Reward For Who

Greetings! says Gaius. Thank you, bell frogs, for showing your faces.

Thank you, says Terence. 

Like we had a choice, says the green and golden bell frog who didn't eat Prawny.

I had a choice, says the neighbour. 

Yes, you did, says the green and golden bell frog that didn't eat Prawny.

We didn't even know you were there, says Terence.

Yes you did, says the one who didn't eat Prawny. 

He means me, says the neigbour.

As a matter of fact we did know, says Gaius. 

Did we? asks Terence.

You didn't, says Gaius. But Margaret spotted a second bell frog knocking.

Was that you knocking? asks the green and golden bell frog.

Yes it was me, says his neighbour. 

What did you want? asks the green and golden bell frog.

I thought I heard choking, says his neighbour. 

It was a prawn, says the bell frog that didn't eat Prawny. Would you believe it had feathers?

No, I wouldnt, says the neighbour.

It did, says Gaius. Allow me to show you.

He takes two bedraggled feathers from his shorts pocket.

That proves nothing, says the neighbour.

Point taken, says Gaius.

I recognise those feathers, says the one who didn't eat Prawny. What happened to the tail?

I have the tail too, says Gaius. I'm intending to replace it later on.

He tries to find Prawny's tail in his pocket, but it's awkward, as he's still holding Terence.

Give it to me, says Terence. I'll show them.

I can't find it, says Gaius. Maybe it's stuck to the feathers.

He hands Terence the feathers.

But nothing appears to be stuck to the feathers.

Let us look, says the one who didn't eat Prawny.

Okay, says Terence. 

He reaches forward and gives each frog a feather.

The frogs comb through the feathers.

But no prawn tail is found.

It may have fallen into the water, says Gaius.

Yikes! says Terence. Prawny wants his tail back.

He shouldn't have lost it, says the one who didn't eat Prawny.

Right, says Terence. There's a reward for who finds it!

What a good idea, says Gaius. 

What's the reward? asks the neighbour.

You get famous, says Terence. 

Plus a snack of your choice, says Gaius.

The two bell frogs look at one another.

Rr! You're on! croak the bell frogs.

Which Hole?

Prawny sees Rosalie coming.

She's coming! says Prawny.

Which way? asks Terence.

The way that I'm looking, says Prawny.

I'm here, says Rosalie. Has anything happened?

We don't know, says Terence. Let's go!

I've brought a torch, says Rosalie. 

Can I hold it? asks Terence.

I suppose so, says Rosalie. 

You take Prawny, says Terence.

She hands Terence the torch, and takes Prawny, who feels rather warm.

They head back to the pond.

I've got the torch! says Terence. Can I shine it into the hole?

No, says Gaius. You're not to go into the water.

But I'm the main frog guy, says Terence.

You could carry him across to the hole, suggests Margaret.

Thank you, Margaret, says Gaius.

But Terence is already certain it's going to happen.

Shall I give it a warning? asks Terence.

A kind thought, says Gaius. Since you thought of it, you deserve to be part of the action.

Yay! says Terence.

Gaius picks Terence up and steps into the water. 

He wades across the pond to the hole.

Which hole is it? asks Terence.

This one! says a frog voice.

I'm giving you a warning, says Terence.

Is it you that threw the prawn into my hole? asks the frog voice.

Yes, says Terence. It was me.

That's when I needed a warning, says the frog voice.

A warning not to try and eat Prawny, says Terence.

I didn't, says the frog voice.

His tail came off, says Terence.

Ask the frog if he's recovered, says Gaius.

Have you recovered? asks Terence.

No, says the frog voice. 

Ask him if he'd like to come out for a checkup, says Gaius.

Would you like to come out for a checkup? asks Terence.

Who's asking? says the frog voice.

Me, says Terence. And Gaius. 

No, says the frog voice. I wouldn't.

Then I'll blast this torch on you, says Terence. You'll get blinded.

All right I'll come out, says the frog voice.

Well done Terence, says Gaius. 

The green and golden bell frog's face appears at the entrance to the brick hole.

And another green and golden bell frog's face appears at the entrance next door.

RUOK! RUOK!

I'll keep Prawny's tail, and glue it on later, says Gaius. 

What about my wings? asks Prawny.

You may not want the wings, says Gaius.

Are they ruined? asks Terence.

Pretty much, says Gaius.

Prawny can get new ones, says Terence.

Or do without, says Margaret. 

I'll do without, says Prawny.

They were only feathers, says Margaret. 

Juvenile feathers, says Gaius.

Yes! says Terence. Prawny needs proper wings!

I don't want proper wings, says Prawny. I just want my tail back.

Later, says Gaius. I have fish glue in my back pack at Minnie's.

Okay, says Prawny. What can I do in the meantime?

Whatever Terence thinks best, says Gaius.

Let's look out for Rosalie, says Terence. 

