Ferguson Frog sat on his lily pad each afternoon and stayed there into late evening. He was somewhat of a runt when compared to the big bullfrogs that hopped this way and that all around the pond. Despite his small stature, Ferguson was quite proud of his enormous vocal sac and so he would croak loudly and boisterously, especially when the bullfrogs weren’t around. There would come a still peaceful atmosphere in the woods and then all of the sudden Ferguson’s croak would erupt the night with gusto. He knew that the other animals would recognize that it was Ferguson Frog, and that the bullfrogs would hear him too. They could mock him for his size, but he was still much louder than them.

One afternoon, while Ferguson was flicking gnats on his lily pad a young little fly buzzed by him and noticed the boorish look on the frog’s face. The fly stopped in the air and lighted on a branch sticking out of the pond. The fly rubbed her hands together and called out to Ferguson who had yet to take notice of this insect.

“Hello there, Mr. Frog. I am Yoli, daughter of the Queen fly of the pond.”

Ferguson let out a startled ribbit. “Oh my, what are you doing over there? You know I eat ones like you, don’t you?”

“Yes, I know this. But I thought if we could talk maybe we could work together.”

Ferguson continued flicking the gnats with his long stretchy tongue. “Well, I’m happy to talk to you, but I’m not exactly sure why you would want to spend much time with me.”

“Come now, I’ve heard all about you from the other animals. I’ve even heard your mighty croaks throughout the afternoon. You are quite an impressive frog, for your size.”

Ferguson grew flattered, but then she just had to mention his size!

“I’ll have you know I can compete with anyone of those bullfrogs, whether it be croaking or leaping.”

“Mr. Frog, I did not mean to upset you. I’m sure you could make them see you as the greatest frog in the woods. That is precisely why I flew over here to meet you. It has been my understanding that they eat all of the big grasshoppers and horseflies and some even bigger than those, don’t they?”

“Yes, that is true.”

Yoli continued. “Well why don’t you save up your hunger and when they come to sit around the pond tomorrow you will meet them here. And when they begin to eat their big morsels, instead of flicking gnats all day, you show them just what your mighty bubble is capable of. You eat their food right in front of them!”

The thought had never crossed Ferguson Frog’s mind, but now he knew this was his plan. He would eat what the bullfrogs eat and what could they do about it?

“You are absolutely right! I will do as you say.”

Yoli was quite proud of herself. She enjoyed helping Mr. Frog and she looked forward to meeting him again after he has proved his hunger to the bullfrogs.

The next afternoon, Ferguson Frog was out at the pond at the time the bullfrogs normally showed up. His stomach gurgled almost as loud as his croaking. It had been so many hours since his last meal and he almost couldn’t wait any longer. Thankfully he began to hear the steady rhythms of other frogs hopping through the woods. Then after a moment three great big balls of brownish-green popped through the weeds and splatted down into the pond scum. The bullfrogs played for a moment and then, just as quickly as they arrived, they sat themselves on a few lily pads and stared blankly into the air waiting for food.

They haven’t even noticed me, Mr. Frog thought to himself. He let out one of his strong billowing croaks. All three bullfrogs jolted up and spun their heads around trying to find the sound. Ferguson held his head up and flared out his bubble as if it was a lion’s mane, though more like a hot air balloon taking flight.

One of the bullfrogs smirked when he noticed it was Ferguson Frog. “Oh, its just our little friend Ferguson. Pay no mind.”

Another bullfrog laughed and yelled to him, “Ferguson, haven’t you somewhere else to eat? There are plenty of your tiny gnats over in the field with the mice and squirrels.”

Ferguson didn’t listen to her, instead he remembered what Yoli had explained, and he just waited.

The three bullfrogs, frustrated that Ferguson kept silent, turned about and began hopping around the pond. They situated themselves on some lily pads and croaked quiet croaks waiting for unexpecting creatures to wander by them.

Ferguson Frog waited with them. He was content that he could stand on his own among the bullfrogs and he anxiously anticipated what he would do when one of their creatures flew by the pond. The bullfrogs had staked claim to numerous morsels and now Ferguson saw this as an opportunity for revolt. He sat on his pad, pleased that he was listening to the fly. Bullfrogs didn’t bother with flies anyway; he was better than those silly animals.

