HOPPY TOAD SAVES JENNY WILD DUCK FROM AN UNTIMELY END.
Jenny Wild Duck was a short-legged water-fowl who took great delight in gliding along the waters of Tadpole Pond.
One day she spied some hemp-seed lying on the surface of the pond, and after it she went. Hoppy Toad, who chanced to be enjoying a swim in the pond, noticed a trap had been set for her, and swimming to her side, he whispered a warning.
“Don’t bother with that hemp-seed,” he said, “else you will soon be a dead duck.”
She was rather startled by Hoppy Toad’s words of warning, but she obeyed him, gliding away from the hemp-seed swiftly. Hoppy Toad swam along behind her until an out-of-the-way cove was reached.
“How did you happen to discover that there was a trap set for me?” asked Jenny Wild Duck.
“I always keep my wits about me,” said Hoppy Toad. “I watched two men set out a decoy early this morning—I’m always up bright and early. I thought that they were after wild ducks like yourself, for Pa Toad has often told me of these decoys, and how they try to trap innocent wild ducks.”
“I am a thousand times thankful to you for saving my life,” said Jenny Wild Duck. “I’m afraid I will never have a chance to repay you for your kindness.”
“That is all right,” said Hoppy Toad. “I don’t expect you to repay me for doing my duty.”
“That is a good way to look at it,” said Jenny Wild Duck. “I’ll have to warn my husband, Johnny Drake, to steer clear of the decoy.”
“That is a good idea,” said Hoppy Toad. “The both of you had better keep your eyes open in the future and not be led into a trap. It is a shame that human beings should use such unfair means to trap innocents who never harm or destroy anything.”
“It doesn’t seem right,” said Jenny Wild Duck, “but some people don’t know right from wrong.”
“Very true,” said Hoppy Toad. “It’s too bad that someone couldn’t teach them right from wrong.”
“It isn’t much use to try and teach them; a person has got to have a bit of common sense more than anything else,” said Jenny.
“That is right,” said Hoppy Toad. “After all it is nearly all common sense; if people would only stop and think a while they would soon see where they were doing wrong.”
“True,” said Jenny. “That’s just what they don’t do; they don’t stop to think.”
“Well, I guess I will hop around on the shore a while if you’ll excuse me,” said Hoppy Toad. “You might tell me your name, though, before I go.”
“Jenny Wild Duck,” was the reply. “What is yours?”
“Hoppy Toad.”
“Well, good-bye and good luck,” said Jenny Wild Duck.
“Good-bye,” said Hoppy Toad, “keep your wits about you.”
Jenny Wild Duck rose from the still waters of the pond and flew off. Hoppy Toad lost no time in swimming for the shore, where he was soon hopping along through the grass.
“I feel very happy,” he said to himself. “And why shouldn’t I; didn’t I do Jenny Wild Duck a good turn? Isn’t that what we live for; to help those who are in need?”
Moral: We can help someone every day if we will only have the will.
