This is the fairy tale that should have been
read to us when we were little boys and girls:
Once upon a time
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in a land far away,
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a beautiful,
independent,
s elf-assured princess
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happened upon a frog as she sat
contemplating ecological issues
on the shores of an unpolluted pond in a verdant meadow
near her castle.
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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.
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One kiss from you, however,
and I will turn back
into the dapper, young prince that I am
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and then, my sweet, we can marry
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and set up housekeeping
in my castle
~~~ ~~~~~
with my mother,
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where you can
prepare my meals,
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clean my clothes, bear my children,
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and forever feel
grateful and happy doing so. "
~~ ~~~~~~
That night,
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as the princess dined sumptuously
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on lightly sautéed frog legs
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seasoned in a white wine
~~~~~~~
and onion cream
sauce,
~~~~~~~~
she chuckled and thought to herself:
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I don't f**kin' think so.