01-Spring

Frog ran up the path to Toad’s house. He knocked on the front door. There was no answer.

“Toad, Toad,” shouted Frog, “wake up. It is spring!” 

“Blah,” said a voice from inside the house.

“Toad! Toad!” cried Frog.

“The sun is shining! The snow is melting, Wake up!”

“I am not here,” said the voice.

Frog walked into the house. It was dark.

All the shutters were closed.

“Toad, where are you?” called Frog.

“Go away,” said the voice from a corner of the room.

Toad was lying in bed. He had pulled all the covers over his head.

Frog pushed Toad out of bed.

He pushed him out of the house and onto the front porch.

Toad blinked in the bright sun.

“Help!” said Toad.

“I cannot see anything.”

“Don’t be silly,” said Frog.

“What you see is the clear warm light of April. And it means that we can begin a whole new year together, Toad. Think of it,” said Frog.

“We will skip through the meadows and run through the woods and swim in the river.

In the evenings we will sit right here on this front porch and count the stars.”

“You can count them, Frog,” said Toad.

“I will be too tired. I am going back to bed.”

Toad went back into the house.

He got into the bed and pulled the covers over his head again.

“But, toad,” cried Frog, “you will miss all the fun!”

“Listen, Frog,” said Toad. 

“How long have I been asleep?”

“You have been asleep since November,” said Frog.

“Well then,” said Toad, “a little more sleep will not hurt me. Come back again and wake me up at about half past May. Good night, Frog.”

“But, Toad,” said Frog,

“I will be lonely until then.”

Toad did not answer. He had fallen asleep.

Frog looked at Toad’s calendar.

The November page was still on top. Frog tore off the November page.

He tore off the December page. And the January page, the February page, and the March page.

He came to the April page. Frog tore off the April page too.

Then Frog ran back to Toad’s bed.

“Toad, Toad, wake up. It is May now.”

“What?” said Toad.

“Can it be May so soon?”

“Yes,” said Frog.

“Look at your calendar.”

Toad looked at the calendar.

The May page was on top. 

“Why, it is May!” said Toad as he climbed out of bed.

Then he and Frog ran outside to see how the world was looking in the spring.

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