Forgetting The Snake

Now we'll have nightmares, says Quiet-Tartus.

We will, says Shorty-Tartus.

Me too, says Terence. What will yours be?

Clinging to a dangerous snake in a rain tank, says Quiet-Tartus. 

With two mice, says Shorty-Tartus.

What two mice? asks Quiet-Tartus.

Us and two mice, says Shorty-Tartus. All clinging on to the snake.

Do snakes eat mice first or frogs first? asks Terence.

We don't know, says Shorty-Tartus. It'd be scary for all of us.

Including the snake, says Tilly. That's why it won't eat you.

Or the mice, says Terence. 

I'll still have nightmares, says Quiet-Tartus.

Sorry, says Tilly. Would you like me to sing you a song?

No, they wouldn't, says Terence.

Yes, we would, says Shorty-Tartus. 

One about tree frogs, says Quiet-Tartus.

This song is about speckled frogs, says Tilly. 

She sings Five Little Speckled Frogs, which she remembers singing in kindergarten.

The five little speckled frogs jump into the pond one by one until there are no little frogs left on the speckled log.

Did a snake eat them? asks Quiet-Tartus.

Of course not, says Tilly.

Try another one, says Terence.

Tilly tries to remember another one.

There's one about a frog jumping out of the pond one day and finding himself in the rain. 

I know that one, says Terence.

Is there a snake in it? asks Shorty-Tartus.

No, says Tilly. The frog thinks he might catch a cold so he jumps back in again.

What's a cold? asks Quiet-Tartus.

It's a virus, says Tilly. 

Not a snake, says Terence. Who wants to know what my nightmare will be?

No one, says Tilly. We should talk about dreams. My dream is to be an ornithologist. What's yours, Terence?

A horse, says Terence. But I'm not going to get one.

So that's more like a nightmare, says Quiet-Tartus. A horse you don't get.

How would that go? asks Shorty-Tartus. Wouldn't it be boring. What would happen?

Nothing, says Tilly. Why do you want a horse anyway?

Because, says Terence, see this medal?

He looks down at his chest where the Chevalier des Clandestines medal should be hanging on a ribbon.

It isn't.

Wah! says Terence. I've lost my medal!

Maybe it fell off when you fell into Knappinghat Creek, says Tilly.

I'm going back there, says Terence.

I'll come with you, says Tilly. Are you frogs coming?

Yes they are coming. 

At least they've forgotten the snake.