The Story of Timtum

Once, upon a brick sat Timtum the frog. He was a large leaf-green
amphibian who was searching for a lovely garden pond in which to
live.
Timtum was hopping through some sweet smelling herb plants in Ernie
Jones' garden one day when whoosh, Ernie swept his arm over Timtum's
head, paint brush in his hand.
Oh! What a fright he had as Ernie's foot nearly trod on him. Timtum
leapt up out of danger but the poor nervous frog hit the fence that
Ernie was painting blue. He leapt out of Ernie's way where he sat and
recovered from his shock.
As he rested against a red rock, he looked at his hands and feet.
"Good gracious me, what has happened?" cried Timtum.
He had got blue hands and feet. Yes, indeed blue hands and feet.
He desperately tried jumping about the garden to wipe off the paint.
Sadly, it had already dried on him.
Ernie was hot and bothered by the sunshine and his fence was ruined. He
was really mad. He ordered Timtum out of his garden and to never come
back. He was most horrid.
As Timtum tried to escape Ernie hurled a pebble at him. It hit his back
and hurt him. Nasty Ernie!
Timtum found a pond in a new garden. He dived in with a splish splash
to have a bath. He scrubbed himself for a long time but was only
disappointed to see he still had blue hands and feet.
Timtum hung his head down, how sad he felt and of course he felt
scared. He was green just like the plants and grass. Green was a great
colour because bigger birds and animals that like to eat frogs couldn't
spot him amongst the evergreen fauna.
Being slightly blue worried Timtum a lot. He appeared vulnerable. He
tried making some leaf shoes but they kept tearing.
It was time for Timtum to find a safe hideaway. He searched carefully
until he landed in Mrs. Goody's shrubbery.
As he sat on the mud, he heard a large croak. He listened and he heard
lots of croaking from all around the garden.
Out from one of the bushes popped another frog.
This grand frog bounded across the grass into a huge pond onto his
favourite lily pad. The pond was wonderful with leaping, laughing frogs
everywhere. Timtum had a closer look. As he jumped onto the grass it
felt nice and moist and he heard the sound of a trickling fountain near
by.
He wanted to join in with the fun and frolics so much, that he did so.
He became so excited He quite forgot his dilemma.
The frog on the lily pad croaked. "Stop everyone, we have a new frog in
our group."
Timtum said "Hello" and announced his name.
"Do you all live here?" he asked.
"We do indeed" replied Cookie the Chief Frog. "Mrs. Goody likes us here
as we eat all of the insects which ruin her plants and she loves to
hear us croak in harmony" Cookie declared proudly.
They were getting rather friendly when Cookie noticed Timtum's blue
hands and feet.
"Oh! What a surprise! Poor Timtum you need help" said Cookie.
A meeting was planned. All the frogs gathered in the middle of the lawn
to talk of ways to help Timtum. Every frog made suggestions, some were
really quite silly and some were extremely dangerous, but all of them
wanted to help him. He felt loved.
All of a sudden the back door of the house opened. It was Hilda Goody
with her daughter Isabella, who was eight years old. Isabella had big
blue eyes and a round smiling face. She was very talkative. She skipped
onto the lawn ahead of Mrs. Goody.
She clapped her hands behind all the frogs she could spy, edging them
back into the pond. The frogs welcomed this caring act, as they knew
that Mrs Goody was about to emerge with the lawnmower.
The frogs sat with their long legs dangling from the pond wall. Timtum
sat alongside Emmy, she was the most gorgeous speckled species in the
group. He had taken quite a fancy to her. Cookie sat next to Clint - he
was the smallest green frog.
Isabella studied the frogs, especially Prince. She adored him. He was
menacing with strong arms and legs that could spring him 2 feet in the
air. Only then she discovered Timtum.
"Mummy, Mummy! Look at this!" she urged.
"Well bless my cotton socks, I've never seen a frog with blue hands and
feet before!" exclaimed Mrs. Goody.
Both Mother and Daughter disappeared into their home only to reappear
soon with a net. They approached the pond.
