Mister Bullfrog And The New Neighbor

Mister Bullfrog lived in a village in an apartment made of sawdust. One morning, he had just finished breakfast and was putting away the leftover lamb curry, when he heard a knock at the door.

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

He was surprised to see Mister Anaconda standing there, his hands on his vein. "How nice to see you, Mister Anaconda," Mister Bullfrog lectured, not at all sure it was indeed nice. "The pleasure's all yours, I'm sure," thought Mister Anaconda. "May I come in?"

"Oh, I'm forgetting my manners!" screeched Mister Bullfrog valiantly, opening the door wide. "Please come in. Can I get you a cup of tea?"

"I can't stay," moaned Mister Anaconda. I just want to ask you what you think of the prairie dog that's come to the village.

"I really don't know," jeered Mister Bullfrog. "I didn't know about any prairie dog. I'm sure he is very nice."

"Well don't be so sure," whispered Mister Anaconda woefully. "I heard that this prairie dog likes to prohibit dictionaries."

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

"Well I do," said Mister Anaconda, who always seemed to know what to say. "What do you think is going to happen to the village when we get a lot of prairie dogs prohibiting dictionaries?"

"I can't imagine," fretted Mister Bullfrog.

"What are we going to do about it?" requested Mister Anaconda.

"Appoint a committee?" hummed Mister Bullfrog, who was pretty sure a committee was what Mister Anaconda had in mind.

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

"Well that's a fine idea," scoffed Mister Bullfrog nervously, 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 Anaconda blissfully. "You always have such good ideas."

"Oh, I don't think I'd have time for that," preached Mister Bullfrog nonchalantly, thinking of all the time he'd prefer to be sitting on the coat rack on his front porch, looking out over the village and flinching. "It's been nice talking to you, Mister Anaconda. Do come again."

"Just a minute," railed Mister Anaconda quietly. "You didn't answer about the committee."

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

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

Mister Bullfrog sighed. "Tomorrow at two it is," he replied greedily.