The Adventures of Grandfather Frog

GRANDFATHER FROG HURRIES AWAY

When Striped Chipmunk cut the string that bound the long legs of Grandfather Frog together, Grandfather Frog was so relieved that he hardly knew what to do.  Of course he thanked Striped Chipmunk over and over again.  Striped Chipmunk said that it was nothing, just nothing at all, and that he was very glad indeed to help Grandfather Frog.

“We folks who live out in the Great World have to help one another,” said Striped Chipmunk, “because we never know when we may need help ourselves.  Now you take my advice, Grandfather Frog, and go back to the Smiling Pool as fast as you can.  The Great World is no place for an old fellow like you, because you don’t know how to take care of yourself.”

Now when he said that, Striped Chipmunk made a great mistake.  Old people never like to be told that they are old or that they do not know all there is to know.  Grandfather Frog straightened up and tried to look very dignified.

“Chugarum!” said he, “I’d have you to know, Striped Chipmunk, that people were coming to me for advice before you were born.  It was just an accident that Farmer Brown’s boy caught me, and I’d like to see him do it again.  Yes, Sir, I’d like to see him do it again!”

Dear me, dear me!  Grandfather Frog was boasting.  If he had been safe at home in the Smiling Pool, there might have been some excuse for boasting, but way over here in the Long Lane, not even knowing the way back to the Smiling Pool, it was foolish, very foolish indeed.  No one knew that better than Striped Chipmunk, but he has a great deal of respect for Grandfather Frog, and he knew too that Grandfather Frog was feeling very much out of sorts and very much mortified to think that he had been caught in such a scrape, so he put a hand over his mouth to hide a smile as he said: 

“Of course he isn’t going to catch you again.  I know how wise and smart you are, but you look to me very tired, and there are so many dangers out here in the Great World that it seems to me that the very best thing you can do is to go back to the Smiling Pool.”

But Grandfather Frog is stubborn, you know.  He had started out to see the Great World, and he didn’t want the little people of the Green Meadows and the Green Forest to think that he was afraid.  The truth is, Grandfather Frog was more afraid of being laughed at than he was of the dangers around him, which shows just how foolish wise people can be sometimes.  So he shook his head.

“Chugarum!” said he, “I am going to see the Great World first, and then I am going back to the Smiling Pool.  Do you happen to know where there is any water?  I am very thirsty.”

Now over on the other side of the Long Lane was a spring where Farmer Brown’s boy filled his jug with clear cold water to take with him to the cornfield when he had to work there.  Striped Chipmunk knew all about that spring, for he had been there for a drink many times.  So he told Grandfather Frog just where the spring was and how to get to it.  He even offered to show the way, but Grandfather Frog said that he would rather go alone.

“Watch out, Grandfather Frog, and don’t fall in, because you might not be able to get out again,” warned Striped Chipmunk.

Grandfather Frog looked up sharply to see if Striped Chipmunk was making fun of him.  The very idea of any one thinking that he, who had lived in the water all his life, couldn’t get out when he pleased!  But Striped Chipmunk looked really in earnest, so Grandfather Frog swallowed the quick retort on the tip of his tongue, thanked Striped Chipmunk, and hurried away to look for the spring, for he was very, very thirsty.  Besides, he was very, very hot, and he hurried still faster as he thought of the cool bath he would have when he found that spring.