How Freckle Frog Made Herself Pretty

How Freckle Frog Made Herself Pretty Once upon a time there was a little girl named Marian, and she had a doll named Mary. Mary was given to Marian one day with many pretty clothes for her to wear. There were three dresses: a warm red one for winter, a thin white one for summer, and another of beautiful blue silk with lace on it. There were also little skirts, tiny stockings, pretty shoes with shiny buckles, a pink parasol, but best of all, a hand warmer made of soft white fur to keep Mary's hands warm in cold weather. Every day, Marian carried Mary out to the gray rock in the back yard where the flowers grow, to sit in the fresh air all day long. Now little Miss Freckle Frog lived under the big rock. Everyday when Mary sat in the sunshine, Freckle Frog crept out from under the rock, and hid in the grass, and watched her. Miss Freckle Frog was a kind-hearted little body but focused too much on appearances. Even with friends who cared for her deeply, she didn’t think herself very pretty and wished she could have pretty things. She thought Mary was wonderful, but she thought that the blue silk dress and the pink parasol were even more wonderful, and the little soft hand warmer—that was the most wonderful of all! Poor little Freckle Frog wished that she had a blue silk dress with lace, and a pink parasol like Mary. But mostly she wished that she had a little soft hand warmer. It was just about time for Mr. Robin Redbreast to give his big party in the orchard, and little Freckle Frog had been invited, and more than that, her own cousin, Billy Bullfrog, had promised to sing, and of course she wished to look just as nice as she could. So early one fine day, she went to see the Morning Glory Ladies who live near the back porch and always wear such beautiful dresses, and she said to them: "Oh, dear Morning Glory Ladies, your dresses are always so beautiful! But have you seen Mary's blue silk dress trimmed with lace? It is the loveliest dress in the whole world! Would you mind making me one like that to wear to Robin's party? My cousin, Billy Bullfrog, will be singing and I wish so very much to look just as nice as I can. I am not one bit pretty like Mary, but clothes always help a great deal, you know. Would you mind lending me one for the party?" But the Morning Glory Ladies were angry because they had not been invited, and they would not help her. Poor Little Freckle Frog felt so hurt, she almost cried about it. But just then Little Black Spider, who was a good friend of hers, peeped out from under a leaf and said: "I wouldn't mind them. They are a conceited lot anyway. It is a hot day, too, and they are apt to be cross on hot days. I will spin you all the lace you want." And so he did. He wove it all that day in his web, and the next morning he brought her a long piece of the loveliest spider-lace as fine as a cobweb. Little Freckle Frog was very grateful to him. "But what shall I do for a parasol?" she asked. "Oh, I'll tell you!" called a soft little voice, and when she looked up she saw a tiny white butterfly resting on a flower. "I know where there is the dearest little mushroom. It kept the rain off of me the other day, and it is just as soft and pink as Mary's parasol." So she showed Freckle Frog where to find the mushroom, and it was very soft and pink, just as she had said, and Freckle Frog was very happy about it. "Now if I only had a hand warmer," she sighed, "I could look just as beautiful as Mary at the party!" Right at her feet she found a little white caterpillar. He was so frightened that he curled himself up into a ball and lay very still. Freckle Frog had a bright idea. "Oh what a splendid hand warmer you would make!" she cried. "Would you mind if I wear you to the party just this once?" The poor little caterpillar uncurled himself. "If you will promise to take care of me and not let Robin eat me," he answered, "I would be happy to be your hand warmer." So Freckle Frog went to the party and wore the cobweb lace, and carried the mushroom parasol, and held the soft little white caterpillar for a hand warmer. Now Robin, as you must know, always had his parties at twilight. He himself was always in better voice then, so he felt sure that Billy Bullfrog and all the other singers must be too. The world was lovelier at that time. At twilight one could always depend upon the sky to grow very soft and pink, and the fairies never failed to hang the leaves with dewdrops, all to make his parties beautiful! And when it began to grow dark, the katy-dids would play if any one cared to dance. Robin always gave beautiful parties, but even he had never given one so beautiful before. Little Freckle Frog was very happy. Robin Redbreast said she looked better than anybody else at his party. Everyone admired her beautiful lace, and she told them all how kind Little Black Spider had been. Then, when the katy-dids began to play, she danced with her cousin, Billy Bullfrog, until it was time to go home. There was only one thing that troubled her, and that was that the Morning Glory Ladies weren’t invited. Maybe that’s why they had been so mean. AT last another idea came into her head. She would give a party herself, just as beautiful as Robin's, and have it early in the morning so that the Morning Glory Ladies could come. All her friends agreed to join, even the little white caterpillar. Early the next morning, before anyone else was up, she went to invite the Morning Glory Ladies, for they were always good-natured then, and never frown and scowl at people until the sun is hot. "Please, dear Morning Glory Ladies," said Freckle Frog, "will you come to my party? It would make me so happy." The Morning Glory Ladies fluttered with joy, for they loved parties, and they smiled and answered her: "Yes, indeed, we shall come, Little Freckle Frog, and wear our best dresses, too." AT last Freckle Frog was perfectly happy, and she laughed to herself and said: "Who needs fancy clothing when I have such lovely friends!"