Frog was quite young but he certainly enjoyed being in the world. Frog had met many creatures in the neighborhood and had made many friends.
One day Frog was in the woods, and came across a creature he had never seen before. Frog thought this creature was quite beautiful and interesting. The creature came out from under a bush, was long like a stick, had a colorful back, and moved from side to side in the dirt. Frog went right over to talk to this new friend. “Hi! My name is Frog. Who are you?”
The creature looked up at Frog and smiled. “Well, I am known as Snake, and I am trying to learn more about the world. Do you find it a nice place to be?”
“Sure,” said Frog. “Want to play?”
Frog and Snake spent the morning having a great time. Frog taught snake how to play hide and seek. Snake was great about finding good places to hide.
Then Frog said to Snake, “I really like the way you slither along on the ground. Do you think you could teach me how to slither?”
“Okay,” said Snake, and he showed Frog how he used his strong stomach muscles to move from side to side and travel in any direction he wanted.
When Frog got down on the ground and tried to slither, he laughed out loud because the little rocks and sticks tickled his belly. Snake laughed too! It was fun watching Frog trying so hard to do what was so easy for him.
Then Snake asked Frog, “Do you think you can teach me how to hop?”
It wasn’t easy for Snake to hop, but he managed to flex his muscles enough to hop up in the air a bit. He was very proud of himself.
They were having such a good time together, they decided to be friends and meet every morning at the same place. Since it was time for them to go home for lunch, they hugged each other and went on their way.
When Frog got home, his mother asked him what he had been doing, and Frog talked about his colorful new friend and how much fun they had together. As Frog described his new friend, his mother had a puzzled look and said, “Who is your new friend? What is his name?”
“My new friend is called Snake, Mom. He’s really great. I’d like to bring him home to meet you sometime.”
“Snake! Did you say Snake?!” asked his mother with alarm.
“Yes, Mom – he’s really nice and we’re going to play together every day.”
“Oh, no you won’t,” said his mother.
“What do you mean, Mom,” said Frog.
“You may never play with Snake again. Do you understand?”
“No, I don’t, Mom. He’s nice and I like him!”
“Snake comes from a bad family. Frogs never associate with Snakes. That is how it is, and that is how it will always be. Now, do you understand?”
“But, Mom, he’s nice,” said Frog.
“Son, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but Frogs are food for Snake. Snake will eat you.”
“Aw, Mom, Snake is my friend. He would never eat me,” said Frog with a worried look.
“Yes he would! Now you go to your room and think about that,” said his mother.
So, Frog went to his room, and he thought about the friend he could never play with again. He was confused. “Snake did hug me awfully hard, though,” thought Frog.
In the meantime, Snake went directly to the family room to show off for his brothers and sisters. He showed them how he could hop, and his siblings started to yell, “higher, higher!” At last, mother snake came into the room.
“Snake, stop that nonsense immediately! What in the world do you think you are doing? Where did you learn to do such a thing? Get back on the ground and stay there where you belong,” scolded his mother.
“Aw, Mom,” said Snake. “I’ve spent the morning with my new friend Frog. Hopping is fun – you ought to try it. Can we have him over for dinner sometime?
Suddenly, mother Snake was very interested. “Frog? Did you ssssssay Frog? Yesssssssssss. Let’s have him for dinner ssssssssssssome time!”
“I don’t like the way you said that, Mom,” said Snake.
“Son, I don’t want you to play with your food. . .”
“What?!” said Snake.
“You may invite him for dinner – anytime. Frogs are food for Snake.”
Snake couldn’t believe what his mother was saying. “I could never eat my friend, Mom.”
“Yessssssssss, you will. Now, go to your room and think about that.”
Snake slithered to his room. He didn’t want to eat his friend – he just wanted to play.
In the morning Snake went to the same place at the same time he and Frog had agreed to meet. Frog was not there.
Snake went to Frog’s place and knocked on the door. After a while, Frog came to the door, but he did not open it.
“Come on out, Frog. Let’s hop around,” said Snake.
“Sorry,” said Frog. “I can’t play with you today – as a matter of fact, I won’t be playing with you ever again.”
“Oh.” replied Snake. “I guess your mom talked to you, too, huh?”
“Yes,” said Frog sadly. “She did.”
So Snake sadly slithered home.
From that day to this, Frog and Snake are never seen playing together. But, if you go into the woods you might see a snake coiled up on top of a flat rock in the sun, looking like he’s sleeping. You might also find a Frog sitting quite still with his eyes closed as he sits in or near the water. He looks like he could be sleeping, too. I don’t think they are sleeping – I think they are both wondering what the world would be like if they had stayed friends.