16frog091

    
   *Ribbet*

 “Ahh!” The little cicada awoke with a start, and looked up to see an enormous green body and two beady eyes staring at him.
 “Please!! Please don’t eat me!”, he begged pitifully, tears running down his face.
 “Ohhh! Hello little one!”.  The bullfrog eyed the cicada more closely. “I have not seen a meal like you in a long time!”  He chuckled as the cicada continued to whimper. “But lucky for you, I have already eaten tonight.”
 The cicada wiped his face, and tried to catch his breath.
      “Now, what are you doing here?” the bullfrog asked. “You are crazy to live so close to town.”
      “I just escaped from my cage,” he proclaimed, trying to sound brave, “and now I’m going to find my real home!”.
     “Rrrreal home?”, the bullfrog burped.
     “Well, my parents used to tell me about their home, before they were captured by men and taken to the University cages. They would tell me of the colorful plants, glittering water, and warm sandy beaches...but...”  he paused.  “But they never told me *where* it was.”
     “Croak! That sounds like most of Egypt, little fellow!”, the bullfrog smiled. “Now you just need to find a place you like.”
     The cicada, put off by all the sudden noises erupting from the bullfrog and having no tact, simply asked: “why do you keep making those loud sounds? Surely someone will notice.”
      “Oh, they do notice! Damn humans...” The bullfrog huffed, and repositioned himself in the mud. “They always come, no matter how quiet I try to be. They come and pick me up, and turn me over and poke me and prod me. Then they put me down and write in some strange little book they all carry. Odd creatures they are.”
     “But why do you make those noises then?”, the cicada pressed on.
    “Welllll, a bullfrog does get lonely you see. I am calling for a mate.”
     The cicada perked up. “Oh! Well I can be your mate and live with you! And we can both try to be quiet and not attract the strange people!”
     “Riibbet.  No, little fella, that is not safe for you. You see, tonight my belly is full, but tomorrow I will be hungry again. I would not think it safe to live with me. I might not be able to ... help myself.”
     “Oh”, the cicada blushed, and looked around.  “Well, sadly, I am lost. I have no idea where to look for my home.” He started to tremor slightly, and his eyes swelled up with moisture.
    “Now now, let me think,” said the bullfrog.   “Ribbet.  I know! Not far from here lives a nice clan of fennecs. They are very social, and would surely enjoy more company. And, they have a good source of food from what they tell me, so I do not think they would bother to eat a cicada”. The bull frog smiled.
     Hope glimmered in the cicada’s eyes again.  “Where can I find them?”
     “They live in the nicest little circle of sand.  Croaaak.” The bullfrog looked off into the distance as he searched his memory. “I just saw them not long ago, and I remember that I crossed the great water as I made my way to where we are. I am sure a clever cicada like you can find them.”
 The cicada straighted up, and lifted his chin high. “Thank you Mr. Bullfrog. I will not forget your kindness. Now I’m off to find my home with the fennecs!”
 “Ggggrrreat! good luck, little one! Ribbbbet!”