A Boy, a Dog, a Frog, and a Friend

Illustrated by Mercer MayerStory and coloring by Erzsebet Harskuti

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A boy sat down beside a pond.He was fishing.

He waited patiently.“Shh! Be quiet,” he said

to his dog and his frog.“I don’t want you to scare the fish.”

So his dog and his frog sat on the bank quietly.

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Suddenly something pulled

on the boy’s fishing line.He was excited.

Maybe it was a big fish!The dog and the frog

wondered what was pulling the line.

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The boy had to pull hard

on the line.He pulled so hard

his foot slid into the water.“It must be a very, very big fish

to pull so hard,” he thought.

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Suddenly the boy was pulled into the pond head first.

The dog and the frog jumped in the water after him.

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The boy stood up.The boy told his dog,

“Quick! Get my fishing pole!”

The dog started to swim.

There was a turtle getting out of the pond.

The fish hook was in his mouth.

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The dog came to the edge of the pond.He barked at the turtle.

The dog’s barking scared him.The turtle

dropped the hook.The frog watched

from behind a rock.

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Suddenly the turtle bit

the dog’s paw!The dog yelped!“What’s wrong?”

said the boy.The frog was scared now

too.He jumped away

from the mean turtle.

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The boy picked up his dog.

He tried to pull the dog

away from the turtle.The turtle held on.

The dog’s paw was hurting.

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The boy turned around.He carried his dog back into the pond.

The turtle still held on.

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In the middle of the pond, the turtle finally let loose.Frog swam underwater.

The turtle fell back into the pond.

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The boy and the dog got out

on the edge of the pond.The frog climbed out too.

The dog licked his hurt paw.

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The frog was glad the dog was okay.

The dog sat beside the pond and licked his paw.

The boy picked up his pail

and shovel.

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Suddenly the dog yelped

again.Something

was biting his tail now.It was the turtle!

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The turtle swam away, pulling the dog

by the tail.The boy yelled,

“Come back here with my dog!”

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The turtle pulled the dog underwater.

The frog jumped into the pond

to save his friend.The boy

unbuttoned his shirt.

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The boy took off his boot

and his shirt.The frog

dived in the pond head first.

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The boy took off his pants.

Suddenly the dog came up

and started to swim.The frog climbed

onto a lily pad.

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The boy put his pants and boots on

again.The dog

climbed out of the water.The frog

put his head underwater to look for the turtle.

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“Oh no! Look!”

said the boy.“The turtle is dead.

He drowned.”The dog and the frog

couldn’t believe it.

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The boy pulled the turtle

to the edge with his fishing pole.

The frog sat sadly

on a lily pad.The dog felt terrible.

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The boy picked up the turtle.

He and the frog were angry at the dog.

“It’s your fault,” said the boy to the dog.

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“Poor little turtle,” said the boy.

The dog walked with his tail

between his legs.

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The boy dug a hole

with his shovel.The frog watched.

The dog hung his head down.

The turtle lay

upside down.

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The boy was digging a grave

for the turtle.Suddenly the frog

thought he saw the turtle

move his legs.

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The boy picked a flower

for the turtle’s grave.Yes! The frog was right!

The turtle was alive!The turtle turned over

and started to walk back to the pond.

The dog saw the turtle walking too.

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The boy turned around.

The turtle had his fishing pole in his mouth.

The dog wagged his tail.Everyone smiled—the turtle

smiled too.

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Hooray! The boy

lifted the turtle in the air.Everyone

was very happy.The frog and the dog

jumped up and down.

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The boy, the dog,

and the turtle walked home together.

The turtle carried the pole for the boy.

Frog didn’t have to walk.He rode home

on his new friend’s back.

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