The Blue Frog

by Lance O. Redding

Bobby the Blue Frog was very different from all the other frogs because he was a blue frog, and the other frogs in the Pond were all green.  Oh, Bobby had seen frogs that weren’t green before, but never a blue one.  Some frogs were brown, or even black, but never blue!  So naturally, all the other frogs in Tadschool teased him.  They made fun of him almost every day at recess time.  Pretty soon, Bobby decided that something had to change!  He had to prove to the other frogs that he was just as good as they were!  So he challenged the green frogs to a jumping contest.  All frogs are good jumpers, but some can jump even farther than normal frogs, and Bobby was hoping that this was his day.  If only he could jump farther than the other frogs, then they would see that he was just like them, and they would be his friends.

When recess time came, all the frogs lined up on a line.  Then Sally, a very pretty lime-green frog from the north end of the lake, said “On your mark, get set, JUMP!”  Bobby closed his eyes, crouched down, tensed his muscles, and then sprang forward with all his might.  When he opened his eyes his heart fell.  He was not the best jumper.  In fact, he was at the very back.  He was the worst jumper of all.

So Bobby decided to practice.  He practiced and practiced all day long.  While most of the other frogs were relaxing in the nice, cool water of the pond, Bobby was on the ground, jumping and jumping and jumping.

The other frogs thought it was so funny, that they sent one of the meaner frogs up on the land to give Bobby another challenge.  His name was Hank the Bullyfrog, and he wasn’t nice to Bobby at all.

“Bobby, how about we have a fly-eating contest?!”

Bobby gulped in fear.  If he said no, Hank would just laugh and call him a coward.  But if he said yes, and lost again, he didn’t think he could stand it!  Still, he thought, he had to try.  Maybe, just maybe, he could win the fly-eating contest, and then everyone would like him!

So he agreed.  They went to the south of the lake, where the flies liked to live.  Sally said “go” and off they went, chasing and eating as many flies as the could.  The flies went wild, flying every which way, over and under and around.  Bobby was having a hard time seeing them because they flew so fast.  Still, he was able to catch three flies before Sally said stop.  When he looked over at Hank, though, he knew he had lost.  Everyone was surrounding Hank and congratulating him on his spectacular win.  Bobby slipped into the water and began swimming away before anyone could see him leaving.

Suddenly, Norman, a large brown and green frog who lived on the east side of the lake called out, “Hey, Bobby’s getting away!  Everyone after him!”

Bobby knew he was in trouble now.  They were going to try catching him in the water, and if they did, he was sure they would tease him and push him and even dunk his head in the water.  So he swam away as fast as he could.  He heard the splishes and splashes of other frogs jumping in the water, and he knew they were all fast swimmers, but Bobby also loved swimming, and thought that maybe, just maybe, he could swim even faster.

The other frogs were getting close, though.  He could see them, just out of the corner of his eye.  So he swam even harder.  Then, he spotted the reeds.  The reeds were very tall plants that grew out of the pond and made a forest.  So he swam into the reeds and ducked and dived in and around the stalks as fast as he could.  Even though some of the other frogs were faster swimmers, no one could keep up with Bobby through the reeds.  He was just too fast!  He cornered so fast around the reeds, and the other frogs just weren’t as nimble.  All behind him, Bobby could hear the cries of anger and frustration as the other frogs crashed into the stalks or just couldn’t keep up.  Finally, he was free of the stalks, on the far side of the pond, where his parents told him he should never go.  But if he went back into the reeds, he was afraid the other frogs might get him.  So he tried to relax in the clear blue water.  Maybe if he waited long enough, they would all leave the reeds, go back to their homes, and he could swim home safely, without being bothered.

A loud noise behind Bobby startled him and he looked around to see what had made it.  What he saw frightened him more than anything he had ever seen before.  Two humans stood above him, looking down into the pond.  He froze in terror.  Then he heard other noises, coming from the reeds.  The other frogs had made it through, and had just spotted Bobby.

“There he is!” shouted Hank the Bullyfrog.  “Get him”

Bobby tried to shout a warning, but the humans were too fast.  As soon as all the frogs were swimming after Bobby, they started scooping into the water with his big net.  Every time they scooped down, they caught two or three frogs in his net.  Bobby swam frantically to help his classmates, and although he was scared of being caught as well, he forged ahead anyway.  But the large humans never tried to scoop Bobby into their nets because they never even saw Bobby the blue frog.  Bobby realized that in the blue water, the humans could only see the green frogs!

The humans turned to leave and one said to the other, “Joe, we’re gonna eat good tonight!”

Bobby knew he had to act fast if he was going to save his classmates.  He swam back through the reeds, even faster than he had the first time, and told all the adult frogs what had happened, and then he told them his plan.  Then he went off and found the snakes, the mosquitoes, the lizards, the owls, the deer, and any other animal who would listen, and told them his plan to free the green frogs.

As soon as the sun set, all the animals circled around the human’s campsite.  They were nervous, because humans are the scariest creatures of all, but they knew that they had to free those frogs.  They crept forward in the darkness of the night without making a sound.  It was Bobby’s turn to begin the plan and even though he was very afraid, he hopped right into the middle of the campsite, where both the humans could see him.

“Joe, looks like one of them frogs got loose!  Let’s get him!”

Bobby hopped away as fast as he could, and the humans ran after him.  Then, suddenly, all the forest animals ran into the campsite as loudly as they could.  The raccoons found the human’s food and tore into the bags, the foxes stole the human’s nets, and a big black bear poured water onto the fire.  The humans shrieked in terror, because humans can’t see very well in the dark.  They ran around and around in circles, bumping into trees and each other, until finally they found the trail and ran away from the pond as quickly as they could.

The big bear came over to a large black pot of water near the firepit and looked inside where all the green frogs were crying to be freed.  He put his big nose on the side of the pot and pushed it over.  All the green frogs jumped away as quickly as they could and found their parents, who were very happy to have them back, safe and sound.

Hank the Bullyfrog looked at his dad and said, “How did you know we were here?  How did you save us?”

His dad said, loud enough for everyone to hear, “Bobby the Blue Frog told us what happened.  It was Bobby’s idea to save you from the humans.  Bobby is a hero!”

Everyone cheered.  Hank the Bullyfrog came over and gave Bobby a high-five and said, “I’m sorry for treating you so badly, Bobby.  You’re a great frog.”  Even Sally came over and gave Bobby a kiss on the cheek.  Bobby blushed, and learned for the first time, that even blue frogs can turn red.  From then on, everyone was happy, and Bobby had more than enough friends.

The End.

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