Brave Red, Smart Frog by Emily Jenkins

Author:Emily Jenkins [Jenkins, Emily]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9178-3
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Published: 2017-10-19T04:00:00+00:00

AS WALNUT WALKED the path to the well, she stumbled and moped to make herself look as miserable as possible, but the crone was nowhere in sight.

Walnut filled the jug and began to carry it back, pausing often to sigh and stare at the sky. If the crone was hiding nearby, she would surely see how very unhappy poor Walnut was — and reward her suffering with jewels.

She was almost home when a small boy ran up behind her on the path. He was dirty and had green goop coming out his nose. “Oooh, could I have a drink of water?” he asked Walnut. “I have no cup.”

“Not with that nose. Be off.”

“What’s wrong with my nose?”

“Go away.”

“Come on,” said the boy, wiping his snot on the back of his hand. “Be nice. I’m awful thirsty.”

“Have you seen a crone nearby?” asked Walnut. “A crone who might be a fairy and takes pity on poor depressed girls like myself?”

“I haven’t seen anyone. Please, may I have some water?” he repeated. “I have no cup. I am horrible dry in the mouth, lady.”

“Get on away from me,” said Walnut. “Germy little runt, you.”

At that, the boy kicked her in the shin, making her drop the jug. It broke, and the water spilled out across the ground. “For your bitterness,” he yelled, as he ran away laughing. “For your bitterness, I reward you with toads!”

“You’re a toad, runt!” yelled Walnut, shaking her fist at him — but as she spoke, her mouth filled with slimy objects, each the size of your big toe. She spat them harshly into her hand. There were two brown toads and a green one wiggling on her palm.

“Disgusting!” she said. A large yellow toad formed in her mouth, forced its way out, and joined its fellows in her hand.

Walnut screamed and dropped the toads. As she did, four small red ones leaped from her tongue onto the wet ground, where they splashed happily in the puddle by the broken jug. Walnut stomped them angrily, but they were extremely fast, and even when she did manage to step on one, it popped back as if made from rubber.

Hand clamped over her mouth, Walnut ran home as fast as she could go, the eight toads hopping cheerily behind her.

Well, you can only imagine.

Walnut’s mother insisted she tell the story of what had happened at the well, and with each word she spoke, Walnut produced another toad — the longer the word, the larger the beastie.

Soon the poky house was filled with toads. Toads in the sink, toads in the cooking pot, toads in the cups and saucers. Toads on shoulders and toes, toads on pillows and sponges, tiny toads in the curves of spoons. And, oh, the croaking and belching that filled the house!

Walnut stood on a chair and screamed, which only made sickly white toads the size of bread loaves force themselves from her mouth. The stepmother grabbed hold of an iron pot and began banging at toads

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.