Not To Eat But To Smell

It's a frog, says Terence. Bad luck, frog.

Bad luck, frog? 

The tiny Kroombit tinker frog thinks the worst.

But it needn't.

We're not looking for you, frog, says Terence.

Even though we're supposed to be, says Greedy.

You've confused it, says Freddy. Turn off the torch.

Terence turns off the torch.

Now the Kroombit tinker can see them.

A cement boy with curls, a rubber glove with white spots and a brown froglike creature with a bead in its head.

The bead-headed frog comes closer.

Fear not, says the bead-head. Hello. My name is Freddy.

Hello, says the Kroombit tinker. Can I go now?

Ask him to wait, says Terence. We'll be coming back later.

We don't know if it's the right sort of frog, says Greedy.

Ask it, says Terence.

What are you? asks Freddy.

The Kroombit tinker was raised in captivity and so knows the answer.

A Kroombit tinker, it replies.

Woop! says Terence. Ask it if it wants to come with us.

Do you want ... begins Freddy.

I heard the question, says the Kroombit tinker.

Well, do you? asks Terence.

Where are you going? asks the Kroombit tinker.

To see the letter from Greedith and Freddy, says Terence. 

Greedith is my granny, by the way, says Greedy. 

How far is it? asks the Kroombit tinker. 

Not far, says Terence. Freddy knows the way. 

Freddy, says the Kroombit tinker. So did you write the letter?

No, says Freddy. I've only recently learned how to speak.

He used to say why all the time, says Terence. 

Why? asks the Kroombit tinker

Yes, says Terence. So, are you coming?

The Kroombit tinker has nothing much to do. It has already eaten. It likes Freddy, who smells of chocolate. It likes chocolate. Not to eat, but to smell.

I'm coming, says the Kroombit tinker.

Off they go, in the moonlight. 

Freddy wonders if it would be all right to ask it its gender.