saidthefarmlaborerwhoemptiedthebucket,whenhesawthetoad."you'retheugliestthingi'veseenforonewhile."andhemadeakickwithhiswoodenshoeatthetoad,whichjustescapedbeingcrushedbymanagingtoscrambleintothenettleswhichgrewhighbythewell'sbrink.hereshesawstembystem,butshelookedupalso;thesunshonethroughtheleaves,whichwerequitetransparent;andshefeltasapersonwouldfeelwhostepssuddenlyintoagreatforest,wherethesunlooksinbetweenthebranchesandleaves.

"it'smuchnicerherethandowninthewell!ishouldliketostayheremywholelifelong!"saidthelittletoad.soshelaythereforanhour,yes,fortwohours."iwonderwhatistobefounduphere?asihavecomesofar,imusttrytogostillfarther."andsoshecrawledonasfastasshecouldcrawl,andgotoutuponthehighway,wherethesunshoneuponher,andthedustpowderedheralloverasshemarchedacrosstheway.

"i'vegottoadryplace.now,andnomistake,"saidthetoad."it'salmosttoomuchofagoodthinghere;itticklesoneso."

shecametotheditch;andforget-me-notsweregrowingthere,andmeadow-sweet;andaverylittlewayoffwasahedgeofwhitethorn,andelderbushesgrewthere,too,andbindweedwithwhiteflowers.gaycolorsweretobeseenhere,andabutterfly,too,wasflittingtoadthoughtitwasaflowerwhichhadbrokenloosethatitmightlookaboutbetterintheworld,whichwasquiteanaturalthingtodo.

"ifonecouldonlymakesuchajourneyasthat!"saidthetoad."croak!howcapitalthatwouldbe."

eightdaysandeightnightsshestayedbythewell,andexperiencednowantofprovisions.ontheninthdayshethought,"forward!onward!"butwhatcouldshefindmorecharmingandbeautiful?perhapsalittletoadorafewgreenfrogs.duringthelastnighttherehadbeenasoundborneonthebreeze,asiftherewerecousinsintheneighborhood.

"it'sagloriousthingtolive!glorioustogetoutofthewell,andtolieamongthestinging-nettles,andtocrawlalongthedustyroad.butonward,onward!thatwemayfindfrogsoralittlecan'tdowithoutthat;naturealoneisnotenoughforone."andsoshewentforwardonherjourney.

shecameoutintotheopenfield,toagreatpond,roundaboutwhichgrewreeds;andshewalkedintoit.

"itwillbetoodampforyouhere,"saidthefrogs;"butyouareverywelcome!areyouaheorashe?butitdoesn'tmatter;youareequallywelcome."

andshewasinvitedtotheconcertintheevening-thefamilyconcert;greatenthusiasmandthinvoices;weknowthesortofthing.norefreshmentsweregiven,onlytherewasplentytodrink,forthewholepondwasfree.

"nowishallresumemyjourney,"saidthelittletoad;forshealwaysfeltalongingforsomethingbetter.

shesawthestarsshining,solargeandsobright,andshesawthemoongleaming;andthenshesawthesunrise,andmounthigherandhigher.

"perhapsafterall,iamstillinawell,onlyinalargerwell.imustgethigheryet;ifeelagreatrestlessnessandlonging."andwhenthemoonbecameroundandfull,thepoorcreaturethought,"iwonderifthatisthebucketwhichwillbeletdown,andintowhichimuststeptogethigherup?oristhesunthegreatbucket?howgreatitis!howbrightitis!itcantakeupall.imustlookout,thatimaynotmisstheopportunity.oh,howitseemstoshineinmyhead!idon'tthinkthejewelcanshinebrighter.butihaven'tthejewel;notthaticryaboutthat-no,imustgohigherup,intosplendorandjoy!