Wednesday, February 20, 2008

My love for Frog and Toad

I've become quite a fan of Arnold Lobel and his Frog and Toad books. We have The Frog and Toad Treasury which basically includes all of the Frog and Toad stories--I think. One of my favorites is called "Cookies" and while it does somewhat relate to what I am about to post I only really have room to share one story. And, I will also spare you the reader, because you may not appreciate Frog and Toad like I do. Sometime when I'm really struggling with will power I will share the "Cookies" story with you.

This Frog and Toad story completely illustrates the truth behind why I and most women want to lose weight. Oh yes, there is all the health implications, eating properly, exercising is good for the heart, etc., etc., etc... But I really truly think with all women that our true reason for losing weight is that we are just as self-conscious as Toad is and truly don't want to be laughed at. Enjoy:

A Swim by Arnold Lobel

Toad and Frog went down to the river. "What a day for a swim," said Frog.
"Yes," said Toad. "I will go behind these rocks and put on my bathing suit."
"I don't wear a bathing suit," said Frog.
"Well, I do," said Toad. "After I put on my bathing suit, you must not look at me until I get into the water."
"Why not?" asked Frog.
"Because I look funny in my bathing suit. That is why," said Toad.
Frog closed his eyes when Toad came out from behind the rocks. Toad was wearing his bathing suit.
"Don't peek," he said.
Frog and Toad jumped into the water. They swam all afternoon. Frog swam fast and made big splashes. Toad swam slowly and made smaller splashes. A turtle came along the riverbank.
"Frog, tell that turtle to go away," said Toad. "I do not want him to see me in my bathing suit when I come out of the river."
Frog swam over to the turtle.
"Turtle," said Frog, "you will have to go away."
"Why should I?" asked the turtle.
"Because Toad thinks that he looks funny in his bathing suit, and he does nto want you to see him," said Frog.
Some lizards were sitting nearby.
"Does Toad really look funny in his bathing suit?" they asked.
A snake crawled out of the grass.
"If Toad looks funny in his bathing suit," said the snake, "then I, for one, want to see him."
"Me too," said a field mouse. "I have not seen anything funny in a long time."
Frog swam back to Toad.
"I am sorry Toad," he said. "Everyone wants to see how you will look."
"Then I will stay right here until they go away," said Toad.
The turtle and the lizards and the snake and the dragonflies and the field mouse all sat on the riverbank. They waited for Toad to come out of the water.
"Please," cried Frog, "please go away!"
But no one went away. Toad was getting colder and colder. He was beginning to shiver and sneeze.
"I will have to come out of the water." said Toad. "I am catching a cold."
Toad climbed out of the river. The water dripped out of his bathing suit and down onto his feet.
The turtle laughed.
The lizards laughed.
The snake laughed.
The field mouse laughed, and
Frog laughed.
"What are you laughing at, Frog?" said Toad.
"I am laughing at you, Toad," said Frog, "because you do look funny in your bathing suit."
"Of course I do," said Toad.
Then he picked up his clothes and went home.

3 comments:

Garden Girl said...

I LOVE Frog and Toad too. We'll have to go to the library to pick some up...

Jenna said...

I think Frog and Toad are some of my favorite kids books. All my sibs love them and we have dubbed one of the silly/wry faces that Pops makes "The Frog Face" because he vaguely resembles Frog. (And now I'll get in trouble for saying so.)

The Bullhorn said...

Jenna,

I never thought of your Pops as looking like Frog. Mr. Rogers maybe, with the zip-up sweater, the tie, and the receding hairline...