Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 441

The Journey of Four Chinese Frogs
St. Paul's Co-educational College Primary School, Lai, Charmaine – 10
O
nce upon a time in old Shanghai, there were four friends – Henry (also known as the Frog Prince), Mr.
Grenoille Tao, Ms. Qing Wa and Ms. Lai Ha Mou. The four friends lived in a deep well located in the
French concession in old Shanghai. The well was… hum, how to describe it …… it was damp and not too
exciting, but it was safe and far removed from danger. The four friends were content with their lives. Looking
up from the well, they thought that the sky above was the entire universe. Occasionally they heard rumors,
some funny and some disturbing. One rumor even said that the Japanese had invaded Manchuria! In the
bottom of the well, days passed, followed by seasons and they were safe and for the most part happy. Then one
sad day, the four friends woke up in a startle. They found that the well had dried up. Despairing for their future,
each of the four friends tearfully bid the others farewell and journeyed out into their own adventures.
1.
The Tale of Henry
The Frog Prince embarked on a journey of a big voyager. As he travelled through Shanghai, he discovered
that Shanghai was really divided into two “boroughs”. In Puxi, people led a prosperous and glamorous life, little
bothered by the enraging war in the northern part of China, while in Pudong, people still lived in their farms in
crushing poverty. It was very much like a tale of two cities. Over the years, the Frog Prince witnessed the
drastic change of Shanghai. He also heard lots of stories, some real, some made up and some even went on to
become urban legends. In particular, he always laughed when people mentioned the big sign in Huangpu Park
banning “Dogs and Chinese”.
Frog Prince enjoyed the fresh breeze outside the well and loved to make new friends. He had also
developed a love for writing biographies and scripts based on his voyages. The news media reported that Henry
had recently been invited by the new Shanghai Disneyland to write scripts for the long-awaited stage drama, the
Frog Prince Show.
2.
The Tale of Mr. Grenoille Tao
Grenoille Tao had always been a competitive frog.
Out of the well, Grenoille spent most of his time in the urban area of Shanghai. Grenoille chatted with
sailors from all over the world who gathered at the ports of Huangpu River. He spoke with the businessmen who
frequented the hotels and bars along the Bund. He was fascinated with the stories of celebrities making or losing
their entire fortunes in Shanghai. From then on, Grenoille started to think with an international view and with a
business mind. As Shanghai evolved, Grenoille evolved with it. When Shanghai opened up to the outside
world, Grenoille seized the opportunity to build his own business empire.
Today, Mr. Grenoille Tao is the founder of Froggy Group, a conglomerate of many business areas. The
newly built Shanghai Disneyland is the latest addition to the Grenoille’s Froggy Group. From humble
beginnings, Mr. Grenoille Tao learnt to dream, to take risk and to think big.
3.
The Tale of Ms. Qing Wa
Ms. Qing Wa was the sweetest of the four friends. From a very young age, she loved to sing. Upon
leaving the well, Ms. Qing Wa roamed around the entertainment areas of the old Shanghai, once called
Hollywood of the East. Spending times at the Paramount Hall, she indulged in the performances of Zhou Xuan,
Bai Guang, Li Xiang Lan (before she was found out to be a spy from Japan). At the Shanghai Concert Hall, she