{"product_id":"the-princess-and-the-tadpole-herb-eaton-9798990149120","title":"The Princess and The Tadpole: an illuminated fable","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Princess and the Tadpole: An Illuminated Fable by Herb Eaton - A Lyrical Tale of Transformation, Identity, and Second Chances\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"The Princess and the Tadpole\" by Herb Eaton is a richly poetic and illuminated fable that explores the nature of expectations, identity, and the redemptive power of self-discovery. Told in lyrical prose, this modern fairy tale subverts traditional folklore-transforming the familiar \"frog prince\" trope into a profound meditation on growth, regret, and the grace of renewal.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSet in a timeless world of enchanted ponds, murky swamps, and lush woodlands, this evocative story follows a princess who gives a magical kiss-intended for Prince Charming-to a tadpole, mistaking him for a frog. What unfolds is not a transformation into royalty, but a deeply symbolic journey of a creature grappling with destiny, nature, and the unintended weight of a gift meant for someone else.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs the tadpole becomes a frog, swept into the darker corners of a forgotten creek, he confronts the raw realities of a frog's life-predators, survival, loneliness, and the haunting echo of a kiss he never understood. Meanwhile, the princess, mired in her own disappointment, returns again and again to the lily pond, pondering what went wrong.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThrough vivid imagery and musical language, Eaton illuminates the tension between human expectation and natural order. The frog's journey-from rejection and despair to rediscovery and reclamation of his place in the world-culminates in a triumphant return to the pond. But this time, he arrives not as a prince, but as a frog who has found peace in his own skin, close to the \"Smile of God.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe princess, too, is changed-no longer seeking perfection, but pausing in quiet consideration. The tale ends with a gentle moral: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"Whether frog, or prince, or princess... pause, consider what you have... and begin again.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Herb Eaton\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798990149120\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Eaton Gallery\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 08\/08\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 46\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.99lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.50h x 11.00w x 0.25d","brand":"Herb Eaton","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":48114054430975,"sku":"9798990149120","price":40.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_2091bc35-8a95-41f1-aa47-5e516d65a86d.jpg?v=1769618818","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-princess-and-the-tadpole-herb-eaton-9798990149120","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}