Bully Bull Frog and His Home in Rainbow Valley

by Elizabeth Stafford Fry

When the ducks were all in the water, the frogs who were watching on the opposite side of the pond saw Mr. and Mrs. John Bull Frog quietly slip into the pond and go out of sight. Then very soon they saw two of the little ducks suddenly disappear under the water. In a short time Mr. and Mrs. John Bull Frog climbed back on their rock. They looked a bit fatter and happier than when they went in. The frogs couldn't understand what made them seem so. And what had become of those two little ducks!

Mr. and Mrs. Duck didn't seem to notice that anything unusual had happened. After they had eaten their breakfast of young frogs and polly-wogs they left the Frog Pond. Mrs. Duck led her family back to the home nest and cuddled them snugly under her warm wings. There were really only eight left, but she didn't seem to notice. She is not very good at numbers.

The next morning all the frogs were smiling broadly. They knew now why Mr. and Mrs. John Bull Frog had looked so happy the day before. They gathered early on their bank of the Frog Pond to see if Mr. and Mrs. John Bull Frog would dare do the same thing they had done the day before. Sure enough, when the ducks were all swimming around in the water, the John Bulls slipped from their rock and disappeared.

The eyes of the frogs who were watching almost popped out of their heads from excitement. Pretty soon they saw two more little ducks go under the water with a jerk, just as had happened the day before. This time they heard one give a faint little quack. After a few moments Mr. and Mrs. John Bull Frog climbed back on their rock. They were smiling more broadly than ever and looked as if they had enjoyed a very good breakfast. This time Mrs. Duck seemed to notice that something was wrong, but she didn't know just what it was. Very soon she left the water with her babies. Six little ducks were all she had now. She looked around and quacked a few times. Then she sat down on the bank of the pond and called to the little ducks to come and get under her wings. She put her head first under one wing and then under the other as though she was trying to count her family. Perhaps she was!

The next day you may be sure every frog in the pond, as well as Mrs. Toad and even the tree frogs, gathered early on the banks to see the Duck family go down to the water for their morning swim. Every frog face wore a wide smile. Bully was full of joy, and even Mrs. Toad had wiped away her tears and was smiling a wee bit of a smile. But Mr. and Mrs. Duck didn't seem quite as happy as usual. They had a worried look. Their quacks sounded almost like a sob. The ducks and frogs in Rainbow Valley had begun to change places. A few days ago the ducks were happy and the frogs were sad. Now the frogs were ready to hold their sides with laughter and the ducks were looking troubled and frightened.

Mrs. Duck didn't start out as early as usual this morning. She kept looking this way and then that, and acted as though she were worried about something. No matter which way she looked about the pond, she could see nothing but frogs. They seemed to be everywhere, and each one seemed to be looking straight at her and her family. But surely, thought she, they can't harm me or my family. But she didn't seem to understand what the trouble was, or why all those frogs were sitting on the bank and watching her. Now where were those other little ducks? Surely she had more than these. But she couldn't answer any of these questions.

The little ducks under her wings began to quack softly. This meant they were hungry and wanted some breakfast. Her babies must be fed, and she knew of no food quite so good for them as polly-wogs. Why hadn't she fed them before? They ought to have had their breakfast long ago. As she thought this she got up and waddled slowly to the edge of the water, the little ducks following her eagerly. She watched carefully to see that no danger was near. She gathered them all around her for a few minutes and quacked softly to them. Then she led them down into the water. Soon they were having such a splendid time swimming happily about and eating their breakfast.

But all too soon Mrs. Duck and Mr. Duck, who had also come down to the water, heard two real loud little quacks. Now they really were worried. They left the water at once, but only four of their family toddled after them. They looked all about, and then looked at their babies, and all the time Mother Duck kept saying, "Quack, quack." She was surely calling, calling, calling those other dear downy babies of hers. But they had gone away and would never come back. Her voice shook as she called, and there was a big lump in her throat. Mr. Duck didn't say much. He didn't seem to be able to quack out loud. He just walked along after those four babies not looking at anything else.

It was much later than usual the next day when Mrs. Duck came back to the old Frog Pond to feed her four babies. She acted as if she did not want to go near the water. It was there she had lost her other downy babies. She waited about as long as she could. For some time the little ducks had been calling loudly for their breakfast. She had tucked them back under her wings and kept them there as long as she could. They kept saying they wanted to go to the pond and catch polly-wogs for breakfast. They were so very, very hungry. She told them they might leave the nest, but she did not like to start out with them.

She could see no danger, but somehow she was in great fear that morning. At last she left the nest, but she did not mean to let the four little ducks go near the water. But what did those naughty babies of hers do? As soon as she left the nest the little ducks ran ahead of her as fast as their short yellow legs would carry them. Then they plunged right into the water. Mrs. Duck ran after them, quacking softly at first, then louder and louder. She begged them to come back. Then she scolded them. But like all naughty children, they wouldn't mind her. They loved the water and the tender little polly-wogs. They were sure there was nothing to be afraid of. They thought anybody could see that. Why was mother making such a fuss? That is what they asked as they ate their breakfast.