The Perfectly Proper Prince Read Online Free PDF Page B

swirled through the air. If the princesseshadn’t concentrated so hard on hearing them, the thoughts would’ve been lost in the conversations of the crowd. As it was, no one but the princesses seemed to hear them.
    Lysandra watched a scowling woman take a plucked chicken from a nearby butcher. The woman’s thoughts drifted toward Lysandra like smoke from a fire. I just know I’m being cheated, she thought. This chicken is so scrawny, it couldn’t weigh more than a handful of feathers.
    Sour old woman , thought the butcher. I give her the best I can for her few coins, but still she thinks I’m cheating her. I can see it in her face.
    Turning her head in another direction, Lysandra spotted a beautiful girl flirting with a cobbler. He’s not good enough to kiss my boots, but I shall make him want to, she thought.
    Iris is pretty , the cobbler thought, but I’lltake a plain girl with a good heart any day.
    Lysandra turned again. Woe is me, came a sad voice. No one will ever know I’m a prince. Startled, Lysandra glanced around but couldn’t locate the voice’s source. Then she heard it again. No princess will ever want to marry me , the voice moaned. And I’ve only myself to blame.
    Lysandra looked at Fatima. “Do you hear him too?” she whispered.
    Fatima nodded. “A prince —here in the marketplace? But where?”
    â€œShh,” said Elena. Dropping to her hands and knees in a very unprincesslike fashion, she began searching the ground near their feet as Tansy continued to play.
    â€œWhat’re you doing?” asked Fatima. “The prince can’t be that short!”
    Suddenly Elena lunged forward, catchingsomething between her hands. She scrambled to her feet. “He’s not your traditional prince,” she told them, opening her hands. “He’s a frog prince.”

9
Prince Jerome
    T HE PRINCESSES STARED AT THE LARGE GREEN frog in Elena’s hands. He blinked at them and began to croak rapidly. Lysandra bent closer. “I think he’s trying to speak,” she said. “I can almost make out some words.”
    â€œThe market’s too noisy,” said Fatima. “Let’s take him someplace quieter.”
    â€œHow about the meadow where we landed?” suggested Tansy.
    â€œGood idea,” said Elena.
    They left the market and walked back to the meadow. Tansy played her flute along the way, and their thoughts drifted above them. Fatima reddened when she heard herself think, I wish I could be the one to carry him. After all I am the oldest. A moment later Lysandra blushed too. Maybe Fatima will let me fly the carpet when we go back to the castle , she had thought.
    By the time they reached the meadow, the princesses had learned to concentrate their attention on the frog to make his thoughts soar above their own. Who are these girls? What new misery is this ? he thought as they set him down. I’m still a prince, even if I am a frog. Why can’t I ever get any respect?
    â€œBe quiet, you silly frog,” Lysandra said. “We’re here to help you.”
    The frog blinked. Then, for the first time, he spoke clearly. “Really? You’re going to help me?”
    The princesses nodded. “We know you’re an enchanted prince,” said Elena. “We heard your thoughts while Tansy was playing her flute.”
    â€œMy thoughts?” squeaked the frog. “You’vebeen spying on my thoughts?” He jumped up and down. “That’s just not right,” he spluttered. “Not right at all!”

    Fatima rolled her eyes. “Sounds to me like he doesn’t want our help,” she said to her friends. “Maybe we should just chuck him in the swamp and go back to the castle.”
    The frog blinked again. “The castle? What castle?”
    â€œThe castle of King Sheldon II,” said Lysandra. “He’s my father.”
    For a second the frog looked