Elizabeth Stafford Fry

“ That night Bully had a dream. In his dream he saw bad boys killing frogs, and he saw snakes and turtles eating them. He saw men, with live frogs on cruel hooks, jerking them back and forth through the water trying to catch fish with them. In his dream he saw frogs put in stuffy little pens with little to eat, and many people lean over the pen looking down at them. And he saw ducks eating thousands and thousands of young frogs. All these little cousins were reaching out their tiny hands and begging him to get the Lark to hurry and tell them how to find the Frog Pond. ”

“ Doesn't it seem strange that when the ducks were so happy the frogs were so miserable? Now the frogs were happier than they had ever been before, and the poor ducks were somewhere in the woods sighing and calling over and over again for their lost babies. Some folks just can't live happily together.
Mrs. House Frog came hurrying through the deep woods. Long before she reached the pond she had heard the singing of the frogs. She knew this must be the place the Lark had told her about. She panted a little as the frogs all crowded about her. ”

“ Bully had never eaten a woolly worm. He wasn't at all sure he would like the taste of one, so he said, "I won't eat you. Let's be friends."
"I should like to be your friend," replied Woolly Worm, "but I'm afraid I can't trust you."
"I won't eat you," again promised Bully. "You are far too handsome to be eaten."
Woolly Worm knew quite well he was goodlooking, and was proud of his looks. He wore several rings—not the kind children like to wear. Oh, no! His were black and yellow. They were of wool and went around his entire body. They surely made a splendid coat. ”

“ Grandfather Bull Frog told her he was very glad she had come directly to the pond. He asked her where she would like to live. A tree would suit her best, she said, as she had spent most of her time in Brazil in a tree.
"Before I choose my tree," she told them, "I had better make my nest, as it is getting so late in the season. It is time my polly-wogs were hatching."
"Do you make your own nest?" Mrs. Toad asked her.
"Of course I do," she said. "I thought all frogs did that. Our family always do." ”

“ They swam about, ate all the frogs they could hold, and were as happy as well-fed ducks could be. They hadn't anything to worry about, so why shouldn't they be happy? They thought they were very lucky to have found such a lovely spot in which to make a nest and raise a family. They made themselves perfectly at home in the Frog Pond. They liked the tall grasses and the quiet water. They loved this home better than any other they had ever had. It was so safe. Then there was such fine swimming and so much to eat. They could eat just as many frogs as they wanted. ”

“ Here we mean always to live."
"Oh, Grandmother, how dreadful!" little Bully cried. "Why can't we ask all the frogs to come and live here in this pond where there are no bad boys to kill them?"
"That would be fine," she answered; "but how could we send them word? We have no one to take the message to them. I think we should be as happy as we can and not think too much about the sorrow of others. But come now," she continued, "I can hear Grandfather Bull Frog calling everyone to the evening concert. We must hurry."
Each evening all the frogs came together for a grand concert. ”

“ The birds are making the day glad with song. All nature seems to be full of joy. The sun smiles upon forest, hill, and field, not forgetting to warm the water of the Frog Pond. Bully is glad he is alive. He is on the shore busy catching gnats and flies. There are a great many other frogs living in this pond. The ones Bully admires most are Grandfather Bull Frog and Grandmother Bull Frog. They live on the island in the middle of the pond. Grandfather Bull Frog rules all the frogs in and about the pond. Bully wished he could be as big and strong as Grandfather Bull Frog. ”

“ Not of the coming storm, I am sure, for frogs dearly love raindrops. Some one very dreadful had come during the early morning hours. And now every little heart was beating fast with fear. Every little face had a look of care and fright.
This morning Bully had slept quite late because he had learned that the very best time to get a good meal is at night. In the darkness many of the little flying and crawling creatures are out. You see, Bully has good eyes. He can see almost as well in the dark as in the light. ”

“ We wanted to stay in our own beautiful country. We have always been unhappy in America. One day a Lark lit in our tree and began talking to us. We told him how homesick we were. 'If I were you,' said the Lark, 'I'd go and live in the Frog Pond.' We asked what Frog Pond he was talking about. He then told us of this lovely place in Rainbow Valley. He talked about these fine old trees and this beautiful little lake. He also told us of the fine old father and mother frogs and of all the young frogs who live here. ”

“ I can see them plainly enough from here, hopping about the rock or swimming in the water."
"Why, I thought those were little frogs," said Bully. "They look like frogs."
"They don't look like little frogs to their mother," replied Mrs. Toad. "I can tell every one of them. But to other people young toads always do look like little frogs," she said.
"Do you have any polly-wogs?" Bully asked. ”

