THE GOLDEN FROG

Once upon a time …………..

It was the age of extinction. All the panamanian golden frogs were dying quickly, and without a croak. When only 200 of them were left, the golden frogs sat together in a circle inside the heart of the rainforest in the centermost place of Panama. They had a deep discussion about their current situation. They croaked and croaked and croaked for a solution to escape this calamity. Above them fluttered a Coquette and whistled a beautiful tune that rhymed with our golden frogs’ croaks.

Among our frogs was the loudest frog who croaked the loudest and had apparently seen the sea beyond the rainforest. All the frogs respected him for the knowledge and mostly for the fact that he could croak the loudest with his knowledge. One who croaks the loudest is the rightest was a favourite croaking among the golden frogs. The learned frog croaked two times and everyone stopped making croaks and rhyme, and the Coquette above went and sat on the branch of a Panama tree.

The loudest frog jumped inside the circle of the frogs and croaked -

Ahem ! Ahem !
The situation is dire and we need respair.
Oh golden frogs, what is it we desire ?

The frogs looked on intently, and then one of them - the youngest one - raised its head above everyone’s else and croaked -

Oh frog , you are the loudest. You have been to sea and back. We await your wisdom to save us from this situation.

The loudest frog particularly did not like this youngest one. He was too talkative at times and not well versed in the rhymes of croaks. Young frogs were mostly disappointing even before the extinction had started and our loudest frog wouldn't mind if this young one soon became croakless. He would rather stay inside a house with big walls then mingle with these young fellows.

The learned frog took a deep breath, puffed up his lungs to the maximum capacity and croaked loudly -

Ahem ! Ahem !
This is not the time for prose,
What if the situation is forgotten
And we end up in a deep doze,
We are in a big big big quagmire ,
And might have to migrate to another land,
For staying alive is our deepest desire.

The frogs all croaked in unison and asked - where ?

This time the learned frog did not croak verse - he simply answered - to the land of oak tree.

Land of Oak trees ? But is it safe for frogs? - the youngest one had doubt in his mind and couldn't resist asking this question to the learned one.

The loudest one now puffed his face the biggest he could and looked straight at the youngest one.

Ahem ! Ahem !
Listen to me, Kid
I have travelled far and have done awesome deeds,
If anyone in their heads have an inkling of doubt,
Please feel free to not go and just drop out.

There was pin drop silence after hearing this, and even the youngest one kept quiet though he was very much worried about this voyage they were going to take. What if the land of Oak tree proved to be difficult and unwelcoming then Panama? Would there be green forests like they were in Panama? Would there be rain for him to dance and croak ? Would there be mud for him to wrangle ? He did not want to leave his friend The Coquette and her whistle. He was worried about this long journey ahead and croaked a sigh.

So, one fine day the 200 golden frogs under the leadership of the loudest frog started the journey to the land of Oak tree. They gave farewell to all the animals in the rainforest. Everyone was sad that the magnificent golden frogs were leaving the jungle. The Coquette flapped her wings and circled the frogs as they slowly leapt into the sea. When the youngest frog jumped facing its hind legs towards the sun, the Coquette whistled a tune and disappeared back into the rainforest. Everyone gossiped about the fact that the Coquette didn't seem sad enough about the golden frogs leaving the forest.

What do we do now ?

Our golden frogs were in for a surprise when they climbed out of the sea water into an unknown shore. Infront of them was a big wall, a wall so big our golden frogs had to stretch their necks to see it end in the blue sky above. They turned to the loudest frog who was tired after such a long swim and was getting massaged by two younger frogs while keeping his eyes closed. The youngest frog croaked - is this the land of the Oak tree? Why is there a wall ? Where are the forests and rains and mud for me to dance?

Hearing this the loudest frog opened his eye and was took a deep breath -

Ahem ! Ahem !
The land of the Oak is but a strange land
Where luck plays gamble with dice
This land is for everyone
But it isn't free
For everyone who enters must pay a price
Please guys go East
And find me a Oak tree
For soon you will deliver polar ice.

The frogs scattered and while everyone was busy looking for a Oak tree, our youngest frog was intensely keeping a watch on our loudest frog who slowly tiptoed his way towards the sea.

Where are you going ? - The loudest one turned back, stuck out his tongue , made bunny ears towards the group and then did a somersault back into the sea and whoosh - he was gone.

Our golden frogs were alone in a new land outside a giant wall with one question in everyone’s croak - what do we do now ?

While every golden frog was croaking hoarsely and raising their front limbs in agony, the youngest one jumped twice - once forward and then backward.

All other frogs turned towards him, all of them worried about their future in this unknown land.

Let us not lose hope,
for whenever luck turns hard,
and we fall in a pit,
life gives us a rope
and together all challenges
we meet.

The golden frogs all whistled croaks , for this was the first time that our youngest frog had managed to rhyme.

Suddenly a beautiful tune was heard, a very known tune at that and all our golden frogs looked up in unison. The Coquette had arrived from Panama flapping her magnificent wings, and majestically circled over them while whistling.

Our youngest frog said -
Oh friends let us go east,
For who knows life may offer us a feast,
Let us keep walking
It will be all fun and games
And we may end up getting cold autumn rains.

Our golden frogs formed a train, and started to hopp towards the east while the Coquette fluttered over them singing in her mellifluous voice.

