The frogs were all in their pot sitting on the stove, minding their own business like they always do.
“Say there, Rrricco.” croaked Crrraig. “Your spot in the pan is under the handle. If I had that spot, I could collect the water condensing on the screws and provide us all with a cool drink.”
It was getting warmer, they all noted.
“But I do not want to give up my spot.” said Rrricco. “I have had this spot since we have been here and I like it.”
“Well, I will trade you my spot.” Crrraig offered. “It is a nice spot, you will find. Quite a fair trade I think.”
“It is a nice spot, but it is not my spot. I like this spot and will keep it.” Rrricco said with finality.
“Well, what say the rest of you?” Crrraig asked. “If I were to have Rrricco’s spot in the pan, I could get cool water for the rest of us. Everyone would benefit.”
It was getting warmer, they all agreed.
The frogs all conferred. It would be good for everyone if Crrraig were given Rrricco’s spot in the pan. But it was Rrricco’s spot, could they take it away?
Just then the Judge walked by. They had decided he had to be a judge, he wore a tall white hat.
“Sir! Oh sir!” called Rrrichard. “Could you help us with a matter?”
The frogs all agreed the judge was wise and was the man to turn to when they could not settle a dispute themselves.
“What seems to be the matter,” said the judge.
“Well, see.” Rrrichard explained, “Rrricco has the spot over there under the handle bolts. If Crrriag had that spot he could collect the cool water and we could all have a drink. But it is Rrricco’s spot and we do not know if we should make Rrricco give it up.”
“Hmm.” said the Judge. “That is a tough one. Rrricco has a right to that spot, because he found it first.” The Judge rubbed his hand on his chin. “It would be my thought that the greater good should prevail, that the end that helps the most people should be followed.”
The frogs all seemed to like that. They wanted some of that cool water. It was getting warm, after all. All the frogs like it, but one.
“But this is my spot and I want to keep it.” said Rrricco
“Oh, Sir! Can you help us?” croaked Rrrichard.
“I can only help if you give me the authority to do so. This is your pot.” Stated the judge.
The frogs conferred and decided to give the judge the authority. All the frogs voted, all but one, to let the Judge set right the problem. The Judge took his big wooden spoon and scooped up Rrricco and plopped him down in Crrraig’s spot. Crrraig moved to Rrricco’s old spot and began collecting the cool water.
“That should do it.” said the Judge. With that he reached down under the pot and turned a knob up one notch, then walked away.
Rrricco was quite put out with having his spot taken away from him. After a while, he rolled up some lily pad leaves he had brought with him and began to smoke them. The other frogs at first tried to ignore the smoke. Then they tried to move away from the smoke. After a while it was just too much. It was Tadd who finally spoke up.
“Mr. Rrricco sir, could you please put out your cigarette?” Tadd asked.
“No I don’t think I will.” said Rrricco. “I want to smoke my cigarette and I am free to do as I please in this new spot you have put me in.”
“But Mr. Rrricco, your smoke is blowing over here and I do not want to breath it.” Tadd complained.
“Very well.” Rrricco said. “When the Judge comes back by, I will ask him to turn the fan on, to pull the smoke away.”
This agreement kept everyone content for a little while. Then Mrs. Rrrachael pointed out that Rrricco really should not be smoking the cigarette for his own good. Then Mrs. Carrrol said she did not think that the fan would pull enough of the smoke away when it was turned on and they would still smell it.
When the Judge came back by, the frogs all tried to speak at once. Rrricco was saying that he thought he should be able to do as he pleased on his own spot in the pan and that he would be willing to have the fan pull his smoke away. Tadd was almost in tears saying he did not want to smell the smoke. Mrs. Carrrol was stating that she did not think the fan would pull all the smoke away and Mrs. Rrrachael told the Judge that she thought Rrricco should not be smoking for his own health.
The Judge listened intently for a few minutes then waved the frogs to silence. “I think that this cigarette has caused entirely too much of a fuss. It would just be easier if we did not have cigarettes. I want all the frogs to hand over any lilly pad products they have.”
Rrricco looked around at a few of the other frogs that he knew used lilly pads. They all looked upset, but they were far out numbered. Mrs. Carrrol had a smug look on her face. Slowly Rrricco and several other frogs handed over their lilly pads.
“Thank you very much.” the Judge said. And before he left, he turned the knob below the pan.
“Well, I’m glad we got that done with,” Rrrachael said, “as hot as it is getting the last thing we needed was artificial smoke”
They all agreed; it was getting hot.
Then Crrraig spotted a June bug. He loved June bugs; they were his favorite. Quickly, Crrraig snatched the June bug out of the air.
“What is that?” cried the Judge. He had walked up to the pan. “What are you eating?”
Crrraig moved the June bug to his cheek. “Ith a Jun gug.”
“A June bug!” the Judge cried. “Spit it out. Spit it out now.” He held his spoon out to Crrraig for him to spit the bug into.
“Buth Jun gugs are mff favorite.” Crrraig said nearly choking on the June bug.
“Spit it out now.” the Judge demanded. His tall white hat was shaking as he spoke.
Crrraig spit the June bug out.
“June bugs are not good for you.” the Judge said. “You may eat all the house flies you want, but you may not eat June bugs.”
“Wait,” said Crrraig. “Who are you to tell us what we can eat?”
“You are the ones who gave me the authority.” said the Judge. “You let me decide if you could smoke because it was not good for you. Now I am deciding that June bugs are not good for you.”
And as he left, the Judge turned the knob below the pan.
The frogs started to notice there were bubbles forming in the pan.
And it was getting hot, they all agreed.
Some time later the Judge came back by. “So,” asked the Judge, “why do some of you have brightly colored backs?”
“Oh,” Those are to protect us.” explained Rrrick. “Its poison.”
“Poison!” cried the Judge. “That sounds dangerous.”
“Only if you are on the receiving end.” Rrrick said with a wink.
“Hmm” said the Judge. He walked away and came back after a few minutes carrying a syringe and a needle.
“OK” announced the Judge. “This shot will neutralize the poison in your backs.”
“But!” croaked Rrrick, “how will we protect ourselves?”
The Judge smiled, “You don’t need to protect yourselves. I am here to protect you.”
The Judge gave each of those with colored backs a shot. Then he turned the knob below the pan as he left.
Everyone noticed it was getting hot in the pan.
“I’m not feeling so well.” said Tadd.
There was some mutterings amongst the frogs. There were several of them who were not feeling well. The doctor started making his rounds checking on the sick. This did not go so well though. Many of the frogs did not feel as if the doctor was making them feel any better. Then some others could not afford to pay him.
Crrraig could pay the doctor, because he had the cool water from the handle bolts. Many of the others could not pay though. A few were even bold enough to say that the doctor should take care of people without getting paid. Some of the frogs began saying that when the Judge came back around, they would have him take care of them instead of the doctor.
Soon the Judge did come back by. “Mr. Judge, sir.” said Tadd. “Many of us are not feeling so well. Can you take care of us?”
The Judge smiled. Many of the frogs beamed at his smile, but Rrricco thought his smiled looked a little evil.
“Of course I will take care of you.” said the Judge.
Then the Judge turned the knob under the pan again.
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