The Frog Princess – Chester’s story (4)

* Chester’s perspective

“Fine! Just go away! I don’t need your help at all, hmph!”

Rapunzel yelled, turning her back on me in anger when I suggested that it would be safer to go around the long way through Sector 3 rather than crossing the narrow bridge.

“Really? You’ll regret saying that one day,” I retorted, frustrated.

She was completely ignoring the fact that I’d risked my neck, even rallying the mice to charge into the toads’ lair, all to save her. And yet here she was, acting as if I didn’t understand her plight in the slightest.

Of course, It was true I was upset with Rapunzel, but what was really grating on me was that ridiculous Hatter watching our argument from the sidelines like it was the best show he’d ever seen.

In the brief time they’d been acquainted, the two had gotten way too close for comfort. I couldn’t help but suspect the Hatter was up to something shady. It made no sense; who’d ever suggest crossing a flimsy bridge on such a blustery day unless they had an ulterior motive? Maybe he was planning to turn on us, to abandon us, or—my claws tightened at the thought—lure Rapunzel away while I wasn’t around to protect her, filling her head with who knows what kind of ideas!

But none of this was on Rapunzel’s mind as she brushed off my concern. She turned her back on me, leaving me fuming as she marched off with the Hatter. So, I turned and walked away too, too angry to look back.

“Well, maybe this is for the best,” I muttered to myself, trying to see the silver lining. “I’ve spent every single night for the past two years checking in on her. I put my own adventures completely on hold.”

Even as I tried to convince myself that separating was a good thing, deep down I hoped Rapunzel would stop me, that she’d call me back.

But there was no such call, only silence.

So, I turned resolutely away, determined to avoid crossing paths with them again, and headed toward Sector 2—the opposite direction from them.

After an hour of traveling across the open fields, I spotted the mice’s castle, the same one I’d left that morning.

“Well, looks like I’ve come full circle,” I thought aloud, my voice echoing a little in the empty fields. “What am I even going to tell Gus? Should I tell him the truth and maybe ask if he’d want to team up for a real adventure?”

The idea was appealing; we’d made a pretty good team back in the toads’ lair. But then again, would there be any dignity for a cat traveling with a mouse? Not exactly the look a half-cat should be going for.

Just as I was pondering the possible embarrassment of such a partnership, a loud shriek echoed from below me. Something unpleasantly slimy and wiggling brushed against my paw, sending a shiver through me.

“What on earth?” I muttered, lowering my head to investigate the source of the sound.

Recognizing the pitiful creature squirming beneath my claws, I yelped in shock, “You! The toad who was supposed to marry Rapunzel!”

The toad who had adorned himself with wilted forsythia flowers to charm his way into marriage with Rapunzel was now trapped under my paw, frantically struggling to escape. For a brief moment, I was tempted to claw him up, but considering my recent fallout with Rapunzel, I decided it might be beneath me to get involved.

“So… what should I do with you?” I mused aloud.

“P-Please, wait!“ Came the desperate reply, “I’m not the toad who wanted to marry Rapunzel!”

“Oh please, I’m not buying that,” I scoffed. “You look exactly like the toad that was standing beside Rapunzel that day.”

“Honestly! I’m not that horrible creature! I’m the Frog Princess who was taken captive by the toads!” the creature insisted, her voice trembling.

“Frog Princess?” I repeated, skeptical but intrigued.

“Yes! Look closely. Can’t you see I’m different? Toads and frogs might look similar, but look—at least notice the details!” she pleaded, gesturing nervously toward my claws.

Slightly taken aback, I softened my grip to avoid scratching her and gave her a closer look. Sure enough, what she was saying seemed to be correct—her smooth, green skin was quite different from the bumpy hide of the toad I remembered. She also wore a trace of red lipstick, a detail that toads weren’t known for.

“See? I’m telling the truth!” she squeaked, cautiously watching my expression.

“Huh… I guess you are different.”

“Then… could you release me, please?”

“Sure,” I replied, letting go of her.

She leapt up to my eye level, seemingly overjoyed to be free, and croaked her thanks. “Thank you, ribbit-ribbit!”

“Why did the toads take you captive, anyway? You weren’t working with them, were you?” I asked.

“Never! In fact, believe it or not, I was once human! Like your friend Rapunzel, I, too, was kidnapped by those awful toads in order to be forced into marriage with their hideous prince. On what would have been our wedding night, he tricked me into drinking a potion intended to turn me into a toad,” she explained, shivering at the memory. “But the spell went wrong, and I turned into a frog instead. So instead of becoming his queen, I ended up as a lowly prisoner! But honestly, being their captive was better than being married to that repulsive toadie.”

I was at a loss for words. Who would’ve thought forced marriages and potions were still being thrown around in this day and age? Toads—never trust them.

