ifeelsoconfident,andyetiamafraid.it'sadifficultsteptotake,andyetitmustbetaken.onward,therefore,straightonward!"

shetookafewsteps,suchasacrawlinganimalmaytake,andsoonfoundherselfonaroadbesidewhichpeopledwelt;buttherewereflowergardensaswellaskitchengardens.andshesatdowntorestbyakitchengarden.

"whatanumberofdifferentcreaturestherearethatineverknew!andhowbeautifulandgreattheworldis!butonemustlookroundinit,andnotstayinonespot."andthenshehoppedintothekitchengarden."howgreenitishere!howbeautifulitishere!"

"iknowthat,"saidthecaterpillar,ontheleaf,"myleafisthelargesthere.ithideshalftheworldfromme,butidon'tcarefortheworld."

"cluck,cluck!"andsomefowlscame.theytrippedaboutinthecabbagegarden.thefowlwhomarchedattheheadofthemhadalongsight,andshespiedthecaterpillaronthegreenleaf,andpeckedatit,sothatthecaterpillarfellontheground,whereittwistedandwrithed.

thefowllookedatitfirstwithoneeyeandthenwiththeother,forshedidnotknowwhattheendofthiswrithingwouldbe.

"itdoesn'tdothatwithagoodwill,"thoughtthefowl,andliftedupherheadtopeckatthecaterpillar.

thetoadwassohorrifiedatthis,thatshecamecrawlingstraightuptowardsthefowl.

"aha,ithasallies,"quoththefowl."justlookatthecrawlingthing!"andthenthefowlturnedaway."idon'tcareforthelittlegreenmorsel;itwouldonlyticklemythroat."theotherfowlstookthesameviewofit,andtheyallturnedawaytogether.

"iwrithedmyselffree,"saidthecaterpillar."whatagoodthingitiswhenonehaspresenceofmind!butthehardestthingremainstobedone,andthatistogetonmyleafagain.whereisit?"

andthelittletoadcameupandexpressedhersympathy.shewasgladthatinheruglinessshehadfrightenedthefowls.

"whatdoyoumeanbythat?"criedthecaterpillar."iwriggledmyselffreefromthefowl.youareverydisagreeabletolookibeleftinpeaceonmyownproperty?nowismellcabbage;nowiamnearmyleaf.nothingissobeautifulasproperty.butimustgohigherup."

"yes,higherup,"saidthelittletoad;"higher-up!shefeelsjustasido;butshe'snotinagoodhumorto-day.that'sbecauseofthefright.weallwanttogohigherup."andshelookedupashighasevershecould.

thestorksatinhisnestontheroofofthefarm-house.heclappedwithhisbeak,andthemother-storkclappedwithhers.

"howhighuptheylive!"thoughtthetoad."ifonecouldonlygetashighasthat!"

inthefarm-houselivedtwoyoungstudents;theonewasapoetandtheotherascientificsearcherintothesecretsofnature.theonesangandwrotejoyouslyofeverythingthatgodhadcreated,andhowitwasmirroredinhisheart.hesangitoutclearly,sweetly,richly,inwell-soundingverses;whiletheotherinvestigatedcreatedmatteritself,andevencutitopenwhereneedwas.helookedupongod'screationasagreatsuminarithmetic-subtracted,multiplied,andtriedtoknowitwithinandwithout,andtotalkwithunderstandingconcerningit;andthatwasaverysensiblething;andhespokejoyouslyandcleverlyofit.theyweregood,joyfulmen,thosetwo,

"theresitsagoodspecimenofatoad,"saidthenaturalist."imusthavethatfellowinabottleofspirits."

"youhavetwoofthemalready,"repliedthepoet."letthethingsitthereandenjoyitslife."

"butit'ssowonderfullyugly,"persistedthefirst.

"yes,ifwecouldfindthejewelinitshead,"saidthepoet,"itooshouldbeforcuttingitopen.'

"ajewel!"