What's with the princess and the frog?

[Whatsnew2]

I absolutely hate reading this to DD and she loves it!

The Princess is crying because she doesn't want the slimy creepy frog that's been following her around to get into bed with her, but her dad says she must sleep with it, so she does.

Is it just my twisted mind that things this is all so wrong? Gosh, brilliant empowering life lessons in there... not!

A lot of the original fairy stories were written for girls who were about to be married off. "Don't worry if he's a frog / beast you will learn to love him..."

With this one, I like the fact her Dad made her keep her promise.

Yes I thought this was the lesson here: the princess made a promise she went back on and her father made her keep it

Stop reading it or tell her what's wrong with it

😂 well your synopsis has made it sound quite grim.

I used to love this story when I was little. I think kids like that they know this big secret that the characters haven't discovered yet. It makes it very suspensful. And things not being quite what they seem and turning out to be something magical - transforming something bad into something wonderful. That's something that appeals to kids too. It's a good message - situations that are horrid and difficult often quite unexpectedly turn into something good.

Maybe I'm thinking about this too deeply 😏

They are all very backwards for sure but in this one I don't get why it's so insistent on the fact that the frog must be IN BED with her. She's crying and wants it to stay on the floor, but that's not good enough and she's ordered to take it to bed with her. Just so weird!!!

@Icannoteven haha yes, grim is the word. I like your synopsis so much better! I'll try to see it that way next time I read it!

There is also the message that if you be honest /keep your promises/act with integrity, even when it means following through with something you don't want to, you will eventually be rewarded.

I don't necessarily agree that this is how life works but it is a strong, moral message I suppose.

I always thought the point of the story was that the spoiled princess made a promise to the frog, that she never intended to keep, in order to get what she wanted, and her father made her keep her word.
For which she was ultimately rewarded. (With a side order of "don't judge by appearances thrown in for good measure)