Read Online Frog and Friends by Eve Bunting - Free Book Online

Frog Goes Up, Up, Up
    The wind made ripples on Frog’s pond.
    When he woke up from his sleep he saw something floating on the water. Something he had never seen before.

    It was BIG, BIG.
    It was Orange.
    It had a tail.
    Frog called his friends. “Come see. There is a THING in my pond.”

    â€œIt does not talk. It does not move. It just lies there on the water.”
    â€œI think it is a big egg. Maybe a hippopotamus egg,” Rabbit said.
    â€œWe do not have any hippopotamus-esssss here,” Frog told her.
    â€œI think it is a big, big bubble,” Possum said.

    Frog shook his head, “Who ever heard of an orange bubble?”
    â€œI think it is a humongous seed,” Raccoon said.

    â€œI think it is a THING with a long, ugly, skinny tail,” Squirrel said.
    Frog swam closer.

    â€œPull its long, ugly, skinny tail,” Squirrel said. “Then see what happens.”
    â€œDo not,” Possum advised. “It might do something bad.”
    â€œBe brave,” Squirrel urged.

    Frog swam closer. He took hold of THING’s tail.
    Just then the wind came strong. It skidded THING across the pond.

    Suddenly THING rose UP, UP, UP.
    â€œLet go! Let go of the tail,” Rabbit called.
    But Frog was too far above the pond. He was scared to let go.
    Rabbit ran for the long, ugly, skinny tail and caught it. She swung behind Frog. They went UP, UP, UP.
    Then Squirrel ran and swung behind Rabbit.
    Then Possum.

    THING began to sink DOWN, DOWN, DOWN.
    Possum’s feet were on the ground. Then Squirrel’s.
    Then Rabbit’s.
    Then Frog’s.
    They fell in a Froggie, Rabbitty, Squirrely, Possumy heap.

    THING started to rise again. It bumped into the oak tree and . . .
    BANG!
    It was the loudest bang in the world.

    Drifting down from the oak tree were little pieces of THING.
    â€œWe killed it!” Frog moaned. “Oh, that is so sad.”
    â€œWe will have a funeral,” Rabbit said. “A nice one.”
    â€œTo show we are sorry,” Frog added.

    They dug a small hole under the oak tree and buried all the little bits of THING. Then they held paws and sang a sorry song.
    â€œI wonder what THING was?” Rabbit asked.
    Frog shook his head. “I suppose we will never know.”

Frog’s Pretty Blue Scarf
    Raccoon came by Frog’s home.
    â€œI was told you have a bad cold,” she said. “I knitted this pretty blue scarf for you. It will keep you warm and help your cold.”
    â€œOh, thank you,” Frog said. “It will be perfect.”
    But it was not perfect.

    Frog tried to wrap it around his neck. “But I have no neck,” Frog said to himself. “And I am too slippery.”
    The scarf slipped up to cover his face. “Help, help! I cannot breathe.”

    Then it slipped over his eyes. “Help, help! Now I cannot see. I will give this pretty blue scarf to my friend, Rabbit. There is nothing wasted that you give to a friend.”

    â€œOh, thank you,” Rabbit said. “This will be perfect.”
    She wore the scarf all day.
    But it was not perfect.

    â€œMy own fur is so soft and cozy. This pretty blue scarf makes me too hot. I will give it to my friend, Squirrel. He will look spiffy in it.”
    Squirrel did look spiffy in it. “This is perfect,” he said.
    But it was not perfect.

    â€œThis pretty blue scarf is scratchy,” he said. “It makes me itch. I know, I will give it to my friend, Possum. She can cuddle her babies in it.”

    â€œOh, thank you,” Possum said. “This will be perfect.”
    She tucked her babies in the pretty blue scarf.
    But it was not perfect.

    Her babies did not like it one bit.
    â€œLet us out, let us out,” they squeaked. “Help, help! We are trapped.”
    They squeaked and squealed and bit their mother and each other.

    â€œOh dear,” Possum said, untucking them. “I know. I will give the pretty blue scarf to Frog.