The Toad-Boy. 19!

that Snake and make him tell you how to get rid
of the toad-face and how to get a boy-face. If you
are successful, come to my house,” and she
pointed to a big house near, “(and be my own
dear boy.”

He thanked her very much and back he went
to the woods. The night was hot and he slept
comfortably under a big tree on a soft pile of
leaves. In the early morning, he began his search
for the Snake, but, although he spent hours in
looking for him, he could not find him, and when
night came he was much discouraged.

“The Snake is gone, no one wants me, and it
will be much better for me to become a Toad
again,” said he. So the poor little fellow found
the flat stone and counting carefully, walked round
it backward, the tears streaming from his eyes.
After he had gone round ten times, and was
about to take the final jump on the stone, out
popped that same horrid Snake, and tried to
catch him by the heel, when the Boy, who although
he had the face of a toad, had the brains and
hands of a boy, quickly seized the creature, and