THE FROG’S BALL

New Zealand Graphic, Volume V, Issue 40, 4 October 1890, Page 19

THE FROG’S BALL

‘ Dear me,’ said Mrs Frank Frog to her husband, ‘ it is quite time we gave a dance.' ‘ A dance, my dear?’ said her husband. ‘ Yes, a dance,’ said Mrs Frog. ‘Oh Mamma Frog, do," said little Totty Frog. ‘ I should like a dance.’ ‘ Where could we have it?” asked Papa Frog. .* By the side of the creek,’ said Totty 7 Frog. ‘ 1 know a nice Hat piece of grass,’ said Phil Frog, the only boy Mr and Mrs Frank Frog had. • How shall we get any music?’ said Papa Frog. ‘ Yes, we can’t dance without music,’ said Mamma Frog. ‘ There is the band,’ cried Phil. ‘ Yes, let us have the band,’ said Totty, clapping her trout claws, which were her hands. ‘ How many are there in the band ?’ asked Papa Frog. ‘ Four,’ said Spotty. ‘ There’s old Brownfoot and old Yelloweye, who always read their music out of the same book, and there are the two brothers Squeakers.’ ‘I know the brothers,’said Papa Frog. ‘One is called Moan Squeaker, and the other Groan Squeaker.’ ‘ When shall we have the dance?’ asked Totty, who did not like to wait for anything. ‘ To-morrow night ; may we ?’ asked Phil, who was in quite as great a hurry as his sister. So Phil was sent round to invite the visitors First he called at Mrs Greencoat’s, and asked her and her daughter Hoppy to come to the dance the next night. She said they would be very pleased to come, and might they bring Cousin Dotty, who was staying with them, also the two boys, Bill and Hill ?

So Phil said, ‘Yes, with pleasure,’ and he put down in his little book, ‘ Mamma and Papa Frog, that’s two ; Totty and Spotty Frog (she is away from home, but we must get her back), that’s four ; myself, live ; Mr and Mrs Greencoat, Hoppy Greencoat, their cousin Dotty, ami the two boys, Bill and Hill, that’s eleven. I must ask Mr ami MrsSlippy, and then we shall have quite enough, I think.’ But when the evening came Mrs Slippy hail a very bad cold, and had to stay at home, so Mr Slippy came without her, and brought Ids brother Joe. There was a lovely moon, and everything looked as bright as if the sun were shining. The four frogs who played the music began a capital waltz, and if you look at the picture you will see them standing on your left. The nearest one is old Mr Brownfoot and he is working away very steadily. The next is old Mr Yelloweye, and he seems rather to like music. Just above them are the two squeaker brothers, Moan is lhe far one, and Groan is the nearer one. In the middle of the picture Mrs Greencoat is dancing with Papa Frog, and next to them cousin Dotty is dancing with Mr Slippy. Just above them Spotty Frog is dancing with Bill Greencoat, and above them you can see Phi! Frog bowing to Hoppy Greencoat, and asking her to have a dance with him. She is holding out her hand, and has a lovely green sash on and new frill. Just above them Totty Frog is dancing nicely with Hill Greencoat, whilst at the to], Mr Slippy's brother Joe is trying a little hop with another frog named White Chin, who dropped in without being asked. Mamma Frog is close by the creek, out of sight, getting supper. When they had all danced as much as they could Mamma Frog clapped two stones together for a gong, and they all came in a great hurry to eat the good things which she had provided for them. A large Hat stone served as a table.

Only one accident happened. Spotty was running round the table to hand Mrs Greencoat a particularly nice worm with a bit of watercress, when

her foot, slipped and she rolled down the bank into the water. Of course she did not really mind the ducking, only she had her best frock on, and it got rather nimbly. However, she ran away down the creek, and hiding behind some rushes, took it off and washed it. Then she put it on again, and it ieally felt more comfortable wet than dry. After supper there wa- some singing, ami the frogs managed to croak in time amt tune some very pretty songs, such as ‘ Froggy would A-wooing Go,’ and another called ‘ Four-and-Twenty Froggies.'

• Eour-and-twenty froggies By the water cool. Koar-and-t wvnty froggies Playing singing school.’ etc. At the end they all croaked and laughed, till one frog sai<l he was dry and must go into the water. So their visitors all went home.

Jack Frost.