Good idea, says Gaius. If you hold Prawny aloft, he'll see her coming. Meanwhile Margaret and I will keep an eye on the hole.

So Terence takes Prawny a short way down the track at the side of the pond, and holds Prawny aloft.

Turn me, says Prawny. I've only got one eye.

It's hard to turn you without your tail, says Terence.

Turn yourself then, says Prawny.

You're pretty smart, says Terence. 

Am I? asks Prawny.

Can you see her? asks Terence.

No, says Prawny.

They wait.

Gaius and Margaret are keeping an eye on the hole.

Did you hear something? asks Margaret.

Rr! says Gaius. But that was before.

Something is poking out, says Margaret. A frog's leg, it looks like.

I don't see it, says Gaius.

There! says Margaret, pointing.

Ah yes! Gaius can see it. But it's not the right hole.

It's knocking, says Margaret.

Frogs don't knock, says Gaius.

It appears to be knocking, says Margaret. Maybe it's checking on its neighbour.

Of course! says Gaius. It would have heard sounds of choking, and coughing and a subsequent lack of volume in the croak.

Now look! says Margaret. The one that was choking is poking its head out! 

So is the other one, says Gaius. If only we could hear what they're saying.

RUOK? says Margaret.

What? says Gaius.

Just my joke, says Margaret. I really can't hear them. I thought it was what a frog might say to a fellow frog in trouble. It sounds a like a croak. RUOK!

I'm not used to you making jokes, Margaret, says Gaius. I'm glad you've explained it.

He laughs belatedly.

Something Feathery Vibrating

 Rosalie reaches the black brick hole first.

It's one of many.

But only one emits sounds of coughing.

She stoops and looks in.

Do you have a torch? she asks Gaius.

Not with me, says Gaius. Perhaps Margaret will have one.

He turns to ask Margaret if she has a torch.

No, sorry, says Margaret.

If I was a proper parrot I'd get one, says Prawny.

Yes! says Terence. You're learning!

Learning what I can't do, says Prawny.

At least you're trying, says Terence.

I'm not trying, says Prawny. I caused all this trouble.

What trouble? asks Terence.

The frog we're supposed to be observing is choking, says Margaret. That's trouble.

It's not Prawny's fault, says Terence.

So is it your fault? asks Margaret. You wanted Prawny to fly.

It's the super-parrot's fault, says Terence. He gave Prawny the wings.

Su-PERB parrot, says Margaret.

He was trying to help me, says Prawny.

You should call him, says Terence. He might bring us a torch.

This is not a great idea for two reasons.

1. Prawny has no way of calling the superb parrot

2. The superb parrot will not have a torch

But a torch is not needed.

Gaius has reached into the hole and pulled out Prawny's tail.

Prawny's tail! calls Gaius.

Yay! says Terence. Hear that, Prawny?

Yay, mutters Prawny.

The coughing is getting louder, says Gaius. I'll reach in again.

He reaches into the darkness and yes! he feels something feathery, vibrating. 

Prawny's wings?

He draws them out slowly.

Yes, it's them. Two straggly juvenile superb parrot feathers.

No longer good for anything.

A frog voice is heard, from the hole.

Rr! Rr! 

Are you all right in there? asks Gaius.

Rr...

It doesn't sound very vigorous, says Rosalie.

No it doesn't, says Gaius. What should we do?

I'll fetch a torch, says Rosalie. You wait here. 

She wades out of the shallow pond and heads off to get one.

Gaius wades back to Terence and Prawny, and shows them the tail he's recovered.

But not the feathers.

Not All Middles Do

 I don't know why they leave the tail on, says Margaret.

The tails are edible, says Rosalie.

I've never tried one, says Margaret. I always discard them.

It's my body part you're talking about, says Prawny.

Yes, now he only has a middle, says Terence.

At least his middle has an eye and a mouth, says Gaius. Not all middles do.

Very funny, Gaius, says Margaret.

I'd like to question this prawn, says Rosalie.

Go ahead, says Gaius.

Did you leave the frog choking? asks Rosalie.

How do I know? asks Prawny. 

Did it eat your tail before or after it tried eating your wings? asks Rosalie.

Does it matter? asks Margaret.

These are sensible questions, says Gaius. Think, Prawny.

Prawny thinks.

What exactly did happen?

He was stuck, facing into the black brick hole.

The way out was behind him.

The frog had grown impatient, and pushed him towards the exit.

Prawny had made a difficult turn. 

Now his tail was behind him. 

Yes, that's right. But his tail is always behind him...

Until now, when it isn't.

What was the question? asks Prawny. 

At what point did the frog try your wings? asks Rosalie.

Before my tail went missing, says Prawny. 

Missing? says Rosalie.

Maybe it didn't eat it! says Terence. Maybe your tail just fell off.

And maybe the frog is still choking, says Rosalie. This calls for an intervention.

