Frogs  

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Collyur. Long ago, in the mountains of Peru there lived a little ugly frog. Well, at least the little frog thought she was ugly. Every day she would look at herself in the stream that she lived by and wish that she could be beautiful like the other frogs. One day as she was sitting by the stream she saw a young lovely maiden wearing ragged and dirty clothes, hurrying by. Curious the little frog, followed the girl to a big nest. The nest turned out to be the home of the King of Condors. The Condor King had stolen the young girl when she had been out tending the flock of llamas her family owned. The little frog became friends with the beautiful but lonely girl. The frog had wondered why the girl had seemed so sad until she had heard the girl’s story. Her parents had named her Collyur, which means morning star. The Condor King was always harsh. He wanted Collyur to have his dinner ready whenever he returned to his great nest. He wanted the nest that was lined with the softest of vicuna furs, to be perfectly clean. Collyur was scared of the Condor King, often he told her that he would punish her if she would try to escape. The little frog’s kind heart wept for Collyur. She tried to think of a plan that would help her friend escape and return home to her parents. At last, she had an idea. "Collyur, I have a plan that may work." The little frog told her friend. But you must be brave. You must ask the Condor King to let you wash your clothes in the stream. While you are at the stream I will take your place so that you can escape." Collyur, who loved her little friend, smiled sadly, " My little friend, thank you for caring so much, but I do not think that the Condor King will mistake you for me and how will you escape him?" The little frog laughed, " Collyur, I have a little magic in me, not alot, but I think just enough to fool the Condor King so that you can find your way home!" Collyur, kissed her little friend on the forehead and thanked her. The next day, as the Condor King was relaxing from a big meal of llamas and alpacas, Collyur asked him if she could wash her clothes in the nearby stream. The Condor King laughed and said, "Do you think that I am a fool? Once you are alone you may try to escape." But Collyur replied," Please Condor King, you will be able to hear me beat my clothes on the rocks so you will know I am nearby. I have been a good servant and kept your nest clean and have always had your dinner ready. I am in sore need to wash my clothes." The Condor King, feeling generous after his good meal, gave his permission but he warned, " If you try to escape, you will regret it." The young girl met the little brave frog at the stream and true to her word, the little frog took the place of the girl. While Collyur escaped to the house of a helpful llama shepherd, the little frog disguised as Collyur beat the clothes at the stream. After a long while, the Condor King grumbled, " I guess I should fetch that silly girl before she beats her clothes to nothing." But when he reached the stream, the little frog still disguised as Collyur, stood up and jumped into the stream and disappeared. The Condor King roared with anger but try as he might he did not find Collyur. As for the little frog when she returned home, the other frogs stared at her in amazement, for the little frog now had a morning star on her forehead, right where Collyur had kissed her and when the little frog looked at herself in the stream she found that she was beautiful.