Frogman! No one else knows so much as I; no one else is
so grand, so magnificent!"

"If you know so much," she retorted, "why don't you know where your
dishpan is instead of chasing around the country after it?"

"Presently," he answered, "I am going where it is, but just now I am
traveling and have had no breakfast. Therefore I honor you by asking
you for something to eat."

"Oho! The Great Frogman is hungry as any tramp, is he? Then pick up
these sticks and help me to build the fire," said the woman
contemptuously.

"Me! The Great Frogman pick up sticks?" he exclaimed in horror. "In
the Yip Country where I am more honored and powerful than any King
could be, people weep with joy when I ask them to feed me."

"Then that's the place to go for your breakfast," declared the woman.

"I fear you do not realize my importance," urged the Frogman.
"Exceeding wisdom renders me superior to menial duties."

"It's a great wonder to me," remarked the woman, carrying her sticks to
the house, "that your wisdom doesn't inform you that you'll get no
breakfast here." And she went in and slammed the door behind her.

The Frogman felt he had been insulted, so he gave a loud croak of
indignation and turned away. After going a short distance, he came
upon a faint path which led across a meadow in the direction of a grove
of pretty trees, and thinking this circle of evergreens must surround a
house where perhaps he would be kindly received, he decided to follow
the path. And by and by he came to the trees, which were set close
together, and pushing aside some branches he found no house inside the
circle, but instead a very beautiful pond of clear water.

Now the Frogman, although he was so big and well educated and now aped
the ways and customs of human beings, was still a frog. As he gazed at
this solitary, deserted pond, his love for water returned to him with
irresistible force. "If I cannot get a breakfast, I may at least have
a fine swim," said he, and pushing his way between the trees, he
reached the bank. There he took off his fine clothing, laying his
shiny purple hat and his gold-headed cane beside it. A moment later,
he sprang with one leap into the water and dived to the very bottom of
the pond.

The water was deliciously cool and grateful to his thick, rough skin,
and the Frogman swam around the pond several times before he stopped to
rest. Then he floated upon the surface and examined the pond with The