Suddenly a strange faint buzzing sound was heard over the pond, over in the cattails. Ferguson looked around and just as he did a large dragonfly emerged from the brown tufting weeds. Its wings took it straight through the air with great speed and, as it came toward the bullfrogs, Ferguson leapt impulsively without a single thought in his brain. He hopped right on top of the biggest bullfrog’s head and snatched the massive dragonfly right out of the air and landed on an adjacent lily pad. With the tail of the insect still sticking out from between his lips, he chewed and stuck out his bubble in pride.

The bullfrogs were angry. Each one situated to face him in disgust. “You are eating our food!” One of the bullfrogs spoke furiously.

Ferguson stared at them. After eating the dragonfly he felt strong. Instead of responding with a message of freedom, with the tone of resolution, or with a song of equality, he simply croaked at them, stretching his bubble out and looking down his nose.

It just so happened that even as the bullfrogs began arguing with one another over how to reprimand Ferguson Frog, a second dragonfly buzzed right by them headed for the cattails. The bullfrogs turned excitedly toward the floating morsel, but to their chagrin Ferguson was already positioned to get the bug. As their eyes followed the dragonfly’s flight all they saw next was Ferguson leaping into the air and catching their food once again.

They burned with rage and cursed at the frog. His stomach ached as it was overfilled, but he rejoiced as he watched the three bullfrogs mutter disdainfully as they hopped off the lily pads heading toward the other side of the pond. He had taken a stand and those bullfrogs had no way of keeping him from enjoying the pond.

The next morning, Ferguson Frog felt ill. He had eaten enough dragonfly for a frog three times his size. The fact that he felt ill was one that made his sit up straighter as he made his way to the pond. He looked forward to regaling Yoli, the fly princess, with the tale of how he got his feast. As he hopped to his lily pad he saw the fly already awaiting him on that same mossy branch jutting out of the water.

“Good morning Yoli!”

“Why, Mr. Frog, your mood seems to have taken a marvelous turn.”

“Yes. I must tell you everything.” Ferguson went on to explain, in wonderful detail, how he managed to spoil the fun of the three bullfrogs while also eating a tremendous amount.

Yoli responded in joy. “Surely, every animal in the woods is going to know you as a great frog. You cannot just let them see you as small anymore. You are like the master of the pond now. Let’s continue to prove to everyone what you’re capable of.”

Ferguson Frog was delighted to hear recognition. Yoli truly seemed to think much of him and he wouldn’t want to let her down after encouraging him to action.

“I have proven my resolve with my enormous bubble. What would you have me do now? I can leap over other animals? I can eat more massive insects?”

“That is precisely what we will do! You will wait till more animals come to the pond as they do in the early morning and I’ll convince the other insects to come meet me here.”

“Then I will eat them and show the animals that I am not so small after all?”

“Yes, Mr. Frog. You will show them.” Yoli was looking forward to the outcome.

It was already early morning, so Ferguson waited patiently as Yoli traveled off into the woods to find bigger insects. The frog’s stomach was beginning to feel better, but he questioned how much more he could eat. He couldn’t let Yoli down after such a brilliant plan and he couldn’t let himself down now that he had a real chance at proving his worth to all these other animals. He figured the deer would be the first to arrive.

Ferguson Frog was correct. After about an hour a family of deer showed themselves to a morning drink. Not just a single family but it seemed they brought their cousins and uncles and aunts to the pond as well. Ferguson croaked loudly so all of them would know of his presence. The deer curiously looked up, but took no real notice of him. That was when he began to hear Yoli’s buzzing as it carried her to her branch in the pond.

“Good, Mr. Frog, the deer have come! I have a special surprise for you so you better be ready to eat.”

As she spoke, he heard the sound of hummingbirds floating near him. He had never thought about eating birds before, but now he had a full audience who would never expect much out of the small little frog, and then he had Yoli who had proven to him how he was more than a simple pond frog. Ferguson cleared his head and determined he had to eat.

