188 The Toad-Boy.

very difficult matter, as his legs were weak, but as
he went on they became stronger.

He walked on and on through the woods,
picking, with his new little hands, the beautiful
flowers, which he had never even noticed before,
when he was a Toad, but which he now thought
very lovely. Soon he began to feel hungry, for
he did not seem to care to eat the fat flies, which
were flying lazily about, and which when he was a
Toad, used to seem so delicious to him. And not
only did he long for something to eat, but he was
tired as well, ah, so tired; the night, too, was com-
ing on and he wanted a soft bed. And more
than all, his poor little heart began to ache—
ache for a kind, loving mamma. He had now
reached a high-road, and made up his mind that
he would walk down it, in search of the things he
needed. He soon came to a house, and walking
timidly to the door, asked the lady there if she
would like to have a little boy. She said:

‘No, I have already one little boy.”” Then as
the light fell full on his face, the lady screamed
and said: ‘Oh, what is the matter with you?