Lucinda`s Well

LUCINDA`S WELL

Prince Anatol fiz Daburrando Ferrugis (known to his father as Natto and to everyone else as Dabratto) was the best soccer player in the kingdom of Ferrug. At least, that was what everyone allowed him to think.

When Anatol`s mother died in childbirth, his father, King Dabur, was at a complete loss. He had no idea what to do with a baby. After consulting an army of experts of vastly differing opinions, he engaged a nanny, a tutor, a protocol officer and a physical education coach. As Anatol`s infancy ripened into childhood and adolescence, he showed less and less interest in being instructed in anything other than soccer. His father nurtured his budding gifts by ordering the construction of a splendid soccer field with dressing rooms, equipment storage facilities, and a recreation chamber for the celebration of victories. He had a well dug at the edge of the field so that parched players would never lack for cool refreshment.
 
With superb diplomacy and a bit of judicious arm-twisting, the prince`s coach recruited youngsters from the nobility to be on the royal soccer team.  The king provided them with custom-made uniforms with the family coat of arms and Natto`s All Stars embroidered in gold. 

When they played together, Anatol was always on the winning squad. He usually scored the winning goal, basking in the adulation of the spectators. Once, flushed with the exultation of victory, the prince insisted on inviting the team from the neighbouring kingdom of Penultimum for an exhibition match. Although their uniforms were substantially less ostentatious than those of the Ferrugians, the Penultimates trounced them soundly, 26 to 2. Prince Anatol scored no goals at all. When the Penultimate team graciously invited Natto`s All Stars to visit their kingdom for a return match, they received a diplomatic but negative response.

Public interest in soccer waned after this incident, and games were reduced to once a month. Anatol did not mind this, because he much preferred to play alone, with no one to interrupt his fantasies. Whenever his tutor or protocol officer scheduled lessons, Anatol would retire to the soccer field. 

Once bright sunny afternoon, Prince Anatol was in fine form, bouncing the ball on his head, his knees, and his heels, leaping in all directions and cheering himself on to invincibility. When the ball fell to the ground, he gave it a mighty kick, sending it across the field and into the well.

“My favourite ball!” screamed the prince, running across the field with record speed, hoping against hope that it had fallen into the pail and could be retrieved easily. If not, he would have to summon the coach to climb down the rope, and the clumsy oaf might fall and make things worse.

He leaned over the edge of the well, and saw only darkness. With an exasperated grunt, he began to turn the handle to raise the pail to the surface. It felt heavier than usual, and his heart beat faster with anticipation. Could the ball be swimming on the water in the pail?

It was not. Instead, the pail was filled with the largest frog he had ever seen.

“Hello! I’m Lucy,” the frog said.

Anatol stepped back, feeling his forehead. It felt a little feverish. Clearly, it was time for medical intervention. He turned and began to walk towards the recreation chamber to lie down until his coach could fetch the court physician.

“Don`t you want your ball?” Lucy called after him. “I can get it for you!”

Anatol stopped and walked back. “Show me!” he commanded.

Lucy lifted her snout. “You must kiss me first. On the lips.”

“Frogs don’t have lips. Everyone knows that.”

“I do. They’re a little thin, that’s all.”

Anatol considered his options. What if this creature was really real, and could retrieve his ball? 

“All right,” he said. “Give me the ball, and I will kiss you.”

“On the lips,” Lucy reminded him.

“On the lips.” Anatol repeated.

“Lower the pail, and I will get it.”

Anatol let the rope unwind. He heard a splash, then another one. After a long pause Lucy`s voice drifted up from below.  
“Bring me up!”

Anatol turned the handle with all his might, and was soon rewarded with the reappearance of Lucy, holding the ball in her front legs.
He grabbed it and started to walk towards the equipment room.

“My kiss!” Lucy called desperately, in the woeful voice of one who has been thwarted of her heart`s desire. “Give me my kiss!”
Anatol kept walking. 

He carefully stored his ball in its cubicle in the equipment room, then yelled at his coach. “There’s a frog in the well! Get a crew together and dispose of it!”

