Manduka-The frog prince

There was king Mahendra in the Country called Magadha. He had four daughters. All of them were pretty but the last one called Kamala was extremely pretty. The king loved her very much. During one of her birthdays the king presented a golden ball to Kamala. Kamala was very fond of the golden ball. Daily she used to play with it in her garden. Once when she was playing, it rolled from her hands, She ran after it. But unfortunately it fell inside a well. Kamala was very sad and cried. There was nobody there to help her. Suddenly she heard somebody talking to her. It was a frog. It asked her. “Hey, princess, why are you crying.” The princess replied, “I lost my golden ball. It fell in to this well.” Then the frog replied, “Certainly, I can help you. But what will you give me in return?” The princess, replied, “Whatever you want frog. But it should be something I can give you. Ask me money; I will ask my father. Ask for food .I will ask my mother.” The frog replied, ” I do not want any of those. But you should keep me as your friend for one day in your house. You should give me food from your golden plate. You should make me sleep in your silken bed. If you agree, I will get you your ball.” Kamala nodded her head. She thought that once the frog gives her ball, she would run away to her home. The soldiers of her father would never allow any frog in to her house.”

The frog jumped in to the well and after some time came out with her ball. The princess took her ball and ran away.

When Kamala was about to take her dinner, they heard a knock at the room door. Mahendra asked his people to open the door and they found a frog. The frog told them, “Princess , princess, Where are you? Take me to your golden plate, And give me a jilebi divine. Take me to your silken bed, And let me have divine sleep.”

The servants told this to Mahendra. Mahendra asked Kamala, “Darling, did you promise like this to the frog.” Kamala replied,” yes, daddy. But I never thought it would come.” The king got very angry at Kamala and told her,” Very bad. You should always keep your promise. Go and bring the frog.” Kamala went out and brought the frog to the dining hall. And gave it some food from her plate. The frog said, “Thank you Kamala, now you take me with you to your bedroom.” Kamala started crying and told, Mahendra, “See Daddy, this frog wants me to take him to the bed room.” The king asked her, ”Did you agree for that earlier?” Kamala reluctantly said, “Yes” The king became very angry with her and told, “Kamala, before promising you have to think a lot. But once you have promised, you have to do it. So take the frog to your bedroom. The princess then took the frog to her bedroom and left it on her silken bed. But as soon as the frog was kept on the bed, he became a very handsome prince”

He told her, “Kamala, my name is Mandooka and I was the prince of Vaisali .One day when a sage came to my house, I put a frog in his plate. The sage got very angry and cursed me to become a frog. But when I cried lot, he told me “, You will again become a prince when a princess gives you food from her golden plate and makes you sleep on her silken bed

Kamala was very happy to see the pretty prince and they became fast friends and played together.