Mr. Frog laughed when he heard the Princess say that he would grant all of their wishes as long as they lived. He had a banjo on his knee and sang a cheery song, but kept his eye on the road leading to the grass covered shack where the two runaway sisters were sitting. They were enjoying their freedom from their royal duties and responsibilities. "Hmm, I think that I will grant them another wish or two before the King and his Watch Dogs gather them up and take them back to the palace. This will teach them to be grateful for what they have and do good deeds for those that do not have enough food to eat and a warm fire to sit by when the weather is cold and gloomy. Oh oh, there are some bad looking clouds in the sky. There is a storm about to happen. I am going to sing a song called "You Are My Sunshine" they should look up and see the clouds. I wonder if they even realize they will soon be in danger from the approaching tornado."
The frog sang in his croaky voice, "You are my Sunshine. My only Sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You'll never know dear how much I love you. Please don't take my Sunshine away."
The two sisters laughed at the singing frog, but happened to look at the sky while the frog sang. Princess Marlee frowned and said, "I wish I was home safe in the castle. I just don't want to sew and and do princess stuff. I know. I'd wish that I could cook for my mama and father. Yes! That's what I would wish for because I know our father loves to eat good food."
Princess Whitlee agreed, but said, "I'd rather be home too, but I want to play with the dogs and grow a pretty flower garden. I wouldn't care if my hands got dirty. I'd try to keep my gowns clean, but if I didn't they might come clean when they were washed."
Princess Marlee said, "Okay, Sister. Grab your book and let's go ask Mr. Frog for one last wish. Let's make a wish to go home, but not do Royal things. Okay?"
And that's what the two sisters did. Mr. Frog granted their wish, but told them that they only had one remaining wish left after they got back to the castle so to be very very careful what they wished for. You will be carried back to the castle on the tail of the tornado coming your way. Hang on tight and no more wishing!"
As the two girls were being carried back to the castle on the tail of the fierce looking tornado they saw people and things that they never dreamed of. "This is really scary. I might not wish for anything again. Oh ouch! Something just hit me. Whitlee!"
"Hang on Whitlee! There went a little girl going straight up into the sky just like we are! She was holding a puppy and it flew away. I think it hit me. Oh no! I think we are never going to make it home. I wish I had one more wish. I would wish we could go home right this very minute!"
It seemed within a blink of an eye Princess Marlee was no longer wearing a gown and a tiara. She was in the castle's kitchen making a cake for the King's dinner. She was covered with flour and wore clothes of a servant. She missed her sister, Princess Whitlee. She heard from the other servants that she was in the garden with the other outdoor servants planting flowers. Princess Marlee smiled a very small smile and thought, "Thank you, Mr. Frog. I am back home, but not doing Princess stuff. I get to see my mother and father and sister. I don't have to sew until my fingers bleed and I am learning to be the very best at what I do and enjoy doing it."
Princess Whitlee was also very happy. "Oh thank you so much, Mr. Frog. You granted our wishes and now we are at home doing what we love to do. Marlee is a much better cook than I am and soon will be just as good or better than the castle's cook. Look at me! I too am doing what I love; planting vegetables and flowers. Oh I just love these little lights that soak up the sunshine and look like tiny stars at night. And I even have found out that I love feeding the farm animals. They are so sweet and some of them work very hard for us. There you are Mr. Frog. I am so glad you followed us home on the tail of the tornado. Now we can be friends and promise, no more wishes! Sometimes I'd like to wish that I could find my book and my jewels, but I'm not going to. Nope, I'm just fine."
&&&&&
Grandma B and Grandma Lu were visiting after the tornado about how very lucky they were not to have been seriously hurt. Grandma Lu hurt her hip in the basement of Marleewood, but Grandma B was hurt worse because she was trying to save Grandma Lu's trunk.
"You know, Grandma Lu, it is going to be awhile before we can get upstairs at Marleewood. It survived the tornado, but there are a lot of repairs that need to be done."
Grandma Lu said, "But who is going to pay for them? That Mayor surely won't, that I know!"
" Just what was it in that trunk that you risked your life for anyway? Sometimes you just worry me. Of course, you always have, Grandma B laughed. Have some jelly beans and a cup of coffee. No cookies for you today."
Grandma Lu smiled and said, "You know what? I am not going to worry about my trunk. I have a feeling everything will turn out just right. Yes, I'm sure of it."