He made his way back to the palace, kicking at random clods of dirt. He had trusted that well to be pure. The water had always been refreshing. But he had been drinking water polluted by a giant frog! The humiliation was inconceivable, not to mention possible damage to himself. Could he … would he, too, turn into a frog? 

His mood did not improve in the least when a courtier informed him that His Majesty wished to see him urgently in the throne room. When the word urgently was part of the message, the news was never good.

The king, his tutor, and the protocol officer were waiting for him. The complaints were the same as always. He was missing lessons. He was not applying himself. He was arriving at state dinners in his soccer garb, face and hands unwashed. He stayed up too late at night and slept too long in the morning. The list went on and on. Anatol tried his best not to doze off. When they had finished, he would promise to do better, and they would pretend to believe him.

However, today was different. Anatol`s protestations fell on deaf ears. The king had made up his mind, and his mind was not easily unmade.

“Natto, you are heir to my throne. I cannot allow you to grow up like a wild animal. Your soccer privileges are cancelled for a month to allow you more time to focus on your studies, grooming, and personal comportment. If I do not observe a drastic positive change in these areas, I shall send you to the Royal Boarding Academy in Penultimum.”

Anatol blanched. He had heard more than a few tales of the RBA. No victim emerged unscathed.

He bowed his head, knowing that there was absolutely nothing to be gained by arguing. “Father, I hear and obey.”

“Very well,” the king responded with no sign of mellowing. “Go, get yourself cleaned up and report to the protocol office for a lesson before dinner. After dinner, you will proceed to the schoolroom to catch up on your lessons. You will retire promptly at eight and arise at seven tomorrow morning, when someone will present you with your revised schedule.”

Before Anatol had a chance to respond, there was a commotion at the door. The protocol officer hastened to investigate. He returned with a befuddled look on his face.

“Your Majesty, a frog requests an audience with you to plead for justice.”

“A frog?” the king exclaimed.

“A frog. A very large green frog named Lucinda, with the power of speech.”

“With your leave, Father, I will go and get cleaned up now,” Anatol said, edging towards the door.

“Stay!” his father commanded.  He seated himself on his throne, adjusted his crown, and picked up his scepter. “We will see this frog and hear her grievance.”

In due course, the pail from the well was carried in by two courtiers, with Lucy seated inside. She crawled out and favoured the king with a froggy courtesy. 

`Your majesty. My name is Lucinda Delgardia, from the kingdom of Bellandia. Circumstances have forced me to take up residence in your well.” She paused, overcome by emotion.

The king furrowed his brow. The frog`s name was familiar, but he could not place it. “How may I help?” he asked.

“Require your son to honour his pledge to me. I returned his ball when it fell down the well, and he promised me a kiss in exchange.”

“That is preposterous!” Anatol whined. “I would never promise to do such a thing! This … creature … wishes to wheedle treasure from you. Please, please, I beg you, send her away at once, before she makes us all sick!”

The king considered the matter. To his sorrow, he knew only too well that his son was prone to distort facts whenever it suited him.

“Which ball was it, my son?” he asked.

“My favourite – the purple one with silver stars.” Anatol was silent for a long shocked moment, realizing that he had betrayed himself. All he could do now was go on the defensive. “Father, Lucy is a frog. She had no right to demand a kiss from me, so I have no obligation whatsoever.”

“He broke his pledge,” Lucy said flatly. The king nodded and turned to his son. By this time, the throne was packed with curious spectators, and whatever he did would be common knowledge before nightfall. There was no room for prevarication.

“Anatol fiz Daburrando Ferrugis, you are the crown prince of this land. The royal family of Ferrug has honoured its pledges for three thousand years, and we have enjoyed peace, prosperity, and the respect of our neighbours. You will honour your pledge here and now, or die.”

“Die?” Anatol squeaked. His father had never, never pronounced such a terrifying verdict before. “Father, she`s only a frog!”

“And you are a prince. Do your duty.”

Anatol knew his father well enough to recognize That Look which brooked no opposition. He walked over to Lucy and knelt before her.
“I beg your pardon, Lucy. I have grievously wronged you.”

