Listen closely, and I'll tell you a secret the storks whisper on the wind. It’s a tale from long ago, about a princess from sunny Egypt.

This princess was lovely, with eyes like stars. But one day, a gloomy king from the cold, misty marshes, the Marsh King, swooped in and snatched her away! He took her to his murky, muddy home. Oh, it was not a nice place for a princess! And because he was a grumpy, magical king, he put a strange spell on her. By day, she would be a grumpy, warty toad. But when the moon shone bright, she would turn back into the beautiful princess.

Years passed. One day, a family of storks flying over the marsh saw a tiny baby girl nestled in a big water lily. It was the princess’s daughter! The storks knew they had to help. One brave stork gently picked up the baby, whose name was Helga, and flew far, far away to the land of Vikings. The Viking Queen there longed for a child. When the stork left Helga on her doorstep, the Queen was overjoyed!

Helga grew. But the spell was still on her! During the day, she was a wild, strange child, hopping like a toad and sometimes being quite naughty. But at night, she became the kindest, most beautiful girl you ever did see. The Viking King and Queen were very puzzled. They loved her, but her changing ways were a big mystery.

One day, Viking warriors brought back a kind, old priest from a faraway land. He was wise and gentle. He watched Helga. He saw her change from the wild day-child to the sweet night-maiden. He understood that a dark magic was at work. Helga, in her beautiful night form, told him her secret wish: to see the sunny land of her mother, Egypt, and to be free of the Marsh King's spell.

The priest, being very good, decided to help her. "We must break this spell," he thought. So, secretly, Helga and the priest began a long journey south, towards the sun. It was a hard journey. Sometimes Helga was her toad-self, making things tricky! But the priest was patient.

They traveled and traveled. One night, under a sky full of stars, as Helga was her beautiful self, the priest prayed very hard. He sprinkled holy water on her. And poof! The Marsh King's grumpy magic broke! Helga was free! She was always her kind, beautiful self, day and night. No more toad-hopping in the daytime!

She eventually reached a warm, sunny kingdom, not quite Egypt, but lovely all the same. There, she met a kind young king who fell in love with her goodness and beauty. They got married and lived happily.

And the storks? They still fly over those lands, and sometimes, if you listen very carefully, they might just whisper Helga’s story to you.

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