“ Some one dreadful must have come in the night—some one that would hurt little frogs. When he heard quack, quack the second time, Bully sprang quickly into the water and went down, down as deep as he could, and then crawled under a rock on the bottom of the pond. ”

“ Bully opened his eyes, and sure enough, there was his friend on the lily pad close beside him. "Oh, those poor suffering frogs!" Bully cried out. "They want to come so much, and they don't know the way. Why didn't you tell all of them? What made you come home so soon? You didn't tell all the frogs, did you, friend Lark?"
"No, I didn't," replied the Lark. "When I went away I had made up my mind to be gone all summer, but as the days went by I thought more and more about my mate and our babies. ”

“ But Bully was always afraid now. He never went with a hop and a leap anymore. He always moved slowly and quietly. Only those whose life has been in constant danger know what it means to be afraid all the time. There is no joy in life when one must keep watch all the time and can never rest because an enemy is always near.
All the frogs in the Frog Pond began to grow thin and to look worried. The tree frogs were by far the safest these days. If they stayed up in the trees they were not in danger, for ducks out hunting food do not climb trees. ”

“ I shall try to do right. You see, I have not always been a trouble-making frog. I wandered away from my old home and have been living among the wrong kind of people."
"Bad company always spoils good frogs," boomed out several voices at once. "But there are no really bad frogs here, so you ought to find it easy to be good."
"Yes," he replied, "I believe everyone here is trying to do right, and I promise you I shall try to do right, too."
"We believe you will. We shall try you anyway," croaked every frog in the pond.
"Thank you very much," the stranger replied. ”

“ The Golden Tree Frogs wore coats of grass green thickly covered with shiny yellow embroidery that looked like the purest beaten gold. Several of the mother frogs gasped as they saw their beautiful clothes. They went near and touched them gently. They had not known there were such handsome frogs in the world as these. The Golden Tree Frogs were much pleased to be so admired. They believed no other frogs could dress so well.
"A man came to our home and captured us and brought us to this country," said Mr. Golden Tree Frog. "He also brought the Blue Tree Frogs from South America. ”

“ Duck and her family.
"Just look at them now," said an old frog. "I really believe they are laughing. Don't they know that their babies will disappear faster than ever now?"
"They don't seem to care for their babies," said a fat old frog. "The hard-hearted things, I wish they had never come here at all!"
Still more shells were thrown from the nest, and the ducks were quacking softly.
Bully heard some one crying. He looked around to see who it was. Mrs. Toad was sitting in her doorway sobbing, "Oh, my poor toadies, my poor little polly-wogs! What shall I do? What shall I do?" ”

“ The company then divided, each frog going his own way, but all were glad that the new frogs had come to live near the Frog Pond.
Late that afternoon Bully was sitting on an old log wondering why he was not a tree frog. He thought it would be fine to wear such beautiful clothes and to be able to climb trees. It seemed hardly fair that he must always stay on the ground while others could climb so high in the world. He was sitting very still thinking of this when he was startled by a voice near him saying, "Are you asleep?" He came to himself with a jump. There, close by him, was a woolly worm. ”

“ As soon as the Lark goes, and the strange frogs begin to come to Bully's Frog Pond, I shall write and tell you all about them. I'm sure it will not be many days before Bully's friend starts on his journey. Mrs. Lark thinks that, with the help of the Robins and Grandfather Bull Frog's good advice, she can take care of her babies. You wait patiently until he returns. He flies fast, so it will not take him long to visit them all. Then as the frogs come hopping in from all parts of the world I will tell you about them in my next book, called Bully's Queer Relations. ”

“ So that very evening after the sun was down and the shadows began to fall I said good-by to the garden, took a last look at the two houses and the garden hose, and slipped softly away. I traveled 'most all night. This morning, as the first faint streak of light appeared in the east, I heard a great croaking. I was tired, but I quickened my steps, for I felt I was nearing the pond. Sure enough, in a very short time I saw the water and the big rock. ”

“ Bully had thought the strange frog looked anything but friendly when he first saw him on the log, but now he looked ten times more wicked. Where Bully sat he could see and hear everything that was going on. He watched Grandfather closely to see how he would take what the stranger was saying and doing. Would he frighten him into giving up the island? Bully was afraid he might. Bully thought he wouldn't blame Grandfather very much if he did, for the strange frog certainly looked both bad and big. ”

