Fabula Sine Ratio Poem by Fruchtbeine sonn

Once yesterday, in a far away too-rare kingdom I recall,
The princess fair in the new spring air was playing with her ball.
The princess knew that the ball she threw was, as all such balls, very fond
Of bouncing askew and floating to the center of the pond.

But she threw it still, and, as such balls will, it satisfied its wont,
And while it bobbed the princess sobbed, and a prince going by said 'Don't:
A princess' years should be void of tears, ' and here he leaped over the wall,
And he asked her 'Why does a princess cry? ' and she pointed at her ball
There among the fish. She said 'Any wish of he who returns my toy
Will I grant.' So he dove, and returned with the globe, and she hugged wet ball and boy.

Then the princess spoke, as if a joke: 'According to the rules,
Whatever you ask as a fee for your task is yours. A chest of jewels,
A castle, fine steeds, whatever your needs, they are yours when they are named.'
But the prince just blushed, then suddenly rushed into speech: 'I am ashamed
That I have to be exacting a fee for my trivial task, ' he said.
'But you said I might, and so tonight you will take me to your bed.'

'O do not deem my wish extreme, but let me finish first:
One summer morn a witch I scorned, and by her I was cursed.
Now I am weak and forbidden to speak the nature of the spell,
But, dear princess, as you might guess, there is one thing I can tell:
The antidote, and here I quote the crone with the evil eye:
‘ere wrong be right there must come a night when you with a princess lie.'

The princess faced the prince, 'You waste my gift, ' she said, 'I think,
You silly lad, you could have had that wish for just a wink.'
And every word she spoke was heard by the prince, who was dripping still.
And she stood by his side as the shadows died and the sun sank behind the hill.
The king soon dozed, the drapes were closed, killing the windows' bloom.
The queen and her squire were last to retire, and the pond was immersed in gloom.

The princess led the way to her bed where she and the prince intertwined;
But at last the night gave way to light and she awoke to find
Her lover gone, and perched upon the pillow where she'd slept,
A frog, who'd held his vigil well, until she awoke, then leapt
Out to the pond, and then beyond, into a world strange,
To seek a bog where a lady frog might aid another change.

The princess sat and marveled at the winding of life's roads.
And it made her wince that to find her prince she must sleep with so many toads.