Wallace Learns to Swim
In a forest far, far away there was a pond, with water as clear as the sunny sky. On its edge lived a teeny-tiny frog whose name was Wallace.
Wallace loved to jump, and jump, and jump at the edge of the pond, but he never once jumped into the pond.
The other frogs on the pond would tease him,
Wallace, Wallace come into the water and dance
Else we'll come over and chase you with a pan!
Wallace, Wallace come into the water and prance
Else we'll come over and chase you till you run!
Wallace would just look at the other little green frogs swimming on the pond. And then he'll shrug his little green shoulder and jump and jump and jump on the edge of the pond until he grows tired and can't jump any more.
You see, Wallace had a little secret, he didn't know how to swim. But he was afraid to ask someone to teach him how. And he was more afraid that someone would find out that he can't swim.
So instead, he just ignored the other little green frogs and pretended that he liked it better to jump and jump and jump on the edge of the pond all day rather than swim.
He would love to swim one day, very much. But Wallace was so afraid to try.
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One day, while he was jumping and jumping and jumping on the edge, he saw a little yellow butterfly flying over the pond. It flew and flew and flew. Sometimes it would swoop down and stare at its reflection on the water.
How Wallace envied this pretty little thing. He wished he could also peer at the pond. He had always been curious to know what was in the middle of the water.
When the yellow butterfly came over the edge of the pond it saw little green Wallace, alone and jumping and jumping and jumping on the edge of the pond.
What is your name, little green friend?
Mine is Alice! What a beautiful pond you have here!!
How come you're not in the water like all the other little green ones?
Wallace was ashamed. He didn't want the pretty little butterfly to know that he can't swim. So he ignored the butterfly and jumped and jumped and jumped instead.
As Wallace watched Alice the yellow butterfly fly away, he started to feel very sad. He wanted so much to become friends with her but he was so ashamed to tell her that he couldn't swim. So he jumped and jumped and jumped along the edge of the pond until he grew tired and couldn't jump anymore.
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The next afternoon, Wallace saw Alice flying over the pond again. He wanted to call her and apologize for the way he behaved the previous day but he was just so ashamed.
Alice was hovering so close over the pond when suddenly one of her wings touched the surface of the water. It suddenly became very difficult to fly. Her wet wings became so heavy that she couldn't lift them anymore. Little by little she felt herself falling into the pond.
Wallace saw Alice flutter her wings, and then flutter some more and then slowly drop into the water. He didn't know if Alice could swim either.
He saw her trying so hard to move her wings but sinking deeper and deeper into the water.
Without thinking, Wallace jumped into the water! He forgot he cannot swim!
As his little green arms and little green legs sank into the water he felt himself starting to swim.
First his little green arms started moving left and then right, left and then right. He felt his little green legs too, moving left and then right, left and then right. Before he knew it he found himself right beside Alice and started to pull her into the edge of the pond.
When they reached the edge of the pond Alice the butterfly couldn't thank Wallace enough.
Oh, nice little green friend
I thank you for saving my life,
Even though you won't tell me your name
I'll forever remember your face
Wallace felt his cheek grow greener. He was embarrassed but this time he was determined to tell Alice everything.
Oh, my little yellow friend
Forgive your little green friend for being so rude
I thought I couldn't swim and was ashamed
But now I know that if only I have tried
I would have been swimming and swimming and swimming
All the days of my life instead of jumping and jumping and jumping
And wondering what it's like to be in the pond.