After many days of arduous jumping around our band of frogs and Coquette reached the Oak tree. The Coquette sat on the branch of the tree and whistled

- Open Sesame.

The oak tree had a wooden door hidden inside which split into two and out came a silhouette….

The orange ostrich and musk deer

The silhouette stepped outside the Oak tree. It was of an ostrich with orange hair on his head. Atop the ostrich’s shoulder was a white musk deer who was constantly muttering something to the orange ostrich’s ear.

The orange ostrich looked at the golden frogs and said -

Hello hello hello everyone, who are you and why are you here ? You don't belong to the land of Oak tree do you ?

Our youngest golden frog replied - we come from Panama to seek a new home here. We were told everyone is welcome here in the land of Oak tree, albeit at a price. We want to survive with our friends.

The Coquette translated everything to the duo of orange ostrich and the white musk deer.

The orange ostrich said - You will work for the musk deer, that is the price you pay for coming here.

Our youngest golden frog asked - But what is work for we have never worked before.

The musk deer opened his mouth for the first time and said - Work is something you do till you are asleep. Now chop chop, come in and let us work now till the sun sets and continue when it rises again.

And therefore it started. Our golden frogs entered the land of the Oak tree through the Oak tree and followed the orange ostrich and musk deer to a big house coloured in white.

We quit

Our golden frogs started to work for the first time in their lives. The orange ostrich would order salty water to drink everyday for ninety nine and hundred times. The musk deer would be sitting on his shoulder and saying something when our golden frogs would bring water in a vessel for him. The orange ostrich would frown and say - No No No. Not good.

Our golden frogs were learning the meaning of work. They were forgetting to dance in rain and wrangle in mud. Their croaks were no more mellifluous. Even the Coquette too became weak and couldn't fly much. The rhymes had stopped. There were no signs of Autumn rains.

One not so fine day, Our two hundred frogs were ordered to drag large cubes of ice to the big house coloured in white. The sun was hot and shining particularly ferociously that day on our golden frogs. Even our Coquette was finding it particularly difficult to fly above in the sky. The blocks of ice slowly started to melt and left trails of water on the road beneath their feet. Our frogs started to push and push the cubes and the ice melted even faster. At last the frogs reached the white house and rang the bell. Out came the orange ostrich with the musk deer on its shoulder.

Where is the block of ice? - The orange ostrich asked.

The frogs pointed their thumbs at the blocks of ice which had melted completely forming a large puddle. Our Coquette was quenching her thirst from the large puddle.

Where is the block of ice ? The musk deer asked this time.

It’s melted - Our golden frogs replied in unison.

What is the proof? - The musk deer asked.

The proof is the water from where the Coquette is drinking - Our youngest golden frog replied and the Coquette now whistled in anger.

That is no proof. The water can come from anywhere. You could have stolen it - The musk deer said.

True, true, true, very true - the orange ostrich agreed with him.

It is not enough to work. You must have proof that you are working - the musk deer said.

I won't work anymore - the youngest frog replied. Then the next frog said - I won't work anymore. And the next one. Till all the hundred and ninety nine frogs said - I won’t work anymore.

But ? But ? But ? What will you guys do ? - the musk deer climbed down from the orange ostrich’s shoulders.

Our golden frog jumped on the water puddle in front of him. The water splashed on the musk deer and the orange ostrich.

Hey that is no way to behave - the orange ostrich replied.

But no one was listening, for the frogs had remembered the joy of playing. All of them started to jump in the puddles and splash water on everyone.

The orange ostrich and the musk deer tried to stop them but in vain.

Suddenly the musk deer shouted - Hello help us out now.

From inside the white coloured building came out -our loudest frog. The one who had disappeared back into the ocean after bringing them to the shores of the Land of the Oak Tree.

Everyone stopped in their tracks.

The loudest frog said - Friends isn't this place the best, for you get to work and we get to enjoy the ice. Why would you not work in return for staying alive?

The coquette came down from the sky and asked - Oh loudest golden frog why can't you rhyme?

The loudest frog said - I don’t care for rhymes. I dont care for the jungle anymore nor for croaks. Hence I looked around and found the land of the Oak trees which had a wall to keep others outside. I decided I would come here. I met the ostrich and the musk deer.They allowed me , but on one condition. They need someone to work for them.So I brought you guys here.

Now go back to work.

But why did you jump and not come with us ? - The youngest frog asked.

The ostrich and the musk deer can't recognise one frog from another. I had to make sure I wouldn't work so I came separately. Now can you go back to work ? - the loudest frog was tired from so much croaking and was feeling thirsty again.

In reply, our youngest golden frog rhymed -

What is but work friend?
Does it make you happy?
Work is but dragging ice
On a hot warm day,
Hoping everyone will notice.
After work you become grumpy,
And hope to drink ice water
During the month of May.
So No No No,
We wont work,
Come what may.

Our golden frog went back to jumping onto the puddles with the other golden frogs whereas the Coquette began to flutter above them.

The loudest frog climbed on the musk deer, the musk deer then climbed on the orange ostrich and the orange ostrich looked at the happy golden frogs while cold autumn rain started to pour suddenly on them.

Gogol, based out of the global south writes speculative fiction in his spare time. He has been published in the Bosphorus review of books, Otherwise magazine, Kitaab international, a thin slice of anxiety , Nude Bruce review, Heavy feather review, Open: Journal of arts and letter among others.