Василий Мантуленко
The Frog Who Coded

THE FROG WHO CODED

A funny modern fairy tale about a prince, a smartphone, and a very clever frog

Based on the classic tale of "The Frog Princess"

An English reader for young learners

Level: A1–A2 · Elementary school

A Note for Teachers and Parents

This story is written in simple, funny English for young learners at level A1–A2. It uses short sentences, everyday words, and plenty of dialogue and jokes, so children can read it aloud and enjoy it in the classroom or at home.

The story is a modern, humorous retelling of the classic tale "The Frog Princess" — with a smartphone instead of an arrow, a mayor instead of a tsar, and a clever frog who turns out to be a talented computer programmer.

Each of the 13 chapters ends with a short "New Words" box: key vocabulary from the chapter, with simple English definitions, to help build reading confidence and vocabulary step by step.

The story also carries a gentle message about not judging others by appearances, and about respecting other people's choices about their own privacy and identity — a good conversation starter for the classroom or family reading time.

Contents

Chapter 1. The Smartphone Toss Tradition

Chapter 2. Three Princes, Three Phones

Chapter 3. Into the Swamp

Chapter 4. Vasilisa the Frog

Chapter 5. A Very Reluctant Engagement

Chapter 6. Visiting the Swamp

Chapter 7. The Mayor's Three Challenges

Chapter 8. The Website Nobody Believed

Chapter 9. The Secret Behind the Screen

Chapter 10. Maks Makes a Terrible Mistake

Chapter 11. The Empty Swamp

Chapter 12. Following the Signal

Chapter 13. The Gala and the Truth

Meet the Characters

Maks — the mayor's youngest son, a little spoiled, a little curious, and slowly learning to think before he acts.

Vasilisa — a small green frog who is secretly a brilliant computer programmer, and very protective of her own privacy.

Mayor Romanov — Maks's father, who loves old traditions and good publicity, usually at the same time.

Mr. Silkov — the mayor's nervous PR advisor, who worries about everything.

Oleg and Timofey — Maks's older brothers, engaged the easy, ordinary way.

Dasha and Alina — Oleg's and Timofey's fiancées, kind but not especially interested in coding.

The Old Woman in the Hut — a mysterious, wise woman who lives at the edge of the swamp and always seems to know more than she says.

Chapter 1

The Smartphone Toss Tradition

In the city of Goldbrook, there was a very old, very strange family tradition. Nobody remembered exactly why it started, but everybody followed it anyway, because that's how traditions work.

When a son of the Mayor turned twenty-one, he had to throw his smartphone as far as he could. Wherever the phone landed, he had to go and find it — and marry whoever picked it up first.

"It's a wonderful tradition!" said Mayor Romanov, who loved traditions almost as much as he loved being photographed at ribbon-cutting ceremonies. "My father did it. His father did it. And now, my three sons will do it too!"

"Dad," said Maks, the youngest son, "this is a two-hundred-dollar phone. Can't we just... use an old one? Like a calculator?"

"Tradition is tradition, Maksim," said Mayor Romanov firmly. "Besides, think of the publicity! 'Mayor's Sons Find Brides With Smartphones' — the newspapers will love it."

Standing beside the mayor was his personal PR advisor, Mr. Silkov, a thin, nervous man who worried about the mayor's image the way other people worry about the weather.

"As long as nobody's phone lands somewhere... embarrassing," Mr. Silkov said quietly, already looking a little pale.

"Embarrassing? Nonsense!" said the mayor. "Where's the worst place a phone could possibly land? The neighbor's garden? A parking lot? Ha! Nothing to worry about."

Maks looked out of the window at the city, and beyond it, at the big, murky swamp on the edge of town — full of frogs, mosquitoes, and, according to local legend, absolutely nothing interesting at all.

He had a strange, uncomfortable feeling. He just didn't know why yet.

New Words

tradition — something a family or group does the same way for a long time

publicity — public attention, often in newspapers or online

nervous — worried or anxious

murky — dark and unclear, especially water

Chapter 2

Three Princes, Three Phones

The whole city gathered in the main square to watch. There were flags, a small brass band, and a reporter from the Goldbrook Gazette taking notes very seriously.

The oldest son, Oleg, went first. He was tall, confident, and always wore an expensive suit, even to breakfast.

"Watch this," Oleg said, and threw his phone in a long, perfect arc across the square. It landed — plop — right in the flowerpot of Dasha, the neighbor's daughter, who happened to be standing there scrolling through her own phone.

"Oh! Um, hello," Dasha said, picking it up, blushing a little. Everyone clapped. The reporter wrote: "A LOVELY MATCH!"

Next was Timofey, the middle son, who was quieter but just as lucky. His phone flew across the square and landed directly in the handbag of Alina, the daughter of the city's richest businessman.

"How convenient," Alina said, smiling, and everyone clapped again, a little louder this time, because everyone secretly liked her father's money.

Finally, it was Maks's turn.

"Alright, alright," Maks said, feeling a little nervous with everyone watching. "Here goes nothing."

He threw the phone as hard as he could. It spun through the air, higher and higher, further and further than either of his brothers' phones — past the square, past the rooftops, past the edge of town — and disappeared with a distant, muddy SPLORTCH into the swamp.

There was a long silence.

"...Well," said Mr. Silkov quietly, taking out a handkerchief to wipe his forehead. "That's... that's certainly a location."

The reporter, looking utterly delighted, wrote: "YOUNGEST SON'S PHONE VANISHES INTO SWAMP — DEVELOPING STORY."

New Words

confident — sure of yourself; not nervous

arc — a curved path, like a rainbow shape

blush — when your face turns a little red from embarrassment

convenient — easy and helpful; happening at a good time

Chapter 3

Into the Swamp

"You have to go get it," said Mayor Romanov, trying very hard to sound calm. "Rules are rules. Whoever finds your phone, you must... well. You know the tradition."

"Dad, it's a SWAMP," said Maks. "There's nobody living in a swamp. Except frogs. And mosquitoes. And I am not marrying a mosquito."

"Just go and get the phone back, Maksim," said the mayor. "I'm sure nobody found it. Probably still sitting in the mud somewhere. Perfectly fine."