ever after.66

Dee Garner67

June 19, 200468