“ Anyway, I don't think you can help things by making yourself so unhappy. Of course I would help all the frogs," he hastened to say, "but I see no way, and it keeps me busy looking out for my own family."
"What worse things do you see happen?" asked Bully.
"Oh," replied the Lark, "sometimes I see snakes swallow frogs whole. Often I see ducks, geese, and other big birds eat them. I see turtles eat them, too, and every now and then I see big water bugs destroying frogs' eggs. ”

“ I can then keep an eye on the polly-wogs and see that nothing harms them. They cannot get out of the nest."
Of course all the frogs had to see that nest. And every one of them said that it was most wonderfully made.
"You see," she said, as she showed them her hands, "all my fingers are largest on the ends. That is why I can handle the mud so well. Now I must have something to eat," she said as she began to look around for insects. "It gives one an appetite to work so hard."
As the frogs hopped away everyone was saying, "That is truly a wonderful nest!" ”

“ Well, as I started to tell you, Bully awoke one morning very hungry indeed. He told Grandmother how dreadfully hungry he was. He told her, too, that he was afraid to look for anything to eat. "But you must eat to live, you know," she told him. "Now listen to me," she continued. "Over by Mrs. Toad's house there is a nest of fine big ants. I think you can get some of them, but you must be very, very careful. Keep watch every moment. Get down under the water and swim until you come to the rock. Then if you keep watch I think you will be safe and have a good breakfast. ”

“ Surely some great person has come, thought Bully as he, too, hurried over to the gathering under the elm tree.
There in the center of a large circle of frogs he saw six strangers sitting. Two of them were dressed in fine green coats with "spots of brown and bands of darker green shaded in." These two strangers said they had always lived in the forest a few miles away. They said the other four strangers had stopped at their house to spend the night, and had told them of the Frog Pond in Rainbow Valley and invited them to come here with them. ”

“ Bully promised to remember all she had told him. He was very timid about the venture, but he must have something to eat right away.
Soon he was safe beside the big rock. Both the ducks were on the other side of the pond, so he felt much less afraid than he had been sure he was going to feel. He found the ants' nest under a bunch of tall grass. There was plenty for breakfast; there were enough ants for many frogs much bigger than he. He began to eat, all the time trying to keep hidden in the tall grass. He didn't mean to lose sight of those ducks. ”

“ And in the water there are bugs that destroy many of the eggs. After a big rainfall I sometimes put my eggs in what looks like a good pond. But in a few days the sun draws all the water away, the pond is dry, and the eggs never hatch. It's certainly a very discouraging world we're living in. It's surely a hard place for a toad to try to raise a family. When I think of all the babies I have lost I am dreadfully downhearted. I don't see how I can bear to live any longer."
She bowed her head, covered her wet eyes with her hands, and croaked sadly. Bully felt very sorry for her. ”

“ These little folks think it the most beautiful and the safest place in the world. When you have heard this story, you will understand why they think so.
One warm spring day Bully's mother—it is really Bully's story I am going to tell you—placed her tiny eggs in the warm shallow water at the edge of the pond. After seeing that the eggs were in a safe spot, she swam away and paid no more attention to them. She felt quite sure Mother Nature would care for them and see that they hatched safely. And this Mother Nature did. In three or four weeks, from one of these tiny eggs came Bully. ”

“ The trouble is, you have been greedy. A young frog is one of the greediest creatures in the world. He will eat bees and flies and ants, grasshoppers, wiggly worms, crawly bugs, and any kind of flying thing—about every little live thing that's small enough to go down his throat.
Bully had been gorging this way for several days, so don't be surprised if I tell you his clothes were too small for him. His coat was tight, his vest was tight, and his trousers and stockings even tighter. ”

“ Or did they see a great many frogs coming this way and follow them?"
"Perhaps they won't stay," said one. "They may not like this pond!"
"But they will like it," answered another. "See all these tender young frogs and polly-wogs! They can't help liking this pond."
"They will gobble our children by the thousands," said another.
Bully was dreadfully frightened. From what the old frogs said he learned that Mr. and Mrs. Duck had come, and if they stayed there would be no more peace and happiness for the frogs in Rainbow Valley. Their home would be quite spoiled. ”

“ Bully's tongue is just the opposite of yours. His tongue is fastened in the front of his mouth just back of his teeth. On the end of it are two points which lie in the back of his mouth near his throat. When an insect comes near him, he can put out his whole tongue, just like opening a door out wide. He can fasten those two points around an insect, such as a gnat or a fly, and hold that insect fast until it is away down his throat. ”