Published December 4, 1985
The girl with the violet eyes
Do you remember the old Frog Prince story? It seems this prince had been turned into a frog by an evil sorceress. He was destined to hop through the world until he found a beautiful girl with enough generosity in her heart to give that ugly old frog a kiss. Well, the prince finally found the right girl, and her passionate smack turned him back into the rightful heir to the throne. They then proceeded to live happily ever after.
I have a story in mind that I would like to call “The Girl with the Violet Eyes.” Once upon a time there was another handsome young prince. He had the whole enchilada. Including the keys to the family treasury and to his dad’s restored ‘56 T-Bird. His doting parents could deny him nothing. Many beautiful girls in the kingdom wanted to date him, and they vied for the honor of plying him with the most fruitful rewards of their love. Power is attractive to those people who have none, and sometimes they will do bizarre and unmentionable things to get next to it.
Anyhow, this prince thoroughly loved his life. He tried anything and everything his heart desired. And what does one buy, after he has bought everything? Whom does he love, after the beauties of the kingdom have left him restless and unquenched?
The prince spent some years in the pursuit of earthly pleasures. Then one day, jaded and feeling dyspeptic, he looked in his mirror and was horrified! Without realizing it, he had become the very embodiment of all the lusts that gripped him. His face was lined and satanic.
Not only that, his parents had written him off and had passed the crown to their more sensible second son. The jaded prince was given an allowance to indulge him in all of his whims, but he was never consulted on matters of state. He always had an unavoidable appointment with his tailor, or a drinking date, of a new maiden who did not know what he was really like and thus might be willing to dally with him. They surely did not do it for looks now... but the old money was there, still spendable, so he got along.
After taking one honest look in the mirror, he sat on his canopied bed and cried. Then, after moping a while, he decided to go out and have some fun… try to forget.
There was a masked ball, so he put on his best threads and a silver mask and looked in the mirror again. He almost had to smile, for he was his old handsome self again with the mask on.
The ball was a huge success.
Everyone danced until the wee hours. Our satanic prince even forgot, for a little while, to be jaded and bored. He danced with a lovely girl. Her pink gown concealed and somehow revealed a budding beauty that took his breath away.
She had a mask on a long stick, which she held in front of her eyes.
After they stopped for punch, the prince noticed that she forgot to put her mask up, revealing beautiful violet eyes.
They danced a second time, and a third. In fact, when the band played, “Goodnight, Ladies,” they hardly noticed, and kept on dancing anyway. Finally the girl said, “I must go home. I live in the huge estate down the street. Would you like to visit me there?”
“Would I ever!” the prince answered. “Just tell me how to get there.”
The girl cast down her violet eyes. “My father is very old, very wealthy, and very cross. He thinks I am too young to date. If you will walk along the east side of the garden wall, you will find a secret gate. It will be unlocked, and I will be walking in the garden tomorrow evening.”
The prince kissed her hand (through his silver mask) and told her he would be there.
And he was. He had that next evening, his most gorgeous clothes on... and the silver mask.
He could just not bear to let the maiden see what he really looked like. In fact, he took to wearing his mask all of the time, taking it off only to shave in the dark and wash his face. In his private bath he removed all of the mirrors.
Meanwhile, he went to the garden almost every evening. He talked with the beautiful maiden of life, love, and some revived hopes he had for the future. He touched her cheek, he kissed her hand with his mask on, but he never removed it.
Needless to say, they fell in love.
Finally she wanted more. She pleaded with him to take the mask off and kiss her. He refused. Then she stamped her pretty little foot and said, “I have come to love you, and I could marry you and spend the rest of my life in happiness... but not until you take off that horrible silver mask!”
The prince, realizing all was now lost, led her into the moonlight, loving her so much he could not bear to deceive her anymore.
Standing before her, he ripped off his silver mask, and said, “Now what do you think of your would-be lover?”
She gasped, putting her hand to her mouth, then flung her arms about him. “Why… you are beautiful! You look just as I thought you would.” And holding him close, she kissed the smooth, handsome face of a young prince… a face any girl would fall in love with.
The mask fell to the ground, and they melted into each other’s arms.
He had indeed become what he had been, years before. Too late to rule the kingdom, but his old dad made him an ambassador. He sat in the halls of the mighty and became very wise. Incidentally, he and the girl with the violet eyes were married, and they lived happily ever after.
What is the meaning of the story? There has to be one in there somewhere. If you cannot find any other, let’s just say that perhaps a frog can really be turned into a prince. If in his heart he really wants it... and he has someone with violet eyes to help him.
Coloma Public
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