A Boy, a Dog, a Frog, and a Friend
Illustrated by Mercer MayerStory and coloring by Erzsebet Harskuti
2
A boy sat down beside a pond.He was fishing.
He waited patiently.“Shh! Be quiet,” he said
to his dog and his frog.“I don’t want you to scare the fish.”
So his dog and his frog sat on the bank quietly.
3
Suddenly something pulled
on the boy’s fishing line.He was excited.
Maybe it was a big fish!The dog and the frog
wondered what was pulling the line.
4
The boy had to pull hard
on the line.He pulled so hard
his foot slid into the water.“It must be a very, very big fish
to pull so hard,” he thought.
5
Suddenly the boy was pulled into the pond head first.
The dog and the frog jumped in the water after him.
The dog came to the edge of the pond.He barked at the turtle.
The dog’s barking scared him.The turtle
dropped the hook.The frog watched
from behind a rock.
8
Suddenly the turtle bit
the dog’s paw!The dog yelped!“What’s wrong?”
said the boy.The frog was scared now
too.He jumped away
from the mean turtle.
9
The boy picked up his dog.
He tried to pull the dog
away from the turtle.The turtle held on.
The dog’s paw was hurting.
10
In the middle of the pond, the turtle finally let loose.Frog swam underwater.
The turtle fell back into the pond.
12
The boy and the dog got out
on the edge of the pond.The frog climbed out too.
The dog licked his hurt paw.
13
The frog was glad the dog was okay.
The dog sat beside the pond and licked his paw.
The boy picked up his pail
and shovel.
14
The turtle pulled the dog underwater.
The frog jumped into the pond
to save his friend.The boy
unbuttoned his shirt.
17
The boy took off his pants.
Suddenly the dog came up
and started to swim.The frog climbed
onto a lily pad.
19
The boy put his pants and boots on
again.The dog
climbed out of the water.The frog
put his head underwater to look for the turtle.
20
“Oh no! Look!”
said the boy.“The turtle is dead.
He drowned.”The dog and the frog
couldn’t believe it.
21
The boy pulled the turtle
to the edge with his fishing pole.
The frog sat sadly
on a lily pad.The dog felt terrible.
22
The boy picked up the turtle.
He and the frog were angry at the dog.
“It’s your fault,” said the boy to the dog.
23
The boy dug a hole
with his shovel.The frog watched.
The dog hung his head down.
The turtle lay
upside down.
25
The boy was digging a grave
for the turtle.Suddenly the frog
thought he saw the turtle
move his legs.
26
The boy picked a flower
for the turtle’s grave.Yes! The frog was right!
The turtle was alive!The turtle turned over
and started to walk back to the pond.
The dog saw the turtle walking too.
27
The boy turned around.
The turtle had his fishing pole in his mouth.
The dog wagged his tail.Everyone smiled—the turtle
smiled too.
28
Hooray! The boy
lifted the turtle in the air.Everyone
was very happy.The frog and the dog
jumped up and down.
29