The Frog Prince

The Frog Prince, illustration by drachenmagier

**The Frog Prince** is a supporting character in the fantasy book series "***Fairest***" created by **Fabian De Sousa** and illustrated by **drachenmagier**. He first appears in "*Fairest II: East of the Sun & West of the Moon*".

The Frog Prince is primarily based on the titular character of the fairy tale "*The Frog King and Iron Henry*", and prince character from the fairy tale "*Faithful John*", both recorded by the Brothers Grimm.

## History

### **Fairest Tales: A Collection of Short Stories**

In the short story "*The Frog Prince and Faithful Henry*", shortly after a king dies, his son discovers a locked room containing a portrait of '*Vasilisa the Frog Princess*' and is enchanted by her beauty and royal letters claiming an arranged marriage between the two to unite their kingdoms. The prince declares that from then onward he shall be called the '*Frog Prince*' in honour of the '*Frog Princess*', and sets out on a quest to find her.

Taking an entourage of royal guards and servants - including his most loyal servant Faithful Henry - the Frog Prince sets sale to the *Land of Rus* (home of the Russian fairy tales) to find Vasilisa the Frog Princess in the hope that they will share a *true love*. Along the way, Faithful Henry overhears three ravens claiming that three dangers awaited the Frog Prince, but if he is warned of any of the dangers before they happen, the person warning him will be turned to stone, prompting Faithful Henry to remain silent.

When they arrive at *Rus*, the Frog Prince is greeted by a wild stallion (a Horse with a Golden Mane), and wishes to capture it. Faithful Henry, who was warned by the three ravens that the Frog Prince would be stomped to death by a wild stallion, shoots the Horse with his pistol, and refuses to explain his actions for fear of being turned to stone. The Frog Prince trusts and forgives him and they continue on their quest to find Vasiliisa.

They next encounter the Gargana (the Iron-Beaked and Clawed Bird) which tries to capture the Frog Prince and carry him away. Again, Faithful Henry saves the Frog Prince with a bag filled with sulphur and pitch, dumping it on the Gargana to make it stop attacking and fly away. Again, Faithful Henry doesn't explain himself and the Frog Prince trusts him and continues on their journey despite Faithful Henry's pleas to give up and go home.

Finally, they encounter the Garafena (the Bronze-Skinned Serpent) who is impervious to all attacks and starts eating the Frog Prince's royal guards and servants, making its way to the Frog Prince himself. Faithful Henry, realizing the only way to stop the Garafena, tells the Frog Prince the truth, including everything the three ravens told him, and as Faithful Henry turns to stone, the Garafena eats him and also turns to stone and shatters.

When the Frog Prince discovers Faithful Henry is still intact and unbroken, he orders they return to the *Land of Grimm* (home of the German fairy tales and the Enchanted Forest) where the Frog Prince declares he will stop at nothing to free Faithful Henry from the petrification curse. Realizing Faithful Henry loved him unconditionally, the Frog Prince kisses him on the forehead and sets out to find the *Well of the World's End*, hoping it's magical water will cure Faithful Henry.

After the Frog Prince leaves, Faithful Henry is released from the petrification curse (thanks to the Frog Prince's forehead kiss), learns of the Frog Prince's new quest, and sets out to find his beloved prince with a royal carriage pulled by eight horses bound by golden chains with ostrich feathers on their heads.

### **Fairest II: East of the Sun & West of the Moon**

The Frog Prince finds the *Well of the World's End* with the help of an old wise woman, who warns him not to drink from it because it will curse him with immortality. Ignoring the warning, the Frog Prince drinks from the Well and is transformed into a real green frog and falls in, unable to climb out.

Sometime after, the *Well of the World's End* is found by the Spoilt Princess (daughter of King Thrushbeard) who accidentally drops her Golden Ball into it. Despaired that her father will scold her for losing the royal heirloom, the Spoilt Princess meets the Frog Prince who offers to retrieve the Golden Ball so long as she agrees to make him her companion. The Spoilt Princess agrees, and the Frog Prince retrieves the Golden Ball in his mouth so the princess can carry him out of the Well. As soon as she has the Golden Ball, the Spoilt Princess runs away as she hates frogs and doesn't want one as a companion.

