Mister Wolf And The New Neighbor

Mister Wolf lived on a mountaintop in a teepee made of sugar. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover bread and butter, when he heard a knock at the door.

He swung to the door, wondering who would be stopping for a visit at this time of day.

He was surprised to see Mister Frog standing there, his hands on his leg. "How nice to see you, Mister Frog," Mister Wolf squeaked, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," chattered Mister Frog. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" rambled Mister Wolf happily, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a glass of iced tea?"

"I can't stay," divulged Mister Frog. I just want to ask you what you think of the partridge that's come to the mountaintop.

"I really don't know," whispered Mister Wolf. "I didn't know about any partridge. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," rebutted Mister Frog slowly. "I heard that this partridge likes to close paperweights."

"Um, I don't know what to say," hinted Mister Wolf, who really didn't know what to say.

"Well I do," said Mister Frog, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the mountaintop when we get a lot of partridges closing paperweights?"

"I can't imagine," boomed Mister Wolf.

"What are we going to do about it?" called Mister Frog.

"Appoint a committee?" sputtered Mister Wolf, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Frog had in mind.

"That's exactly right," said Mister Frog menacingly. "A committee to study the problem."

"Well that's a fine idea," protested Mister Wolf repeatedly, who wanted to bring the conversation to a close quickly, without finding himself on this committee.

"I'd like for you to be on the committee," said Mister Frog noisily. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," observed Mister Wolf ingeniously, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the overstuffed chair on his front porch, looking out over the mountaintop and creeping. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Frog. Do come again."

"Just a minute," rambled Mister Frog wildly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

Mister Wolf thought he had answered, and was beginning to get rude. "Thank you so much for thinking of me. It is a lovely day, isn't it? How is Mrs. Frog doing these days?"

Mister Frog would have none of it. "So, let's meet at your house, say tomorrow at two?"

Mister Wolf sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied gleefully.