SPRING

Frog ran up the path to Toad’s house.

“Toad! Toad!” cried Frog. “The sun is shining! The snow is melting. Wake up!”

Toad was lying in bed.

Frog pushed Toad out of bed.

“In the evenings we will sit right here on this front porch and count the stars”

“You can count them, Frog,” said Toad. “I will be too tired. I am going back to bed.”

“But, Toad,” cried Frog, “you will miss all the fun!”

“Come back again and wake me up at about half past May. Good night, Frog.”

Frog looked at Toad’s calendar. The November page was still on top. Frog tore off the November page.

Then Frog ran back to Toad’s bed. “Toad, Toad, wake up. It is May now.”

Then he and Frog ran outside to see how the world was looking in the spring.

THE STORY

One day in summer Frog was not feeling well.

Frog drank the tea, and then he said, “Tell me a story while I am resting.”

Toad walked up and down on the porch for a long time. But he could not think of a story to tell Frog.

“Why are you standing on your head?” asked Frog.

Toad stood on his head for a long time. But he could not think of a story to tell Frog.

“I hope that if I pour water over my head, it will help me to think of a story,” said Toad.

Then Toad began to bang his head against the wall.

“I am feeling much better now, Toad,” said Frog. “I do not think I need a story anymore.”

“Then you get out of bed and let me get into it,” said Toad.

Frog said, “Would you like me to tell you a story, Toad?”

“Once upon a time,” said Frog, “there were two good friends, a frog and a toad.”

“How was that, Toad?” said Frog. But Toad did not answer. He had fallen asleep.

THE CORNER

Frog and Toad were caught in the rain. They ran to Frog’s house.

“I will tell you a story while we are waiting,” said Frog.

“Son, this is a cold, gray day but spring is just around the corner.”

“I wanted spring to come. I went out to find that corner.”

“I walked down a path in the woods until I came to a corner.”

“There was only a pine tree, three pebbles and some dry grass.”

“I walked in the meadow.”

“There was only an old worm asleep on a tree stump.”

“I walked along the river until I came to another corner.”

“There was only some wet mud and a lizard who was chasing his tail.”

“I went back home. When I got there,” said Frog, “I found another corner. It was the corner of my house.”

“I saw birds sitting and singing in a tree. I saw my mother and father working in their garden. I saw flowers in the garden.”

Frog and Toad hurried outside. They ran around  the corner of Frog’s house to make sure that spring had come again.

CHRISTMAS EVE

On Christmas Eve Toad cooked a big dinner. He decorated the tree.

He looked out into the night. Frog was not there.

“What if Frog has fallen into a deep hole and cannot get out? I will never see him again!”

“What if he is cold and wet and hungry?”

“What if Frog is being chased by a big animal with many sharp teeth? What if he is being eaten up?” cried Toad.

Toad found some rope in the cellar.

“Frog will see this light. I will show him the way out of the woods,” said Toad.

“All his teeth will fall out. Frog, do not worry, cried Toad. “I am coming to help you!”

Toad ran out of the house.

“I am sorry to be late. I was wrapping your present.”

“Oh, Frog,” said Toad, “I am so glad to be spending Christmas with you.”

Toad opened his present from Frog. It was a beautiful new clock.

THE GARDEN

Frog was in his garden. Toad came walking by.

“I wish I had a garden,” said Toad. “Here are some flower seeds. Plant them in the ground,” said Frog.

“Now seeds,” said Toad, “start growing.”

Toad put his head close to the ground and said loudly, “Now seeds, start growing!”

Toad put his head very close to the ground and shouted, “NOW SEEDS, START GROWING!”

“You are shouting too much,” said Frog. “These poor seeds are afraid to grow.”

Toad went out to his garden with some candles.

Toad read a long story to his seeds.

Toad sang songs to his seeds.

And all next day Toad read poems to his seeds.

And all the next day Toad played music for his seeds.

“These must be the most frightened seeds in the whole world!”

“Toad, Toad, wake up,” said Frog. “Look at your garden!”

“you were right, Frog. It was very hard work.”

THE DREAM

Toad was asleep, and he was having a dream.

Toad looked out into the dark. Frog was sitting in the theater.

Toad took a deep bow. Frog looked smaller as he shouted, “Hooray for Toad!”

Toad played the piano, and he did not miss a note.

“No,” said Frog. It seemed to Toad that Frog looked even smaller.

“Frog,” cried Toad, “can you do tricks like this?”

“Frog, can you be as wonderful as this?” said Toad as he danced all over the stage.

Frog was so small that he could not be seen or heard.

“Frog, what have I done?” cried Toad.

“Shut up!” screamed Toad. “Frog, Frog, where have you gone?”

“I am right here, “ said Frog.

“And are you your own right size?” asked Toad.

“Yes, I think so,” said Frog.

Then Frog and Toad ate a big breakfast.

FROG AND TOAD STORY PYRAMID

1.      ________

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5.      ________ ________ ________ ________ ________

6.      ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________

7.  ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________

8.  ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________

Reading Response Record

1.    Did you like this story?

2.    Which part did you like the best? Why?

3.    How did you feel at the end of the story? Why?

4.    What did you learn from this story?

5.    Would you tell another person to read this story? Why?