So there was this frog who hopped out of a pond one day as a lovely young princess was walking by. Because he could talk, he convinced the lovely princess that a curse was upon him. It seems this wicked witch, the frog explained, had, out of jealousy and spite, condemned him to this ugly shape until the day a lovely princess, like herself, would lift the curse by kissing him. Then, and only then, would he be restored to his original shape: that of a handsome, rich, well endowed young prince.

The lovely princess, having been raised on fairy tales, buys into the story, takes the frog into her soft, lily white hands, and kisses him with a passion even she did not know she possessed.

Lo and behold, nothing happens. The frog remains a frog .

The princess blinks, confused, and asks the frog what happened. He shrugs, hops down, and goes back to the pond from which he came.

The wicked witch, though, who is not quite as wicked as rumor has it, does appear to offer what little comfort she can to a disillusioned lovely young princess. She pats her on the head and says the curse is on our own eyes that we do not see the value of what is before us and cannot recognize a frog for a frog, and a prince for a prince.

And that is not so much a once upon a time tale but a tale of this, and all, time.