Summary

The Prologue titled, “Ten Years Before,” begins in a castle with two dozen puppies and a princess in front of a fireplace in a castle (1). An older dog barks them to attention except the princess who is asleep. She tells the puppies the new Duke is a sorcerer and is friends with other sorcerers. She says he will not act now but in time will grow more dangerous and powerful. The puppies ask what they can do and she tells them to keep both the princesses protected and cheerful. They look at the younger princess who stirs awake, and the prologue ends as she exclaims, “A story! . . . Tell us a story!” (3).

Chapter One titled, “In Which Morven’s Denholm Is Turned into a Frog” begins with a scream, disturbing Princess Anya and the librarian Gotfried in the library. Anya knows it is...