Frog and Toad and the Rainbow Shirt

One hot summer day, Frog and Toad sat by the riverbank.

The sun was high in the sky.

“It is very hot,” said Toad.

“Yes,” said Frog. “It is so hot, I think the sun has forgotten how to stop shining.”

Toad took off his jacket, then his shirt, then his pants.

“I will lie down on this warm rock,” said Toad. “And I will listen to the water.”

Toad lay very still.

Frog hopped from rock to rock.

“Look at me!” said Frog. “I am a leaping frog!”

But Toad did not look. He was busy listening to the splish-splash of the river.

Frog stopped hopping.

He sat down on a warm stone.

He skipped a pebble into the river. Then another.

“Toad,” said Frog, “I brought you something.”

Toad opened one eye.

“It is much too hot for presents,” he said.

“But it is not just any present,” said Frog.

Frog held up a soft, cotton shirt. It had rainbow stripes.

“I picked it just for you,” said Frog. “So we could both wear rainbow shirts. And then we would match!”

Toad looked at the shirt.

Then he looked at the sun.

Then he closed his eye again.

“No thank you,” said Toad. “I would rather wear nothing at all today.”

Frog was quiet for a moment.

Then he stood up and leapfrogged over Toad.

“Ha!” said Frog. “You cannot ignore me if I leap right over you!”

He did it again.

“Ha again!” said Frog.

Toad said nothing.

Frog leapfrogged a third time, then lay on the rock beside his friend.

“It is too hot even for leaping,” said Frog.

After a long while, Toad sat up.

“I think we should go home,” he said.

“That sounds like a good idea,” said Frog.

Toad picked up the rainbow shirt.

He tied it around his neck like a cape.

“I am Rainbow Toad,” he said.

“You look heroic,” said Frog.

Toad smiled. “I may not wear shirts, but I do like capes.”

They rode their bicycle slowly down the shaded path toward home.

Frog rang the bell on the handlebars.

“Toad,” he said, “you are my best friend.”

“Toad in a shirt or toad in a cape?” asked Toad.

“Toad just the way he is,” said Frog.

They rode on, smiling in the summer breeze.

Inspired by Arnold Lobel. Co created with ChatGPT