One day Hoppy Toad was basking in the sun. So interested was he in taking his sun-bath, he failed to notice two rough-looking boys who were coming toward him.
One boy said to the other: “Go easy, Jack, maybe we can catch him. I have long wanted to get one of these toads; they make good pets; one can have lots of fun with one.”
These words were spoken in a near whisper and Hoppy Toad heard him not. The biggest boy of the two crept along slowly, making as little noise as possible. The smaller boy remained a few feet behind, prepared to give chase to Hoppy Toad should he happen to notice the attempt to capture him and make an effort to escape.
The big boy crept along so carefully that Hoppy Toad was entirely ignorant of the danger facing him. He continued to bask joyfully in the sun.
“This is easy,” said the big boy. “He doesn’t have the least idea there is a person around to disturb him. I’ll have a great time with him when I get him tamed.”
He was now within a few feet of Hoppy Toad, and ready to capture poor Hoppy, who was still enjoying the warmth of the sun’s rays.
The big boy was in the act of reaching for Hoppy Toad, when a bumblebee stung him on the arm, causing him to let out a wild scream that startled the smaller boy. As a result Hoppy Toad hopped off to safety, while the big boy, crying from the pain of the sting of the bumblebee, ran as fast as his legs would carry him for home. The small boy followed him fearful that he, too, might be stung by the bumblebee.
Hoppy Toad looked around for the bumblebee who had rescued him, for he wished to thank him for the timely rescue. He spied him on a branch of a wild rose bush nearby and hopped gleefully to the bush to give him his thanks for the rescue.