Froggy

Dexter, a big bouncy dog, was walking round in little circles with very stiff back legs. That could only mean one thing. He was mad. Very mad. He snorted and puffed and puffed and snorted. He did so much puffing and snorting and going round in circles that he began to feel sick, so he stopped.

Mattie, a rather large black cat, suddenly appeared. "Dexter, what on earth is wrong with you?" she asked. "I'm mad," he snorted. "A very rude frog has just come up to me and called me names." "That's funny," said Mattie. "He did the same to me yesterday." "What did he call you?" asked Mattie in a caring way. She liked Dexter and didn't want anyone to hurt or annoy him. Dexter didn't really want to repeat the names and so he gazed down at the grass for a long time. "Go on," urged Mattie. "I will then be able to judge how bad the names are." "Well," replied Dexter, "he called me a Biggy, Diggy, Doggy, Woggy." Mattie tried very hard not to laugh because she thought the names were quite funny. Trying to be helpful she said, "Well you are big and you do dig." "Stop," cried Dexter. "I do not wish to be called biggy or diggy or doggy or woggy." "Sorry," said Mattie still trying not to smile.

"Anyway, Mattie, what did the frog call you?" asked Dexter with a cheeky look on his face. Now it was Mattie's turn to look away. "I'd rather not say," she replied shyly. "Oh go on. Tell me, tell me, tell me," said Dexter who was pleased that he wasn't the only one to be called names. "Well," Mattie said, "he called me Scratty, Fat, Mattie, Catty." Dexter laughed out loud. He just couldn't help himself. Then he quickly stopped laughing because he could see how upset Mattie was. Trying to be helpful he said, "Well you are a cat, and Mattie is your name and...." he stopped here and gave a little cough, "...you are a little fat." "But I am not scratty," Mattie cried. "What does that mean?" asked Dexter puzzled. "I don't know, but I don't like the sound of it," said Mattie still upset.

"I have an idea," said Dexter. "Let's go and find this frog and tell him off." "OK," said Mattie, who wasn't sure if she wanted to see this rude frog again, The two of them set off into the forest and soon bumped into their friend Dusty the rabbit. Dusty had a clever way of getting out of her hutch, and none of the grown-ups knew how she did it, but that's another story.

Today Dusty was looking a little upset, so Dexter and Mattie asked her what was wrong. "I've just seen this very rude frog," began Dusty, and both Dexter and Mattie said at the same time, "and he called you names." "How did you know that?" asked Dusty. "Did you hear what he called me?" "No," said
Mattie, "but he has done the same to us." Dusty began to feel a little better, but she still wasn't happy.



Dexter, who always wanted to know everything about everybody, asked Dusty what she had been called. "Don't laugh," pleaded Dusty, She cleared her throat and said, "He called me a Dummy Bunny with a Funny Tummy." Both Mattie and Dexter burst out laughing and poor old Dusty just sat there in silence. "Don't worry," said Mattie gently, "he called me Scratty Fat Mattie Catty and Dexter a Biggy Diggy Doggy Woggy." This brought a smile to Dusty's face and she began to feel a little better. "We are trying to find the frog and tell him off," said Dexter. "Do you want to come with us?" "Yes please," said Dusty and the little party of three set off deeper into the forest.

It wasn't long before they came to the swampy part of the wood. Frogs like these kinds of places and sure enough after a few minutes the cheeky frog appeared and hopped up to them. "Hi," he said in a friendly croak. "Don't you try and be friendly with us," said Dexter. "You have upset us all with your silly names." The frog looked surprised. "Why have I upset you? I was only being friendly. Sometimes," said the frog, "when you have good friends, you call them names. Not nasty names, but friendly silly names. That's what I did with you," "Oh," said Mattie a little surprised. "Do you mean that those names were meant to be friendly? "Yes," said the frog. "I only call people I like silly names. That means I would like them to be my friends and play with me some time."

Dexter, Mattie and Dusty thought about this for some time and decided the frog was probably telling the truth. After all the names did make them all laugh. "Ok," said Dexter. "We believe you, and we will come and play with you, but first we have to think up a name for you." "OK," said the frog happily. He liked names. Mattie, Dexter and Dusty put their heads together and thought hard, and finally came up with a name. The frog waited by the swamp.

"We've got a name for you," said Dusty. The frog hopped eagerly back to the little group. "We are going to call you the Iggy Oggy Bog Frog." The frog hopped up and down in delight. He loved it and thanked the little group for such a fine name.

The four of them said they would all come back the next day and play games with each other. So Iggy Oggy Bog Frog, Dummy Bunny with the Funny Tummy, Scratty Fat Mattie Catty and Biggy Diggy Doggy Woggy all went home happy that it had all ended so well. Having silly names wasn't such a bad idea after all.

The forest went quiet for a while, and then the frog returned and sat by the side of the swamp. He'd never had so many different animal friends and he'd never been given a name before. He was so pleased that he began to sing to himself, "I'm the Iggy Oggy Bog Frog." All the trees whispered back, "He's the Iggy Oggy Bog Frog." Iggy Oggy sighed with pleasure. He was indeed a very happy boggy froggy.

Tricky Ricky