Once upon a time in the foothills of the Himalayas mountain range lied a beautiful, pristine lake. Its water was bluish, brighter than the brightest of topaz stones. Flashing Stars evaporated on the lake surface during day bathing under the golden rays sunlight. On clear crispy nights, the stars made a deep dive inside the lake, twinkling under water.
Besides the lake lived a Bull frog who considered himself as a King and the mighty Himalayas as the Kingdom. The pretty and picturesque vally surrounding him was his Royal garden where he could roam freely under the trees and shrubs and take the satisfaction of looking at the gargantuan mountains safe and sound under his watchful jurisdiction. His subjects, the ever admiring sparrows, grasshoppers and squirrels extolled his virtues bowing before him. The Frog lived happily under the canopy in form of a large leaf of a tapioca plant, which he considered as his majesty's "Shamiana", his royal marquee.
Though the frog Prince had everything under his royal command, he was sad for one reason. In spite of his best efforts, a suitable Princess eluded him. A regular visitor to the lake was a Tall Fairy from a distant land. She would arrive on silvery full moon nights in the valley under a clear sky floating, stepping through the moonlit mist, perched herself on a shining stone besides the vast lake to enjoy the enchanting magical view around her. Her arrival was greeted by musical mountain air passing through the tall pine trees.
One day the frog prince saw the mysterious Fairy as he stepped out of the comfort of his palace roof, the canopy shaped tapioca leaf. As he looked up, he was mesmerized by the reflection of the tall, pretty Fairy on the crystal clear water of the glacial lake. It seemed hundreds of stars were glittering on her wardrobe as a cool mountain breeze wafted hundreds of fragrant Jasmines, gently putting them on her lap.
Though the frog Prince had everything under his royal command, he was sad for one reason. In spite of his best efforts, a suitable Princess eluded him. A regular visitor to the lake was a Tall Fairy from a distant land. She would arrive on silvery full moon nights in the valley under a clear sky floating, stepping through the moonlit mist, perched herself on a shining stone besides the vast lake to enjoy the enchanting magical view around her. Her arrival was greeted by musical mountain air passing through the tall pine trees.
One day the frog prince saw the mysterious Fairy as he stepped out of the comfort of his palace roof, the canopy shaped tapioca leaf. As he looked up, he was mesmerized by the reflection of the tall, pretty Fairy on the crystal clear water of the glacial lake. It seemed hundreds of stars were glittering on her wardrobe as a cool mountain breeze wafted hundreds of fragrant Jasmines, gently putting them on her lap.
The Fairy was smiling, probing the sky, savoring the beauty of the valley. To the self proclaimed Frog King it looked like "MUKTA JHARA HASA", a la thousands of pearls were sparkling below her lips. The tree on the bank of the lake in full bloom on this spring evening drizzled white fluff on her, the stars smiling on her from top chose to shower her with their blessings. Unknown to him, the Bull Frog was falling in love with the Fairy, now sure that she was the chosen one by destiny for him.
The frog's heart was melting, beating fast, but heart of heart he was aware about the proverb "VAMANA HEI CHANDRA KU HATHA BADHEIBA" (A Dwarf vying to touch the moon). Skeptical about a Fairy falling for a Frog, he accumulated all his courage and slowly jumped on, getting closer to the Fairy. In the meantime, he mouthed a few fragrant, pearl like the "GANGASIULI" (Night time Jasmine) flowers spead on the ground. Now he felt equipped enough to match the Fairy's "MUKTA JHARA HASA". When he would smile at the Fairy Princess, the fragrant flowers would pour out of his mouth making him give a princely response to the Fairy's pearl like smile.
When the frog got next to the Fairy, he was stunned by the thousand red rose petals sprouting on her lips. A quick thought came to his mind - the time is ripe to let the fairy know his feelings on such a gorgeous spring evening. Why not ? After all he is the King of the mighty Himalayas ! If he proposes, it will be an offer she can't refuse. The self proclaimed frog monarch tried to soften his croaking voice to appear romantic, but keep it firm enough to appear Prince like in front of the Fairy Princess.
Disturbed by the croaky voice breaking the stillness of the night, the Fairy turned her face towards the frog, giving him a surprise look. As he raised his head to take a glimpse of the tall Fairy's face, he felt "JAISE NIKAL AYEE GHATA SE CHAND", as if the bright full moon just appeared from beneath the fleecy clouds in the blue sky touching the silver mountains. Her face looked prettier than the full moon above and below the blue lake.
The frog mustered all his courage, bended until his bloated cheek almost touched the ground and proposed - "Will you marry me my Fairy Princess ? I am sure you will not lose this opportunity to be the Queen of the King who owns the mighty Himalayas".
The tall, elegant Fairy's ever glowing face was something the frog saw for the first time saw in his life. Her eyes dilated for a moment as her face looked prettier than the full moon above and below the blue lake. For a moment the frog thought the odds of her approval was good, but didn't realize that for the Fairy the good was odd. She giggled, putting her palm on her lips. Her giggle didn't stop, followed by her bursting into an uncontrolled bout of laughter which filled the valley with a reverberating joy complementing the salubrious milieu. The Fairy gave one last look at the dwarf frog whose head was hurting looking upwards at her and his heart now hurt beyond repair. She flapped her white wings and flew away under the silvery moonlight, melting amidst the golden mist to a faraway land, never to be seen again. The poor frog croaked and croaked untill his voice became coarser.
The tall, elegant Fairy's ever glowing face was something the frog saw for the first time saw in his life. Her eyes dilated for a moment as her face looked prettier than the full moon above and below the blue lake. For a moment the frog thought the odds of her approval was good, but didn't realize that for the Fairy the good was odd. She giggled, putting her palm on her lips. Her giggle didn't stop, followed by her bursting into an uncontrolled bout of laughter which filled the valley with a reverberating joy complementing the salubrious milieu. The Fairy gave one last look at the dwarf frog whose head was hurting looking upwards at her and his heart now hurt beyond repair. She flapped her white wings and flew away under the silvery moonlight, melting amidst the golden mist to a faraway land, never to be seen again. The poor frog croaked and croaked untill his voice became coarser.
Thus ended the story of the frog and the fairy tale. We humans are akin to the Frog King. Often due to our false vanity we love to live away from the reality in our own make believe, dream Kingdoms, in our fairyland, gloating over our fortune of Himalayan proportion. We forget who we are, until our own "Aukaat" (status and ability) strikes back faster than a rattlesnake bite at the most inopportune time delivering us a terse reminder. Yet we still are oblivious of the fact that not everything in life ends in a fairytale. If wishes were horses...
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