The Adventures of Grandfather Frog

by Thornton W. Burgess

  Grandfather Frog forgot his anger and began to look anxious. He movedabout uneasily on his big green lily-pad and got ready to dive into theSmiling Pool, for he was afraid that Farmer Brown's boy had a pocketfulof stones as he usually did have when he came over to the Smiling Pool.

  Old Mr. Toad didn't look troubled the least bit. He didn't even lookaround for a hiding-place. He just sat still and grinned.

  "You'd better watch out, or you'll never visit the Smiling Pool again,"called Grandfather Frog.

  "Oh," replied old Mr. Toad, "I'm not afraid. Farmer Brown's boy is afriend of mine. I help him in his garden. How to make friends is one ofthe things the Great World has taught me."

  "Chugarum!" said Grandfather Frog. "I'd have you to know that--"

  But what it was that he was to know old Mr. Toad never found out, forjust then Grandfather Frog caught sight of Farmer Brown's boy andwithout waiting even to say good-by he dived into the Smiling Pool.

  X

  GRANDFATHER FROG STARTS OUT TO SEE THE GREAT WORLD

  Grandfather Frog looked very solemn as he sat on his big green lily-padin the Smiling Pool. He looked very much as if he had something on hismind. A foolish green fly actually brushed Grandfather Frog's nose andhe didn't even notice it. The fact is he did have something on his mind.It had been there ever since his cousin, old Mr. Toad, had called theday before and they had quarreled as usual over the question whether itwas best never to leave home or to go out into the Great World.

  Right in the midst of their quarrel along had come Farmer Brown's boy.Now Grandfather Frog is afraid of Farmer Brown's boy, so when heappeared, Grandfather Frog stopped arguing with old Mr. Toad and with agreat splash dived into the Smiling Pool and hid under a lily-pad. Therehe stayed and watched his cousin, old Mr. Toad, grinning in the mostprovoking way, for he wasn't afraid of Farmer Brown's boy. In fact, hehad boasted that they were friends. Grandfather Frog had thought thatthis was just an idle boast, but when he saw Farmer Brown's boy tickleold Mr. Toad under his chin with a straw, while Mr. Toad sat perfectlystill and seemed to enjoy it, he knew that it was true.

  Grandfather Frog had not come out of his hiding-place until after oldMr. Toad had gone back across the Green Meadows and Farmer Brown's boyhad gone home for his supper. Then Grandfather Frog had climbed back onhis big green lily-pad and had sat there half the night without onceleading the chorus of the Smiling Pool with his great deep bass voice ashe usually did. He was thinking, thinking very hard. And now, thisbright, sunshiny morning, he was still thinking.

  The fact is Grandfather Frog was beginning to wonder if perhaps, afterall, Mr. Toad was right. If the Great World had taught him how to makefriends with Farmer Brown's boy, there really must be some things worthlearning there. Not for the world would Grandfather Frog have admittedto old Mr. Toad or to any one else that there was anything for him tolearn, for you know he is very old and by his friends is accounted verywise. But right down in his heart he was beginning to think that perhapsthere were some things which he couldn't learn in the Smiling Pool. Sohe sat and thought and thought. Suddenly he made up his mind.

  "Chugarum!" said he. "I'll do it!"

  "Do what?" asked Jerry Muskrat, who happened to be swimming past.

  "I'll go out and see for myself what this Great World my cousin, old Mr.Toad, is so fond of talking about is like," replied Grandfather Frog.

  "Don't you do it," advised Jerry Muskrat. "Don't you do anything sofoolish as that. You're too old, much too old, Grandfather Frog, to goout into the Great World."

  Now few old people like to be told that they are too old to do what theyplease, and Grandfather Frog is no different from others. "You just mindyour own affairs, Jerry Muskrat," he retorted sharply. "I guess I knowwhat is best for me without being told. If my cousin, old Mr. Toad, cantake care of himself out in the Great World, I can. He isn't half sospry as I am. I'm going, and that is all there is about it!"

  With that Grandfather Frog dived into the Smiling Pool, swam across to aplace where the bank was low, and without once looking back startedacross the Green Meadows to see the Great World.

  XI

  GRANDFATHER FROG IS STUBBORN

  "Fee, fi, fe, fum! Chug, chug, chugarum!"

