THE STORY OF MYRTLE THE TURTLE & FREDDIE THE FROG

BY JOSEPHINE LAMP

It was a warm sunny day. Little Myrtle the turtle wanted to go for a walk. Her mother told her not to go far away from home.

“Ok mommy” she said, setting out towards the lake. As she is slowly walking along, she stops to nibble on the nice tender green grass. Going to the waters edge someone said: “Good morning Myrtle, how are you this morning?”

“Oh my, you startled me Freddie Frog!”

“Oh I did? I’m sorry Myrtle.”

Now little Freddie the frog has also been told not to go too far from home. His mother told him to watch out for Mr. and Mrs. Water Snake because they like to eat frogs. As Myrtle and Freddie are talking the suddenly hear a noise it is Mrs. Bird looking for worms to feed her three little baby birds in the nest.

“”Oh my, oh my” said the little earth worm, “let go, let go of me!”

Snap…mommy bird flies off to feed her little ones.

“Oh my, oh my” said the little earth worm, “now I have to grow back my other end”, as he crawls back into his hole.

Mrs. Bird flies back to get the rest of Mr. Earth Worm.

“Now where did he go?” asked Mrs. Bird. “Oh, he crawled back into his hole” answered Myrtle. “Oh my, oh my” and away she flew.

Freddie and Myrtle saw a branch of a tree sticking out over the water. So they climbed upon it just to sit there in the sun, looking out across the lake. Freddie said: “Myrtle, I wonder what it is like over there on the other side?”

“I don’t know Freddie, but mom and dad said I should never go over there, besides it is too far from home.”

“Oh come on Myrtle, lets go over!”, as he looks out across the lake.

“Oh NO, NO and you better stop thinking about it Freddie, you know what your parents said.”

“Well I am going, I don’t care what my parents said…”

Without another word, Freddie jumped in the water, swimming as fast as his little legs would take him.

“Freddie come back…come back” cried Myrtle, but Freddie kept right on going. Myrtle now hurried home as fast as she could to tell her parents what Freddie did. After all, she was very worried about him she just knew she would never see him again.

Late in the afternoon, Freddie reaches the other side of the lake. He gets out of the water and sits on a rock to rest. He was very, very tired after that long trip. Hearing someone he jumps to hide but it was too late. A little boy seeing Freddie reached down to pick him up.

“Oh daddy look what I found…can I keep him please?! Oh please!”

“Shh…hhh, I will never catch any fish if you are not quiet.”

“Oh please, can I keep him please?” the little boy keeps pleading.

“Oh, ok, get that jar out of the truck and I’ll put some holes in the cover” his father said.

“Oh, thank you daddy.” The little boy ran to the truck. With Freddie in his right hand, he grabbed the jar from the seat and ran back to his dad who then put holes in the cover. Then the little boy put Freddie in the jar, screwed the cover good and tight and poor Freddie was trapped inside.

“Oh my, Oh my!” cried Freddie. “I should have listened to my mom, dad and Myrtle!” the little boy seeing something else set the jar down and said: “I’ll be right back dad”, but did not return right away. After a long time had passed, Freddie heard the little boys father say: “Come on son, we’ve got to go home now, it’s time for dinner.”

“Ok dad”, the little boy comes running to the truck, forgetting all about Freddie in the jar. The father starts the truck, the little boy jumping into the truck says: “Oh dad, I forgot my frog, let me get him please?”

“Don’t have time now son, we’ve got to get home, your mother will have dinner ready and we don’t want to get her upset now, do we son?”

“No I guess not” said the little boy as he was getting hungry too.

Now there sits poor Freddie in the jar. It is getting warmer and warmer in there.

“Oh my, oh my, what will I do now?” he cries, jumping up and down, pushing on one side then the other. The jar begins to rock back and forth. Freddie keeps jumping and pushing with all his might. All at once the jar goes crashing on some rocks below, smashing the jar all to pieces. Freddie was bruised and cut, but he was free.

By now it was getting dark and too late to try to swim home. He was very tired, he had a hard day! Looking around he found an old log laying in the mud. He dug down in the soft mud, just leaving his eyes and mouth sticking out of the mud.

There, safe for the time being, he fell sound asleep. When he got up the next morning, he jumped in the water and started for home.

Across the lake, Freddie’s mom and dad, Myrtle and her parents got up early going to the edge of the lake hoping Freddie will come home soon.

They are calling: “Freddie…Freddie” listening for an answer but hearing nothing. So, they just sit there waiting for Freddie, but no Freddie. Finally, that evening, Freddie’s dad said: “Did you hear that?” The hear Freddie calling: “Mom…Dad” They all jump in the water swimming out to meet him.

“Oh I am so happy to see you” cried Freddie, “I should have listened to you. I will never do anything you tell me not to do again.”

They all climb up on a log to rest, while Freddie tells them what happened to him across the lake. Looking at Myrtle, he said: “I really do have a true friend in you Myrtle, you tried to get me not to go, thank you.”

“I am just happy you are back, Freddie.”

They all sat there watching the sun set with a warm, happy feeling.

THE END

Yellow
By Janet and Maria

Yellow is sour lemonade and bumpy ball.
Yellow tastes like sour lemonade.
Yellow feels like waxy and hard.
It is growing in the garden, juicy fruit, and luscious lemon.
Yellow is bright.

Moon
By Joseph and Peter

Shiny, White
Orbiting, Dancing, Setting
Beautiful, Romantic, Calm, Peaceful
Reflecting, Drifting, Bobbing
Silver, Fluffy
Ocean

Haiti

By Lynn and Nounoue

Beautiful, Garden
Fishing, Diving, Swimming
Foreign, French, Huge, Cold
Hiking, Playing, Camping
Amazing, Snowy
Alaska

Green
By Farina and Kathleen

Green is oval fruit and tasty pear.
Green tastes like delicious delicacy.
Green feels like smooth pendant.
It is good-looking garden, sweet treats, and a tart pie.
Green is rich.

After the birth of my son, I didn’t tutor for several months. I asked if they would like another tutor but they declined and waited patiently for my return. To my amazement, they remembered a lot of things. It was almost as if I had never stopped tutoring. When they took the assessment test, lo and behold, both did way above what I and West Volusia Program Director Jonel Persinger had expected. I congratulated them immensely on a job well done. Then they gave them all the praise. I fought back tears because I am VERY, VERY proud of them and their accomplishments. Even their sons are astonished about how far they’ve come.

I visited Luis’ job recently and spoke with his general manager and other coworkers. They are ecstatically pleased with his improvement. As for Maria, I’ve spoken with several of her co-workers who noticed improvements in her comprehension and ability to feel confident enough to speak English. As I continue to tutor, I grow more and mroe fascinated with them. They are always willing to learn and try something new, which keeps tutoring fun and exciting.

Many times, I have to tell them class is over, only to hear, “Awwwwww, already?” … This is truly one of the greatest achievements I have ever done in my life.

– Shalley Lavalas, tutor, Volusia Literacy Council

(adapted from the May-June 2009 West Volusia newsletter, “Literacy Life Steps.”

– Al Harmon
Program Director. East Volusia County
Volusia Literacy Council

P.S. I’m thankful for all your help and for read story.