THE TADPOLE PARTY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 738, 10 August 1929, Page 35

THE TADPOLE PARTY

One morning the Frog Town postman brought a pretty blue letter to Taddie Frog’s home. When Taddie opened the envelope, he found an invitation to a party. It was from the Tadpole family. The invitation read: “Master Taddie Frog is invited to attend the Tadpole party at Tadpole Pond Saturday afternoon, April the tenth. This is a tale-spinning party. Bring your tale along.” Taddie was so happy that he hopped up and down. Then he remembered that lie had no tail. “The invitation says, ‘Bring your tale along.* I have no tail. What shall I do? Where can I get a tall? ’ he asked his mother. “You used to have a tail, Taddie, when you were a little tadpole. But you lost it one day. Some of the animal children may have picked it jp.” “I shall go and see,” said Taddie. So Taddie hopped over to the Musk.at Lady’s house and tapped on the door with his hind foot. The Muskrat Lady opened the door. “I am looking for my tail, Mrs. Muskrat. Have any of your children found a tail?” “What would my children want with your tail? My children have beautiful tails of their own. I’ll have you know,” snapped Mrs. Muskrat. And she slammed the door in Taddie’s face. Taddie hopped next over to Mrs. Mouse’s home and tapped on the door with his hind foot. Mrs. Mouse opened the door. “I am looking for my tail, Mrs. Mouse. Have any of your children found a tail?” “What would my children want with your tail? My children have beautiful tails of tlieir own, I’ll have you know.” snapped Mrs. Mouse, her eyes flashing. And she slammed the door in his face. Then Taddie hopped over to Beaver Dam and knocked on the door or Beaver Lodge with his hind foot. Mrs. Beaver opened the door. “I am looking for my tail, Mrs. Beaver. Have any of your children found a tail?” “What would my children want with your tail? My children have beautiful tails of their own. I’ll have you know.” snapped Mrs. Beaver. And she slammed the door in his face. Taddie sat down under some cattails. “Oh, for a tail!” he sighed. I wish I had a tail.” “There are plenty of tails.” Taddie saw that it was one of the cat-tatls that had spoken. “Yes, I know there are plenty of tails.” answered Taddie, “but they are all fastened to somebody.” “We cat-tails are not fastened to anybody,” said the cat-tail. ‘ “Are you not fastened to a cat?” “No, we are called cat-tails because we look so much like the tail of a cat, but we belong to the Plant family Cats belong to the Animal family.” explained the cat-tail. . “Oh.” said Taddie. “then may I have you to take with me to the party tomorrow? Everypne has to bring a tail with him.” “Yes. I should like to go with you to the party.” said the cat-tail. So Taddie broke the cat-tail from the stem and hopped as fast as he could to his homo. “See, mother. I found a tall! Now I can go to the party.” cried Taddie. waving the cat-tail. When Saturday came Taddie worn his best green coat and trousers and he carried the cat-tail, and when he reached the party he was given a special prize for originality, because all . the other frogs had brought tales—the sort that you read.