Ferdie And Fran

• Alice Sunnucks, Grade 4
• Short Story
• 2007

On the edge of a deep, dark forest there was a little cottage with a HUGE garden. The garden was a big mess. Vines grew everywhere and all the trees needed pruning. This made the garden perfect for animals. Wild rabbits often came to visit. Bugs of all sorts had long ago made their home in the long, green grass. But this story is about two frogs by the names of Ferdie and Fran who lived in a pond on the edge of the garden.
Every mealtime, the frogs would hop onto a lily pad and catch some flies. There were millions, and it was easy to catch enough. But one day, when the frogs got up for breakfast, they could not see a single fly! Not one! “Maybe the flies will be back by lunchtime” said Fran. So the poor frogs had no breakfast. But at lunchtime it was no better. The frogs got more and more worried. At dinner time the frogs decided to look for the flies.
Their friend Dudley was a very fat frog, they thought he might have eaten them all! So they went to see him. “No, it wasn’t me!” Next, they questioned Regina, the gossipy grasshopper. Maybe she knew what had happened to the flies. “Ahhh,” said Regina, “I have heard somezing. Zey say zey flew south for the winter but I think zey ate too many cakes at a party and got food poisoning. Poor zings.” The frogs were not sure they believed Regina anymore than the winter idea. Ferdie and Fran were very tired so they decided to sleep under a leaf for the night. The next morning the frogs got up early. They knew it was a long day ahead. “I’m starving!” complained Ferdie. Fran ignored him. “Look!” she cried. “Mozzies!” Mosquitoes were a favourite food. The frogs ate some mozzies and were finally full.
They had no idea where they were until a bird came along and told them they were in Cane Toad Cave. They had never heard of it. That shows how big the garden was. Suddenly, there came a noise. The frogs whipped around. There, standing before them, was a massive toad. “Hello” he said in a loud, gravely voice. “I just love it when dinner comes hopping along!” the frogs looked at each other in alarm. The cane toad came closer and closer. Suddenly, Ferdie grabbed two huge lumps of slime from the walls of the cave. He threw them very high. “Come on!” he whispered. The toad hopped after the balls. He thought they were the frogs! Ferdie and Fran hopped quickly out of the cave and a wonderful scene met their eyes. They were looking at a pond and it was swarming with bugs and mozzies and…flies!!! It looked cool, moist and shady with loads of hiding places. Frog Heaven!! The frogs decided on the spot that this was now their home. They would never go hungry again!