If the answer is no, then you most probably have never seen a talking toad.
And if the answer is no to this, then you are quite obviously, not Little Lucy.
For Little Lucy was a sweet little girl, but always getting herself into trouble. Our story begins in Little Lucy?s garden, as she is having a tantrum;
?NOOOO!NOOO!I HATE WASHING UP!I WON?T DO IT!NOOO!?
?Lucy sweetheart, come back? called her mother, hopelessly as Lucy stormed into the garden.
?I hate you!? screamed Lucy.
Her mother being a kind lady, left Little Lucy to have her tantrum and returned to the house to bake some cookies.
?sniff sniff? tried Lucy as loud as she could, but her mother had already closed the back door.
?It?s not fair! Why me?? she cried, tears streaming from her eyes.
Do not be alarmed by Little Lucy?s distress, for unknown to her, somebody else was listening, other then you and I.
Letting her tears fall, she rested beside the pond to watch the fish. There are exactly 25 fish in their pond, and exactly 20 of them had been named.
Leaning over the water attempting to name the remaining 5, Lucy was distracted by her own reflection. A reflection is an exact image of yourself in water or mirror. Lucy?s reflection stared at her with red rosy cheeks and frowning lips.
? Don?t be sad? spoke a voice from no where.
Lucy looked up at the lily pads on the pond.
?It?s ok Little Lucy? spoke the voice again, appearing to come from nowhere.
?Who said that?? asked Lucy, feeling a bit scared.
? Me of course. Down here?
Lucy looked down at her reflection again.
? No! Here! To your left!?
Turning her head to the left, she saw a toad, sitting on a lily pad.
?Hello? spoke the toad.
?Are you talking to me?? asked Lucy.
?Of course? laughed the toad.
? But you?re a toad? said Lucy, not quite believing her eyes.
?Of course I am Lucy? Laughed the toad again.
? And you know my name?? asked Lucy.
? Of course I do? croaked the toad, growing tired of laughing.
?I also know why you?re upset. You shouldn?t be made to do the washing up!?
?No?.? sniffed Lucy, tears falling again.
?I can help you Lucy. I can make it so you never have to do ANY chores again, and even better, your parents will do everything you tell them to do.?
?really?? sniffed Lucy, feeling curious but cautious.
?Of course I can Lucy. you just have to listen to what I tell you to do.?
?oh?.. I don?t know? spoke Lucy, looking back down at her reflection.
?You want to be happy, don?t you Lucy?? croaked the Toad.
?Well yes?. But my Mummy?s always told me to listen to her?. Not to strangers.? she said, watching her reflection talk along with her.
?Well? What would you say if I tell you that your parents lie? They only tell you to do the washing up because THEY don?t want to!? croaked the toad.
Lucy?s mouth fell open.
?AND! You know when they tell you to eat your vegetables because they?re good for you? They only tell you this because they really HATE vegetables! And if you eat them all then they don?t have to!?
Lucy?s mouth stayed open, as her eyes widened.
?AND! Even worse; did you know that fish are really meant to fly??
?WHAT?? asked Lucy.
?Yes Lucy, fish are meant to fly. They are not swimming creatures. The reason your parents keep them in a pond, I?m sorry to say, is because they do not like toads!?
?WHAT!!!???!? said Lucy, louder this time.
?Keeping fish in a pond keeps the toads out! And I want my home back!!!? croaked the toad quite fiercely.
If only Little Lucy was as aware as you and I, then she would have known that everything the toad told her was a lie. It is very sad to say that Lucy acted against her instincts; an instinct is something that lives deep inside you telling what is wrong or right.
The toad continued;
?If you don?t believe me, I can prove it.?
?How?? asked Lucy.
? see that big apple tree to your right??
Looking to the right of her Lucy replied she did.
? I bet, if you were to drop a fish off there then it would fly?
?really?? asked Lucy in amazement.
?you bet! Why don?t you give it a go??
With barely a moments thought, Lucy poked her hand through her reflection in the water.
?Clive?? She called.
? Who?s Clive?? asked the toad.
But no answer was needed, for Lucy had in her hand a fat, orange fish, funnily enough named Clive.
?Do you really think the fish will fly?? she asked the toad, one last time.
?Yes my dear. Just climb to the highest branch, drop the fish, and watch it fly.?
Lucy walked over to the tree, and squeezing the fish in her left hand, she grabbed the lowest branch with her right hand.
When she reached the top she took a few moments to balance herself. The highest branch was very high up indeed. So high in fact, she could see over the roof of her house.
?Sorry Clive? she whispered to the fish, noticing he was shaking with fear.
With one more glance towards the toad, she held out her arm and closed her eyes. The moment her hand opened, her Mother came running out of the house.
? LUCY!!? her mother screamed.
But it was too late, the fish was falling.
? Lucy! Get down here right now! What do you think you?re doing climbing trees!?
? nothing mummy? whispered Lucy guiltily as she climbed back down the tree.
?Be careful? whined her mother.
When she reached the ground, her mother swooped her up into her arms.
?I?m sorry sweet heart? she whispered, kissing Little Lucy on the head.
As she was being carried indoors, Lucy looked back towards the tree. But couldn?t see any fish, the ground looked bare just as before.
?I made fresh cookies? spoke her mother softly.
? Cookies!? squeaked Lucy, running indoors.
If she had looked towards the pond instead, she would have seen ripples in the water where the fish had just landed.
You will be pleased to know, that the nasty toad, quietly hopped away. Never to return.