Two weeks past. True, Dorinda’s basic needs were attended to, but the luster had gone out of life. Except with revulsion, no one noticed her, even the footmen who once toadied to her, snubbed her.
Involuntarily, Maribella shuddered whenever Dorinda pattered into the room.
“I know you’re my sister but, you give me the creeps when you sneak up on me like that.”
Even King Morton had nothing hopeful to offer his daughter, although, he volunteers to requisition designs, for a princess pond, from the palace architect. Dorinda miserably shakes her head.
A few days later, feeling dejected and forlorn, she wandered into the infirmary.
Mending rapidly, she could tell that Arthur was in a mood to shower a little compassion on his fellow amphibian sufferer.
“It’s not so dreadful being a toad,” he assured her. “While people aren’t always humane, you’re free to live as you please in the bounties of nature.”
Trying to cheer Dorinda, Arthur offered to read her a few stories. He regaled her with humorous fairy tales and wild, stirring adventures from the novel The Arabian Nights. Day after day, Arthur entertained Dorinda.
Gradually, she grew to appreciate his sympathy toward her, and to respect his positive attitude. When the infirmary orderly brought him meals, with scarcely a glance in Arthur’s direction, he didn’t protest. When he nearly choked on learning that the palace cook had whipped up fly soup for him, he didn’t grumble. even when Dorinda accidentally stumbled over his hurt leg, he didn’t chastise her for being clumsy, but readily forgave her.
“How is it that you stay sanguine all the time?” Dorinda inquired of Arthur one day. “Although unpleasant things happen, you manage to have empathy for others, you aren’t affected by being a little frog.” “Oh! I learned it the hard way. When I lose my temper, folks just steer clear of me. When I give a bit of kindness, it comes back to me. Besides, what is there to be discontented about? I have my health, water, and plenty of food albeit not always to my taste.”
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