It does indeed, says Gaius.

You might get your tail back, says Terence.

But it won't join back onto my middle, says Prawny.

Gaius can join things back on, says Terence. He has fish glue.

Prawny becomes hopeful.

Fish glue sounds good.

Meanwhile Gaius and Rosalie have stepped into the pond and are making their way to the black brick hole, from which they can hear coughing.

Fine Without Clappers

Prawny hasn't come out yet, says Terence.

I know, says Gaius. 

You shouldn't have thrown him into the hole, says the hiker.

He's the second main frog guy, says Terence.

Not really, says Gaius. But it seems he is blocking the hole.

Then he must be extracted, says the hiker.

Are you a scientist? asks Margaret.

No, I'm a Friend of Mawson Ponds, says the hiker. We do weeding and planting and keep our eyes on the frogs.

Margaret, says Margaret. I'm a geologist.

Rosalie, says the hiker.

What do you suggest we do about Prawny? asks Gaius.

One option is to let nature take its course, says Rosalie.

Does that mean I can go in and get him? asks Terence.

No, says Rosalie. I mean something will eat him.

Eat Prawny? says Terence.

There should be no need for that, says Gaius. 

If there's a green and golden bell frog in the hole it'll push him out, says Rosalie.

Or eat him, says Terence.

They eat spiders and crickets and damselflies, says Rosalie. Mainly.

And smaller frogs, says Gaius. In fact they are known to eat their own young, on occasion.

They WILL eat Prawny, says Terence.

Everyone looks at the hole Prawny disappeared into.

And then...

The front end of Prawny appears and drops out.

The back end of Prawny is missing.

Also his feathers.

Prawny floats on the surface of the warm salty pond.

Margaret grabs a stick and starts moving the water.

Prawny floats to the edge where Terence, Gaius and Rosalie are waiting.

Gaius leans forward and picks Prawny out of the water.

Look at me! says Prawny. 

You're ruined! says Terence.

The frog tried to eat me, says Prawny. But when it got to my feathers it choked. How much of me is missing?

Your clappers, says Terence.

I didn't have clappers, says Prawny.

Your tail, says Gaius. Don't worry, as a cooked prawn, you'll be fine without it. 

Scent Of Potato

Margaret is not far away.

She has heard voices.

Gaius! calls Margaret. I'm here!

We know! answers Gaius. Stay where you are. We're coming.

Terence runs ahead, forgetting about Prawny.

I assume you'll be wanting your prawn back? says the hiker.

Thank you, says Gaius. Prawny is proving invaluable.

But your friend has just called out to you, says the hiker. What did the prawn do?

This prawn saved Terence from drowning, says Gaius.

That boy? says the hiker.

Yes that boy is Terence, says Gaius. Which way are you going?

The same way as you, says the hiker.

They proceed towards Margaret.

Terence is already there.

Look! says Terence. We found the frog saunas. 

He points to a pile of black bricks with holes in the sides, under a pyramidal plastic umbrella, at the edge of a pond

Please don't disturb them, says the hiker.

Of course we won't, says Margaret, we're just observing.

Wonderful! says Gaius. Are there any green and golden bell frogs inside?

I haven't seen any, says Margaret. They may be hiding.

Prawny will find them, says Terence. Where is he?

Here, says Gaius, handing Prawny to Terence. 

Terence is about to step into the water with Prawny.

Don't do that! say Gaius and the hiker, at once.

Okay says Terence. I'll get Prawny to swim there.

I can't swim, says Prawny. 

I'll throw you into one of the holes, says Terence. 

Yikes! says Prawny.

This is your chance to be the second main frog guy, says Terence.

All right, says Prawny.

Terence is quite a good thrower, and the holes in the black bricks are not far away.

He throws Prawny.

Prawny fixes his eye on a hole.

Zoom! Made it!

Prawny is inside a hole. It's warm inside, and something is growling. Rr! Rr!

Hello, says Prawny. 

This is MY hole, says a frog voice.

I know, says Prawny. 

I was just going out to sunbake, says the frog voice.

Don't let me stop you, says Prawny.

You ARE stopping me, says the frog voice. And tickling me. What are you, a bird?

I'm training to be a parrot, says Prawny, but I'm really a prawn.

You smell like a prawn, says the frog voice.

Do I? asks Prawny.

With hints of potato, says the frog voice.

That's spun potato, says Prawny. It dried up and fell off.

Well, the scent lingers, says the frog voice. Anyway why are you here?

I'm a second main frog guy, says Prawny.

From the university? asks the frog voice. 

No from the Gateway Motor Inn in Narrandera, says Pawny. Terence ordered me.

That's all Greek to me, says the frog voice. 

Shall I get out of your way? asks Prawny.

Yes, go back to where you came from, says the frog voice.

Prawny can't do that. 

Nor can he get out of the hole.