What’s this thing that restrains me?
This behemoth. This thing called a human.
It looks upon me with curious eyes.

“Put me down I say”. “Release me”.
I may get angry. I may curse you.
Curse you with a plague of warts.

Tobias knew the superstitious nature of this beast,
The human. They believe in old wives’ tales.
Tobias was a toad. A toad in quite a pickle.

The thundering voice speaks from above rattling
his tympanums. “Look what I’ve got!” “Look!”
The other two humans, human women enthusiastic
with the giddiness of young school girls surrounded Tobias.

They had magical devices. One of them pointed the device
at Tobias. It made a peculiar noise and then as if lighting from
the sky it flashed and blinded Tobias momentarily.
With the intrepidness of the paparazzi, Maree and Vicky snapped
photos of Tobias as if he were a celebrity with a sizable bounty
On his head.

Flash, flash, flash. Pupils dialated Tobias cursed them saying,” I refuse
to be part of your incantations and spells should you be the witches of
the Ripton woods”. “No more lighting, I beg you pleaded Tobias”.
“Put me down you strange human creature!” I will flee for the safety of
the interrupted fern patch.

Feeling remorse for interrupting the crepsecular activities of Tobias, the
man thing placed him on the ground and bid a fond farewell to this marvel
of nature of the family bufonidae . Tobias none the worse for wear from his
encounter with the human world hopped away. Tobias turned back to look and
in his own way wished us well.

Tobias continued on down the trail to catch up with the ghost of Robert
Frost. For you see, we were in Ripton Vermont that day.
That day when we encountered a toad named Tobias in a forest, on the
Robert Frost Interpretive trail.
Goodbye Tobias. Sleep well tonight.
I bid you peace and happiness.

The humans, Maree, Vicky and Dan.