The Frog Prince chases after the Spoilt Princess, as he made the deal with her in the hope that, over time, she will fall in love with him and give him *true love's kiss* to break the curse of being turned into a frog. The Frog Prince arrives at the Spoilt Princess's palace, meets King Thrushbeard and Red Riding Hood, and reveals the princess's promise to him. An angered King Thrushbeard orders his daughter to keep her promise, which she reluctantly does with much complaining and disgust.

Red Riding Hood, who was told by the Magic Mirror to help break the Frog Prince's curse in exchange for the Golden Ball (so she can use the Golden Ball to rescue the Bear Prince) tries to encourage the Spoilt Princess to see passed the Frog Prince's outer appearance. Later, the Frog Prince tells the Spoilt Princess about his curse, and she agrees to kiss him (now knowing the reward is a handsome prince). However, she still does not love the Frog Prince so the kiss doesn't work, and in disgust, she throws the Frog Prince at a wall, injuring him.

At this moment, Faithful Henry arrives and is horrified by the Frog Prince's injury. Red Riding Hood whispers to Faithful Henry to kiss the Frog Prince to break the curse, and Faithful Henry (filled with unconditional love for his prince) kisses the Frog Prince without hesitation and breaks the curse. Now a handsome human prince once again, the Frog Prince, Faithful Henry, King Thrushbeard and the Spoilt Princess offer Red Riding Hood a reward for her help, and she chooses the Golden Ball so she can continue her quest.

## Appearance

As a frog, the Frog Prince is a tiny green ordinary-looking frog, although the illustrations by drachenmagier include a tiny golden crown floating over his head.

As a human, the Frog Prince is described as tall, handsome and athletic, with dark hair and green eyes.

## Personality

The Frog Prince is described as quite stubborn and headstrong, often not listening to anyone when he puts his mind to something (evidenced when he forces his way passed Faithful Henry to see what is inside the locked room his father forbid him to ever enter, and when he drinks from the *Well of the World's End* despite the old wise woman's very clear warnings). The Frog Prince craves unconditional love, most likely because of the way his father raised him after negotiations to marry Vasilisa fell through, leading him to set out on dangerous adventures to find *true love*.

His stubbornness and headstrong nature seems to blind the Frog Prince of what he already has in front of him, evidenced by his search for unconditional love when his loyal servant, Faithful Henry, is always by his side. However, this is understandable as Faithful Henry never makes his love blatantly obvious to the prince.

## Powers

Like all fairy tale princes, the Frog Prince is physically gifted and well-versed in swordplay, but it is unclear whether or not the Frog Prince has any magical powers before or after his curse to transform into a frog.

## Trivia

* The Frog Prince is the only confirmed LGBTQ+ royal character in the "*Fairest*" series. The only other confirmed LGBTQ+ character (who is not royalty) is Faithful Henry. It is likely the Frog Prince is bisexual - or a similar sexuality - as he shows romantic interest in both men (Faithful Henry) and women (Vasilisa the Frog Princess).
* The Frog Prince and Faithful Henry are the only couple in the "*Fairest*" series to break two curses with two *true love's kiss*es: The Frog Prince rescues Faithful Henry from the petrification curse of being turned into stone, and Faithful Henry rescues the Frog Prince from the curse of being turned into a frog.
* Like all other fairy tale princes in the "*Fairest*" series, the Frog Prince is never referred to by name and only ever referred to as the "Frog Prince".
* The Frog Prince is one of two fairy tale princes cursed into the form of an animal and named after that animal. The other one is the "Bear Prince".
* The magic well that transforms the Frog Prince into a frog when he drinks from it is named after the Anglo-Scottish Border fairy tale "*The Well of the World's End*", a variant of "*The Frog Prince*" fairy tale recorded by Joseph Jacobs.
* King Thrushbeard is the titular character of the fairy tale "*King Thrushbeard*" recorded by the Brothers Grimm which features a haughty and spoilt princess learning to become humble and kind, all themes shared by his daughter, the Spoilt Princess, in the "*The Frog Prince*" story-line.