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The Princess and the Tadpole: An Illuminated Fable by Herb Eaton - A Lyrical Tale of Transformation, Identity, and Second Chances ""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. Set 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. As 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. Through 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."" The princess, too, is changed-no longer seeking perfection, but pausing in quiet consideration. The tale ends with a gentle moral: ""Whether frog, or prince, or princess... pause, consider what you have... and begin again.""

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Herb Eaton is a visual artist, jazz musician, and writer born in Peoria in 1949. Herb earned his MFA in sculpture and drawing at Illinois State University. A longtime resident of Bloomington, Herb continues to make narrative and thematically based art that concerns itself with the people, cornfields, woodlands, and rivers of Central Illinois. Herb is also involved with local cultural and civic issues, including the founding and development of a children's museum and local artists groups.Herb writes poetry and prose accompaniments for his art. Herb is married to Pamala, a retired schoolteacher and gallerist for Eaton Gallery in downtown Bloomington, Illinois, where she shows and sells his art and hosts salons.

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