"I will endeavour to clean you up" said Mrs. Goody.
Timtum was frightened. He began to panic.
Cookie knew that Mrs Goody could be trusted.
"Grab his arms and legs" he ribbetted.
Emmy and Clint held his flapping arms while Prince and Cookie held onto
his wriggling legs.
"Help, help!" screeched Timtum.
Mrs Goody scooped him up into her net and whisked him indoors.
Isabella was captivated as her Mother rubbed washing liquid into
Timtum's webbed feet and brushed in circles with Isabella's old
toothbrush.
Timtum was trapped under the netting only his feet could move but Mrs.
Goody held them still. It tickled him so much he laughed and screamed
until he was exhausted. And then Mrs. Goody continued with his webbed
hands. Timtum had to withstand more tickling.
Outside, his friends could hear his screams and joined hands together
praying he would be all right. At last Mrs. Goody stopped. Timtum's
blue hands and feet were &;#8230;&;#8230; still blue.
Timtum was completely broken-hearted.
Isabella retreated to her bedroom. She had some things that could be
useful. Her bedroom was full of dolls. China dolls sat upon a corner
unit, baby dolls slept in their cots and prams, rag dolls lay clumsily
upon her bed. She lifted the bright yellow bedspread, underneath the
brass bedframe were more dolls. She spotted her Cowboys and Indians.
She was looking for her Texan cowboy that her Uncle Pat bought her back
from his holiday.
The Texan Cowboy had two outfits. One had green cowboy boots, the other
had brown ones. They just might fit!
Isabella dashed downstairs to find her Mother.
Mrs Goody was returning Timtum to the garden.
"Wait Mummy, let me try the cowboy boots from Texan Tex."
Timtum did not struggle any more. He lay back on the grass and raised
his arms and legs upright in the air crying as he did so.
The group of twenty frogs and Mrs. Goody watched in anticipation as
Isabella fitted the boots onto Timtum's hands and feet
&;#8230;&;#8230;&;#8230;. they fitted!
He leapt up. The boots remained firmly on and they did not hurt him.
His tears of sadness turned to tears of happiness. Twenty frogs leapt
in merriment. Timtum croaked "Yeh Haa" as he galloped in laps around
the garden leading the other frogs. He loved his cowboy boots, they
made him look handsome - Emmy was impressed.
Timtum joined the group of frogs and was happy in the garden, but he
had a score to settle with the gruesome Ernie Jones. He waved goodbye
with a hop, skip and a jump towards Ernie Jones' house.
Evil Ernie was outside clipping his flowers. He was leaning over his
best flower blooms when Timtum landed behind him. He aimed at Ernie's
ankle and leapt with all his might . He kicked Ernie with all four
boots. Ernie yelled and hobbled to the step where he sat and examined
his sore ankle. He recognised Timtum "You rotten toad! I will squash
you in my hands" he shouted.
"I am back to punish you Ernie Jones" roared Timtum angrily.
A garden rake was lying on the path. Timtum stood near by and told
Ernie to take ten steps forward. Ernie started counting, when he took
his last step he turned and faced Timtum. Behind Ernie was the rake.
Timtum launched himself through Ernie's legs and dropped down onto the
rake. Nothing happened!
Ernie turned and came closer. He leaned over and reached out for
Timtum.
Watching through the fence were Timtum's new friends Cookie, Prince,
Clint and Emmy. They had come to rescue him. Timtum looked up. His four
friends were flying over Ernie. They fell from the air and landed
alongside him on the rake. Suddenly, the rake flung up off the ground
its wooden handle hurtled towards Ernie's head. He jumped out of its
way. Oops! He slipped upon some wet leaves he had been raking up and
landed in his wheelbarrow alongside.
While Ernie lay bedazzled by the attack, the frogs ate all of Ernie's
best blooms. Emmy and Timtum linked arms as the triumphant frogs danced
home to Mrs. Goody's garden.
When Ernie recovered he decided never to be nasty to any more frogs
ever again!

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