  Grandfather actually had started out to see the Great World. Yes, Sir,he had turned his back on the Smiling Pool, and nothing that JerryMuskrat could say made the least bit of difference. Grandfather Frog hadmade up his mind, and when he does that, it is just a waste of time andbreath for any one to try to make him change it. You see GrandfatherFrog is stubborn. Yes, that is just the word--stubborn. He would see forhimself what this Great World was that his cousin, old Mr. Toad, talkedso much about and said was so much better than the Smiling Pool whereGrandfather Frog had spent his whole life.

  "If old Mr. Toad can take care of himself, I can take care of myself outin the Great World," said Grandfather Frog, to himself as, with greatjumps, he started out on to the Green Meadows. "I guess he isn't anysmarter than I am! He isn't half so spry as I am, and I can jump threetimes as far as he can. I'll see for myself what this Great World islike, and then I'll go back to the Smiling Pool and stay there the restof my life. Chugarum, how warm it is!"

  It was warm. Jolly, round, bright Mr. Sun was smiling his broadest andpouring his warmest rays down on the Green Meadows. The Merry LittleBreezes of Old Mother West Wind were taking a nap. You see, they hadplayed so hard early in the morning that they were tired. So there wasnobody and nothing to cool Grandfather Frog, and he just grew warmer andwarmer with every jump. He began to grow thirsty, and how he did longfor a plunge in the dear, cool Smiling Pool! But he was stubborn. Hewouldn't turn back, no matter how uncomfortable he felt. He _would_ seethe Great World if it killed him. So he kept right on, jump, jump, jump,jump.

  Grandfather Frog had been up the Laughing Brook and down the LaughingBrook, where he could swim when he grew tired of traveling on the bank,and where he could cool off whenever he became too warm, but neverbefore had he been very far away from water, and he found this a verydifferent matter. At first he had made great jumps, for that is what hislong legs were given him for; but the long grass bothered him, and aftera little the jumps grew shorter and shorter and shorter, and with everyjump he puffed and puffed and presently began to grunt. You see he neverbefore had made more than a few jumps at a time without resting, and hislegs grew tired in a very little while.

  Now if Grandfather Frog had known as much about the Green Meadows as thelittle people who live there all the time do, he would have taken theLone Little Path, where the going was easy. But he didn't. He juststarted right out without knowing where he was going, and of course theway was hard, very hard indeed. The grass was so tall that he couldn'tsee over it, and the ground was so rough that it hurt his tender feet,which were used to the soft, mossy bank of the Smiling Pool. He had goneonly a little way before he wished with all his might that he had neverthought of seeing the Great World. But he had said that he was going toand he would, so he kept right on--jump, jump, rest, jump, jump, jump,rest, jump, and then a long rest.

  It was during one of these rests that he heard footsteps, and then adreadful sound that made cold chills run all over him. Sniff, sniff,sniff! It was coming nearer. Grandfather Frog flattened himself down asclose to the ground as he could get. But it was of no use, no use atall. The sniffing came nearer and nearer, and then right over him stoodBowser the Hound! Bowser looked just as surprised as he felt. He put outone paw and turned Grandfather Frog over on his back. Grandfather Frogstruggled to his feet and made two frightened jumps.

  "Bow, wow!" cried Bowser and rolled him over again. Bowser thought itgreat fun, but Grandfather Frog thought that his last day had come.

  XII

  GRANDFATHER FROG KEEPS ON

  Grandfather Frog is old and wise, But even age is foolish. I'm sure you'll all agree with me His stubbornness was mulish.

  That his very last day had come Grandfather Frog was sure. He didn'thave the least doubt about it.
Here he was at the mercy of Bowser theHound out on the Green Meadows far from the dear, safe Smiling Pool.Every time he moved, Bowser flipped him over on his back and dancedaround him, barking with joy. Every minute Grandfather Frog expected tofeel Bowser's terrible teeth, and he grew cold at the thought. When hefound that he couldn't get away, he just lay still. He was too tiredand frightened to do much of anything else, anyway.

  Now when he lay still, he spoiled Bowser's fun, for it was seeing himjump and kick his long legs that tickled Bowser so. Bowser tossed him upin the air two or three times, but Grandfather Frog simply lay where hefell without moving.

