Short Story 5 — A story for Peggy.

Before you were born, before your grandparents were born and even before that, three toads lived near here, in a deep green forest, which is long gone now. Every day, Father Toad, Mummy Toad, Big Baby Toad and Little Baby Toad lay down in the warm sun of the forest. Lazily, they plucked flies from the sky with their tongues and nothing ever went wrong for this cheerful, happy family of slimy, green creatures. Until one day, a terrible, awful, bizarre, strange, unpleasant, uncomfortable feeling fell over Big Baby Toad. “Something is wrong,” squeaked Baby Toad, she licked her eyes and hopped out from under her family’s gigantic oak tree in the middle of the forest, “I do not know what to do, but I am not having fun.”

Hopping slowly up the thick bark of the dark tree, the Big Baby frog arrived at Father toad’s favourite branch. Before she arrived, she could hear him plucking his favourite banjo. “Daddy Toad?”” squeaked Big Baby Toad,

”In a moment darling, I love this song.”

“But I don’t know what to do with myself.” The fantastical, lovely banjo music stopped. Father Toad looked up.

“What do you mean my toady dear?” Father toad opened his wide eyes and looked directly at the confused Big Baby Toad, who was playing with her sticky fingers. “Have you tried playing the banjo? You’d love it. It’s a musical delight.” Big Baby Toad started to explain that she did not want to play the banjo but it was too late, the incredibly music started again. The twang of the banjo was enjoyable, but Big Baby Toad knew that she didn’t want to hear it right now.

Sliding down the side of the mossy tree, Big Baby Toad felt the wind touching her hold wet face. For a second, Big Baby Toad felt okay, but then this horrible, dull feeling returned. As Big Baby Toad reached the floor, she heard a splash. Little Baby Toad and Mummy Toad had just splashed into the pond nearby. Big Baby Toad jumped into the warm water after them. Even with Little Baby Toad on her back, Mummy Toad was a much faster swimmer than Big Baby Toad. In a second, Mummy toad was far in the distance. “Wait for me Mummy!”

“Oh hello deary,” called back Mummy Toad with a wide, cheerful smile, “I didn’t see you there, are you having fun?”

“Have fun!” repeated Little Baby Toad, in her tiny toadish voice from atop Mummy Toad’s head.

“Actually no Mummy, I don’t know what I want to do.” panted Big Baby Toad.

Little Baby Toad repeated, “Know what to do,” as she squirmed around in Mummy’s arms.

“Darling, I think you might be bored.”

Big Baby Toad was incredibly shocked, she’d never been bored before! “How do I stop being bored?” cried the young, wet creature. “Do I need to take medicine? Eat more flies? Go to sleep earlier?”

Mummy Toad laughed, “No, no my dear. But whenever I’m bored, I go for a swim. Have you tried that?” Big Baby Toad swam with Mummy as far as she could, but she quickly got too tired and she was definitely still very bored.

A little sad, Big Baby Toad hopped into the forest. She hopped further and further away from her home, darker into the woods. Then she saw two huge black eyes glowing in the darkness. Around the eyes was a coat of light brown and a very small nose. “Squeak!” said Big Baby Toad, she hopped back home as fast as she could. But it was too late. The furry creature was chasing her. “Oh no!” thought Big Baby Toad. She couldn’t get away!

The paw of the creature hit her back and Big Baby Toad thought she was about to be eaten!

“It!” called out the Weasel, who then suddenly ran in the opposite direction. Confused, Big Baby Toad, stood still. The weasel had hit her very lightly and said “it.”

“Aren’t you going to eat me?” asked Big Baby Toad, her toady heart still beating very fast. The weasels eyes peered out from behind a thick tree. He waited without saying anything for awhile, then yelled, “Aren’t you going to chase me?”

“This is all very confusing,” screamed back Big Baby Toad, “but it’s better than being bored.”

“I was bored too,” said the Weasel, who was now walking closer to the young toad, “so I thought we could play a game.” The weasel reached out a small furry paw, “My name is Elliot,” he smiled a kind weasley smile. That night, Big Baby Toad let Elliot have dinner with her family. The two still play games together now, out in the forest and Big Baby Toad was never bored again.