The Frog, Jack Ivey [digital ebook reader .txt] 📗

The Frog

The frog sits on a lily pad in the middle of the swamp sunning himself when along happens a fly. He is hungry so he waits until the fly gets a little bit closer. He assumes the position of striking and just before his tongue leaves his mouth the fly says, “Please don’t eat me, Mr. Frog.”

“And why shouldn’t I?”

“You are fat and plump and I am a little fly. There is no way I could satisfy your appetite.”

“But I am hungry and you are only one of many flies I will eat today.”

“I am sure that is true, but please I beg you, do not eat me.”

“This is ridiculous,” croaks the frog.

“Look, let’s make a deal. We both know that I am too close now to ever get away from your quick tongue, no matter how fast I can fly, so please, just hear me out and if you still choose to eat me, then you can,” pleads the fly.

“Oh very well, speak fly.”

“Well you see, frogs have already eaten my father and my two brothers. My older sister ran away with a wasp; can you believe it, a wasp? My Mother has a broken wing and four young flies to take care of. I am the only one who is able to provide for my family and if you eat me, what are they to do?”

“I don’t care about your family,” answers the frog.

“I am sure you don’t, but just put yourself in my place, would you want to be eaten if you were the only one who could provide for your family?”

“It matters not, I have heard enough.”

The frog prepares to strike as the fly winces in fear. Without warning, despite the quickness of the frog's tongue, a huge set of alligator jaws rises out of the water from behind the frog, and chomps down, swallowing the frog whole.

The fly says, “How’d I do?”

The alligator replies, “Perfect, just perfect.”

Text: Jack Ivey
Editing: Valerie Byron
Publication Date: 11-19-2012

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