  "Bow, wow, wow!" cried Bowser, in his great deep voice. Grandfather Frogdidn't so much as blink his great goggly eyes. Bowser sniffed him allover.

  "I guess I've frightened him to death," said Bowser, talking to himself."I didn't mean to do that. I just wanted to have some fun with him."With that, Bowser took one more sniff and then trotted off to try tofind something more exciting. You see, he hadn't had the least intentionin the world of really hurting Grandfather Frog.

  Grandfather Frog kept perfectly still until he was sure that Bowser wasnowhere near. Then he gave a great sigh of relief and crawled under abig mullein leaf to rest, and think things over.

  "Chugarum, that was a terrible experience; it was, indeed!" said he tohimself, shivering at the very thought of what he had been through."Nothing like that ever happened to me in the Smiling Pool. I've alwayssaid that the Smiling Pool is a better place in which to live than isthe Great World, and now I know it. The question is, what had I best donow?"

  Now right down in his heart Grandfather Frog knew the answer. Of coursethe best thing to do was to go straight back to the Smiling Pool as fastas he could. But Grandfather Frog is stubborn. Yes, Sir, he certainly isstubborn. And stubbornness is often just another name for foolishness.He had told Jerry Muskrat that he was going out to see the Great World.Now if he went back, Jerry would laugh at him.

  "I won't!" said Grandfather Frog.

  "What won't you do?" asked a voice so close to him that Grandfather Frogmade a long jump before he thought. You see, at the Smiling Pool healways jumped at the least hint of danger, and because one jump alwaystook him into the water, he was always safe. But there was no waterhere, and that jump took him right out where anybody passing could seehim. Then he turned around to see who had startled him so. It was DannyMeadow Mouse.

  "I won't go back to the Smiling Pool until I have seen the Great World,"replied Grandfather Frog gruffly.

  "You won't see much of the Great World if you jump likethat every time you get a scare," said Danny. _Page 62._]

  "You won't see much of the Great World if you jump like that every timeyou get a scare," said Danny, shaking his head. "No, Sir, you won't seemuch of the Great World, because one of these times you'll jump rightinto the claws of old Whitetail the Marsh Hawk, or his cousin Redtail,or Reddy Fox. You take my advice, Grandfather Frog, and go straight backto the Smiling Pool. You don't know enough about the Great World to takecare of yourself."

  But Grandfather Frog was set in his ways, and nothing that Danny MeadowMouse could say changed his mind in the least. "I started out to see theGreat World, and I'm going to keep right on," said he.

  "All right," said Danny at last. "If you will, I suppose you will. I'llgo a little way with you just to get you started right."

  "Thank you," replied Grandfather Frog. "Let's start right away."

  XIII

  DANNY MEADOW MOUSE FEELS RESPONSIBLE

  Responsible is a great big word. But it is just as big in its meaning asit is in its looks, and that is the way words should be, I think, don'tyou? Anyway, re-spon-sible is the way Danny Meadow Mouse felt when hefound Grandfather Frog out on the Green Meadows so far from the SmilingPool and so stubborn that he would keep on to see the Great Worldinstead of going back to his big green lily-pad in the Smiling Pool,where he could take care of himself. You remember Peter Rabbit feltre-spon-sible when he brought little Miss Fuzzy tail down from the OldPasture to the dear Old Briar-patch. He felt that it was his businessto see to it that no harm came to her, and that is just the way DannyMeadow Mouse felt about Grandfather Frog.

  You see, Danny knew that if Grandfather Frog was going to jump like thatevery time he was frightened, he wouldn't get very far in the GreatWorld. It might be the right thing to do in the Smiling Pool, where thefriendly water would hide him from his enemies, but it was just thewrong thing to do on the Green Meadows or in the Green Forest. Danny hadlearned, when a very tiny fellow, that there the only safe thing to dowhen danger was near was to sit perfectly still and hardly breathe.

  Now Danny Meadow Mouse is fond of Grandfather Frog, and he couldn't bearto think that something dreadful might happen to him. So when he foundthat he couldn't get Grandfather Frog to go back to the Smiling Pool, hemade up his mind that he just _had_ to go along with Grandfather Frog totry to keep him out of danger. Yes, Sir, he just _had_ to do it. He feltre-spon-sible for Grandfather Frog's safety. So here they were, DannyMeadow Mouse running ahead, anxious and worried and watching sharply forsigns of danger, and Grandfather Frog puffing along behind, bound to seethe Great World which his cousin, old Mr. Toad, said was a better placeto live in than the Smiling Pool.