Trembling with shame and apprehension, he put his hands on each side of her head and kissed her forehead. To his surprise, her skin was soft and smooth, not slimy at all.

“On the lips, lover boy,” she reminded him with just a trace of sarcasm.

He did as he was told, and let his lips linger a little longer than necessary, to let her know that he was sorry.

Before he had time to rise from his knees, Lucy rose up on her hind legs. Her body lengthened, expanded, and changed its hue. After a breathless moment of metamorphosis, she became ae exceptionally well-endowed woman.

The king dropped his scepter, leaped from his throne, and threw his robe over her naked shoulders. The spectators burst into applause as she drew the velvet around herself.

“Lucinda Belgardia!” the king exclaimed. “I know you now. I was at your funeral.”

“Was it a good one?” she asked. “I was not allowed to attend.”

“Oh, most splendid indeed. I was overcome with grief and begged to cover you with flowers. Your parents said that the casket was closed because you had been horribly disfigured. How did you come to be a frog? Were you bespelled by an evil witch?”

Lucy blushed scarlet. “No. I broke my pledge to Darian Tabou. He said I must learn to understand what a serious matter betrayal is.”

“A pledge to marry?”

“Yes. I did not love Darian, but he wooed me tenderly for six years. By that time, I believed no one would ask for my hand, so I gave Darian leave to ask father for me. Then I discovered that Count Reginald O`Ballentyne had asked, and I consented, because he was handsome and charming and I had eyes for him. My happiness lasted only for a few hours before Darian transformed me. Reginald had no desire to wed a frog, and my family was so embarrassed that they loaded me on a wagon and dumped me down your well, hoping never to see me again. I lived there for three years, and had ample time to ponder my transgression. I finally decided to show myself in the hope of bettering my situation. Anatol`s wayward ball provided a perfect opportunity.”

Anatol finally managed to rise from his knees. “Does that mean I`m forgiven?” he asked. “Without my help, you would still be a frog.”

“You do have a point,” Lucy said, “but you hurt me terribly. I was lonely and afraid and in need of kindness.”

King Daburr held out his hand. “Come, sit down beside me.” He led her to the queen`s throne and helped her settle. Anatol frowned. He had no memory of his mother, but he did not relish the thought of another woman occupying her throne.

`”Clear the rabble from the room,” the king commanded. “Lucy and I must have privacy.”

When everything was quiet, he asked Lucy if she wished to return to Bellandia. She shook her head tearfully. “You are welcome to stay here,” the king continued.

“If Lucy is going to be my stepmother,” Anatol interrupted, “I wish to go to the Royal Boarding Academy.”

Both Lucy and the king blushed. He gazed into her eyes, and saw deep tenderness there. “Your son may have his flaws,” she said, “but he is astutely observant. I think, with some guidance, he will be a worthy successor.”

The king turned to his son. `The RBA has a fine athletic program. But no one will be interested in letting you win. You will have to earn everything with your own sweat.”

“I know it will be difficult,” Anatol replied, “But it will be better than having a frog tell me what to do.”

The king glanced at Lucy, saw that she was grinning, and decided to overlook Anatol`s impertinence. “Go and prepare for dinner,” he ordered. “We will meet in the dining hall in an hour. And you will be on your best behavior.”

Before Anatol had completed his first year at the Royal Academy, Lucy became his stepmother. Anatol made the soccer team in his second year, and was captain when he graduated. He traveled the world, played with many different teams, and became famous for his athletic skill and wisdom. After he returned home, he began to coach the royal soccer team, who made a name for themselves in all the known world. His protocol officer helped codify the rules for international play, and his former tutor helped the players keep up with their studies when they were away from home.

The well where Lucy had lived was named Lucinda`s Well. Legend had it that anyone who drank from it would always speak the truth and honour his pledges. Only a few idealistic souls dared to refresh themselves with the enchanted waters. Most preferred to bring their own water bottles to the soccer matches. And that is how the bottled water industry began in Ferrug and spread all over the world. 

If you are drinking bottled water now, offer a toast to Queen Lucinda of Ferrug for making it possible.