Hoppy Toad Tales by William A. Hennessey - HTML preview

HOPPY TOAD AND BILLY CROW.

In the vicinity of Tadpole Pond there was a large farm. On this farm the owner made a specialty of raising corn, potatoes and other crops which he sold in the nearby towns. In other words the farm provided a living for him.

Now there was a black crow—Billy Crow was his name—and he caused this hard-working farmer all kinds of trouble. He would dig up the seeded corn with his long beak; naturally the corn wouldn’t grow and the farmer of course lost quite a bit of money.

The funniest looking scarecrow you ever saw was placed in the corn-field to scare Billy Crow away. But strange to say, Billy Crow didn’t scare a bit. He would fly all around the scarecrow; he would even light on his arms and roost there for quite a spell. Then he would dig his beak into the ground and steal the corn seed.

The farmer got pretty well discouraged. It seemed as though he would have to stop planting corn until Billy Crow stopped thieving, and the only thing that would do that would be the killing of this troublesome black crow. Now the farmer was a good-hearted man and he didn’t want to kill him. So Billy Crow kept right on stealing the corn seed.

One day Hoppy Toad happened along by the corn-field, and he noticed Billy Crow in the act of digging up the corn seed. He hopped into the field where the thieving black crow was. Billy Crow, on noticing Hoppy Toad, was not at all pleased at his presence. In fact, he was very mad.

Hoppy Toad gazed at him for awhile, and said, “You ought to be ashamed of yourself. The idea of stealing corn seed from the hard-working farmer who is trying to make an honest living.”

“But he raises more than he can use, doesn’t he?” asked Billy Crow.

“Indeed he doesn’t,” replied Hoppy Toad. “He needs all the corn he can raise.”

“I wouldn’t have stolen it if I had known that,” said Billy Crow.

“That is no excuse for stealing, Mr. Crow. I wouldn’t want to be called a thief.”

“I suppose that I have been doing wrong all along. You see I was brought up to steal; I never have done anything else.”

“Why not turn over a new leaf, then, and live a good honest life? It isn’t too late.”

“I’ll do it. From now on I’m going to be an honest crow.”

“You will be much happier, Mr. Crow, I assure you.”

“I’m glad you happened around and put an end to my thieving. I feel very happy in the thought that I’m going to be a good crow in the future.”

“Well, Mr. Crow, I must be going now. Remember your oath taken before Hoppy Toad.”

“I surely will,” replied Billy Crow ere he winged his way toward home.

Hoppy Toad, happy with the thoughts of having reformed a thieving black crow, hopped along gleefully toward home.

In his underground home he told Ma and Pa Toad the tale of his success in pointing out the right path to Billy Crow. Naturally they were pleased.

As Pa Toad said, “Hoppy Toad, you are a good Samaritan. I’m really proud of you.”

Moral: Honesty reaps a worthy reward.

END