The hummingbirds hovered through the air toward a cluster of flowering vines near some tree stumps. The stumps were situated in full view of the deer lapping up their morning drink. At once Ferguson bounced across a dozen lily pads. He kept one eye carefully toward the hummingbirds’ path and another peripherally scanning the deer that all had their heads pointed toward him. With one final leap he flew threw the air and gobbled up not just one of the birds, but actually caught both of the birds in his now grotesquely stretched mouth. The deer dropped their jaws in disbelief.

Yoli flew over to Ferguson, “I cannot believe you truly caught both birds! How impressive. Just look at your audience. They are astonished.”

Ferguson was astonished too. The birds kept fighting in his mouth and at times their beaks would poke the soft tissue of his tongue. He chomped and chomped but it would take an hour before he’d be finished eating.

The frog was growing sick. It was just too much food! Yoli had buzzed through the wood after the deer left. She listened to all the stories and then came and stayed with Ferguson as he sat on the lily pad. She told him all about the animals who were gossiping about Mr. Frog and his little pond kingdom.

“My little pond kingdom?” Ferguson asked abruptly. “This is my domain now! The bullfrogs don’t come near me now, the birds are afraid, and everyone knows I am not so little anymore.”

Ferguson was quite right. His body was looking very strange at this point. Two dragonflies the afternoon before, two hummingbirds the morning after, and he still couldn’t help himself from flicking gnats.

“Well, there are creatures who rarely come to the pond so it’s not really a big deal to them.” Yoli tried to explain to Mr. Frog, but he was focused on his pond.

“This place is my home, I want to assure people of that. I am no small thing, I’m an important part of this woods, just like you have proven.” Ferguson grew very stressed. He had no joy about the pond any longer and he was determined to make his presence known.

“At your word,” Yoli spoke calmingly. “I can bring you another animal tonight, but you have to be here at this very spot. This one will surely prove to everyone who controls the pond, no matter the size.”

“I will be waiting.” Ferguson Frog spoke with his bubble stretched tight, well past his face. He was even looking down his nose at Yoli as she buzzed away into the woods.

Nightfall made the air around the pond very cold and clammy. It was hard for Ferguson to stay awake because that is such perfect napping weather. But Mr. Frog was prepared for Yoli’s arrival at any moment now. He had at least a little room left for another creature in his stomach or so he tried to contend with himself. He was curious how much more he could eat, as each meal proved that he was bigger than those arrogant bullfrogs.

The fly came shooting through the trees at once.

Yoli called out, “Be ready Mr. Frog!”

A strange voice echoed behind the fly as she buzzed right over Ferguson’s head. He squatted down, ready to leap. That’s when a shadowy figured glided through the weeds and Ferguson Frog bolted straight into the air. Without even seeing the thing, the frog closed his mouth around it and landed on the pad. He tried to chomp it and tried to swallow it but it was much bigger than the two hummingbirds he ate earlier in the day. As he worked at it he heard Yoli come buzzing by as she landed on her usual branch.

“You caught the bat?” She inquired eagerly.

The best Ferguson could do was to give a nod.

“How amazing! It would have eaten me, too. This is going to be a wonderful evening.” Yoli boasted. She sat silently on her branch.

Ferguson stressed and strained trying to swallow the bat.

“You know I have become the Queen fly. I’m not just a princess.” Yoli expressed to the frog. “That means this whole pond is finally mine. You understand what that means. You, Mr. Frog, never were the smallest.”

Ferguson Frog suddenly passed out as he was trying to eat the incredibly large bat. At that, Queen Yoli was joyous. She had spent the last few days trying to find the perfect place for her eggs. She knew she would be queen over the pond and now was her chance. She hadn’t eaten in quite some time and this obese frog would be the perfect size for her and her family. With all the other animals fearful of a proud frog trying to eat them, she wouldn’t have to be to concerned for her young flies as they rest and grow. No bullfrogs, no birds, no bats, and plenty of animals gossiping about the pond. She truly made a remarkable Queen for her loyal subjects. Being small was no small thing after all. Surely Ferguson Frog could have understood that.