  Now Danny has a great many private little paths under the grass all overthe Green Meadows, and along these he can scamper ever so fast withoutonce showing himself to those who may be looking for him. Of course hestarted to take Grandfather Frog along one of these little paths. ButGrandfather Frog doesn't walk or run; he jumps. There wasn't room inDanny's little paths for jumping, as they soon found out. GrandfatherFrog simply couldn't follow Danny along those little paths. Danny satdown to think, and puckered his brows anxiously. He was more worriedthan ever. It was very clear that Grandfather Frog would have to travelout in the open, where there was room for him to jump, and where also hewould be right out in plain sight of all who happened along. Once moreDanny urged him to go back to the Smiling Pool, but he might just aswell have talked to a stick or a stone. Grandfather Frog had started outto see the Great World, and he was going to see it.

  Danny sighed. "If you will, you will, I suppose," said he, "and I guessthe only place you can travel in any comfort is the Lone Little Path.It is dangerous, very dangerous, but I guess you will have to do it."

  "Chugarum!" replied Grandfather Frog, "I'm not afraid. You show me theLone Little Path and then go about your business, Danny Meadow Mouse."

  So Danny led the way to the Lone Little Path, and Grandfather Frogsighed with relief, for here he could jump without getting all tangledup in long grass and without hurting his tender feet on sharp stubblewhere the grass had been cut. But Danny felt more worried than ever. Hewouldn't leave Grandfather Frog because, you know, he felt re-spon-siblefor him, and at the same time he was terribly afraid, for he felt surethat some of their enemies would see them. He wanted to go back, but hekept right on, and that shows just what a brave little fellow DannyMeadow Mouse was.

  XIV

  GRANDFATHER FROG HAS A STRANGE RIDE

  A thousand things may happen to, Ten thousand things befall, The traveler who careless is, Or thinks he knows it all.

  Grandfather Frog, jumping along behind Danny Meadow Mouse up the LoneLittle Path, was beginning to think that Danny was the most timid andeasiest frightened of all the little meadow people of his acquaintance.Danny kept as much under the grass that overhung the Lone Little Path ashe could. When there were perfectly bare places, Danny looked this wayand looked that way anxiously and then scampered across as fast as hecould make his little legs go. When he was safely across, he would waitfor Grandfather Frog. If a shadow passed over the grass, Danny wouldduck under the nearest leaf and hold his breath.

  "Foolish!" muttered Grandfather Frog. "Foolish, foolish to be so afraid!Now, I'm not afraid until I see something to be afraid of. Time enoughthen. What's the good of looking for trouble all the time? Now, here Iam out in the Great World, and I'm not afraid. An
d here's Danny MeadowMouse, who has lived here all his life, acting as if he expectedsomething dreadful to happen any minute. Pooh! How very, very foolish!"

  Now Grandfather Frog is old and in the Smiling Pool he is accountedvery, very wise. But the wisest sometimes become foolish when they thinkthat they know all there is to know. It was so with Grandfather Frog.It was he who was foolish and not Danny Meadow Mouse. You see Danny knewall the dangers on the Green Meadows, and how many sharp eyes were allthe time watching for him. He had long ago learned that the only way tofeel safe was to feel afraid. You see, then he was watching for dangerevery minute, and so he wasn't likely to be surprised by his hungryenemies.

  So while Grandfather Frog was looking down on Danny for being so timid,Danny was really doing the wisest thing. More than that, he was reallyvery, very brave. He was showing Grandfather Frog the way up the LoneLittle Path to see the Great World, when he himself would never, neverhave thought of traveling anywhere but along his own secret littlepaths, just because Grandfather Frog couldn't jump anywhere exceptingwhere the way was fairly clear, as in the Lone Little Path, and Dannywas afraid that unless Grandfather Frog had some one with him to watchout for him, he would surely come to a sad end.

  The farther they went with nothing happening, the more foolish Danny'stimid way of running and hiding seemed to Grandfather Frog, and he wasjust about to tell Danny just what he thought, when Danny dived into thelong grass and warned Grandfather Frog to do the same. But GrandfatherFrog didn't.