“Anyway, thanks to you and your friends, the toads’ lair was destroyed, and I was finally freed. I’ve wanted to thank you, though I didn’t expect to meet under these… unusual circumstances,” she said, beaming with joy and bouncing with renewed enthusiasm.

“So… what’s your plan now?” I asked, curious.

“Well, I need to find a way to turn back into a human, ribbit-ribbit.”

Her mention of turning human reminded me of the Un-shortbread Cookies Rapunzel and the Hatter were searching for at the Mad Tea Party. Should I tell her about it?

“Do you know a place where I might find such magic?” she asked, her large, hopeful eyes fixed on me.

Saying nothing, I weighed my options. I’d been trying to avoid running into Rapunzel and the Hatter again, but this frog’s hopeful gaze made it hard to refuse. Then, a solution struck me.

“I don’t know about exact magics, but I have heard rumors that there’s a skilled doctor in the village of Sector 4 who might be able to help. Perhaps she could brew up an antidote to reverse that potion?”

“Really? A doctor who can turn me back into a human? Ribbit-ribbit!” she croaked excitedly, her whole body practically vibrating with hope.

“But don’t get your hopes up too much. Even the best doctors can’t solve every problem,” I cautioned, trying to manage her expectations.

“Oh, even if she can’t cure me completely, she might at least give me a lead, ribbit-ribbit!”

She was so positive—almost ridiculously so. But I supposed that’s what had gotten her through such an ordeal as an amphibious transformation and toad kidnapping. Not everyone could handle being turned into a frog with such optimism.

“Then, shall we get going?” she asked, hopping around eagerly.

“Huh? We?” I stammered.

“Of course! I can’t make it to Sector 4 alone in this tiny frog body—I’d be squashed before I even reached Sector 3. Come on!” she insisted, her excitement unfaltering.

With little choice, I followed her bouncing figure as she bounded ahead, chattering away. She seemed oblivious to how much her constant croaking was already wearing on my nerves.

“By the way, what’s your name?” I called after her as she hopped along.

“Name? Ribbit?” she asked, finally stopping to turn around.

“Yes. It’d be strange to keep calling you, ‘Hey, you!’”

“Oh! I’m Fiona, ribbit-ribbit!” she chirped.

“Fiona. Well, I’m Chester,” I replied.

“Chester?” She blinked, as if thrown by my name.

“Is there a problem with my name?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, not at all,” she croaked, laughing. “I just thought your name would be a bit… more cat-like, you know? Like… I dunno, something like ‘Whiskers’ or ‘Meow-meow’, ribbit!”

It hit me then that she’d only ever seen me in my half-cat form and had no idea I could shapeshift. Smiling at the realization, I transformed into my human form with a soft poof!

“Wow! That was amazing! How did you do that? Can you teach me? Ribbit-ribbit!”

She was already in my space, far too close for comfort. It seemed she’d taken my transformation as an invitation to investigate every inch of me. Laughing awkwardly, I backed away.

“Uh, sorry, but I can’t teach you,” I explained. “It’s something I was born with. Half-cats like me can change forms at will; it’s not something I was taught.”

“Well, I figured,” she sighed. “Still, I won’t give up. That doctor might just know a way to turn me back! Let’s hurry!”

Despite learning that I couldn’t teach her how to transform back into a human, Fiona remained as cheerful as ever. I followed after her, impressed by her boundless optimism.

‘Well, I guess it’s that positivity that helped her survive everything those toads put her through…’

Her buoyant spirit was worlds apart from Rapunzel, who’d been so preoccupied with her trauma and immediate fears that she couldn’t even appreciate my concern for her. Fiona, on the other hand, was a breath of fresh air.

‘What am I doing? I promised myself I wouldn’t think about Rapunzel anymore!’

As thoughts of Rapunzel crept back into my mind, I shook my head firmly and gave myself a couple of light knocks on the head to snap out of it.

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Translation notes:

• 하늘과 땅 차이: What I translated ‘as was worlds apart’ literally translates to ‘the difference between heaven and earth’, an idiom used to indicate a vast difference/gap between two things, abilities, or levels, just as there is a very large difference between the ground and things in the sky.
• 콩콩 박아 대며: When Chester says he gave himself a couple of knocks on the head, it comes from the mimetic 콩콩/kongkong which is like ‘thump thump’.
• 개굴개굴 gaegulgaegul – Mimetic for a frog croak.
• When Fiona is listing names that would seem more ‘cat-like’ she suggests 방울이(Bangwul-i) and 나비 (Nabi).
  • 방울이 would be something like “Little Bell” or “Bellie” (from 방울 meaning “bell” + the suffix -이 for endearment) and references the classic image of a cat wearing a bell on its collar.
  • 나비 (Nabi) “Butterfly” which is a very common name for cats in Korea. (Actually, according to Ye Olde Wikipedia, it is the most common name for a cat of either gender and is even used cartoons such as There She Is!!.

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