Lemondrop - The Beginning: The Lemondrop Chronicles

By Jay David King

Mr. Greencroak, as he was known in the forest, loved to spend time on his Thinking Rock doing a great deal of thinking because that was how he learned things. Learning things... that was what the frog REALLY loved to do. He learned about the stars, the clouds, the weather, the...well, you get the picture. Mr. Greencroak just loved to learn. On t

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stratton Press
• Release date: Oct 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781648951855

Jay David King

Jay David King (pen name for Gerald Shuler) is a master writer on faithwriters.com. His stories have been published in several anthologies and publications. The most common comment from readers is "Wow! I didn't see that coming!"

Book preview

Chapter 1:

The Wisest Creature in the Forest

…learns that not everyone is willing to help a stranger in danger.

Once, not so very long ago, in a place not so far from where you live, something happened that was completely unlike anything that had ever happened before. It started out simply enough, and it should have remained fairly simple. But it didn’t. I think it was the green man’s fault, wouldn’t you agree? After all, the frog never would have made a wish at all if…Oh, I’m sorry. You don’t know about the frog yet…or his incredible wish. You don’t even know about the little green man. How could you? I haven’t had the chance to tell you about the frog’s life-changing adventure yet. But I will, my friend. Trust me, I will tell you everything. You are about to learn the whole, amazing, magical truth, from its simple beginning to its remarkable end. In fact, I think it would be proper for me to begin telling the story right now, at the very beginning since the beginning is, after all, where it all began. And so, let us begin.

Just outside the town where you live there is a small cluster of trees that, to you or me, would seem like nothing more than just a clump of a few scraggly, weatherworn trees. But to the many creatures that lived in and around the trees, it was far more. It was, indeed, a huge, beautiful forest. It was a place where all who lived there could be safe, a place to have friends, a place to call home. Actually, the forest was home to many creatures. The squirrels, raccoons, mice, and birds lived in the forest. The turtles, snakes, worms, and dragonflies called it home as well. Even the big creatures, like the deer and the bear, went to the forest to hide and be safe. So, no matter what the clump of trees looks like to you and me, believe me, to those who lived there it was a forest.

In the middle of the forest was a pond and in the middle of the pond, a rock. All the forest creatures knew the rock as the Thinking Rock…not because the rock could think—that would be silly. No, it was known as the Thinking Rock because of the frog that sat on it in the evenings and spoke wise things about what he had been thinking all day. Please understand, this frog wasn’t just any ordinary frog, but the wisest frog in the pond—quite possibly, some thought, even the wisest creature in the entire world. He was so wise that the other forest animals always hid away at the edge of the pond, just out of sight behind the trees, to listen to the wise and wonderful things the frog had to say.

Mr. Greencroak, as he was known in the forest, loved to spend time on his Thinking Rock doing a great deal of thinking because that was how he learned things. Learning things was what the frog really loved to do. He learned about the stars, the clouds, the weather, the…Well, you get the picture. Mr. Greencroak just loved to learn. On this particular day, though, he was about to start an adventure that would teach him far more than he had ever thought he would be able to learn in just one short little lifetime.

It happened while Mr. Greencroak was on the Thinking Rock for his evening think time. He was telling his best friend, a dragonfly, about when he was a tadpole and had to learn about the need to change as we grow up. As he was talking, though, he was distracted by a strange sound coming from someplace, somewhere…Mr. Greencroak couldn’t tell for sure what the sound was, but a sound was definitely getting his attention. It sounded like, yes, it was. A voice. It was a very small voice, almost too small to be heard. But it was getting a little bit closer and a little bit louder. Mr. Greencroak was beginning to understand that he was hearing a voice, and that voice was calling out in terror.

Help me. Someone, ANYONE. HELP… the little voice said, over and over again.

Mr. Greencroak looked around, trying to find who it was that was calling for help, not really sure he had even heard the plea correctly. He turned all around on his Thinking Rock, but he saw nobody. Now the voice was getting even louder and closer.

HELP…I can’t get out. Please, look up. HELP ME.

Look up? Mr. Greencroak had looked all around and had seen nobody, but now he looked up…and there he saw a bright yellow bubble, floating high overhead. Inside the bubble was a small green man, beating and kicking the bubble as hard as his tiny fists and feet could move. He was also hollering at the top of his tiny lungs.

HELP…I can’t get out. Oh, PLEASE, pop the bubble and let me out.

The little green man was looking right at Mr. Greencroak. Instantly, the frog leaped into action. With his strong legs, he jumped from the Thinking Rock to the edge of the pond. Another hop took him to a nearby tree. Then another leap, and another, and another took him from branch to branch to branch until finally he was as high up as the bubble. Then, with one final, mighty lunge, he propelled himself out toward the yellow bubble and…

The bubble burst, and Mr. Greencroak came splashing to the cold water of the pond, far, far below. But the prisoner of the bubble didn’t fall at all. The odd little green man floated as gently as a feather in the breeze, landing softly on the frog’s Thinking Rock. He was waiting there, as dry as toast, when Mr. Greencroak finally pulled himself, shivering and dripping wet, from the pond onto his Thinking Rock.

The little man frowned as he brushed his leaf-green shirt. He looked, to Mr. Greencroak, almost like a toy doll that had been painted shades of green instead of flesh tones. His eyes were larger than most eyes the frog had seen and his ears were too. In fact, his ears were the most noticeable feature on him. As Mr. Greencroak was observing the little man, he knew that the little man was also observing him. His big eyes kept moving constantly. They darted from one side to the other, and then up, then over again. Mr. Greencroak was beginning to think the little green man couldn’t keep his eyes still but then they focused right into the frog’s eyes. For a second, they just looked at each other’s eyes, but finally, the green man spoke.

What a relief it is to be free from that bubble, he said gruffly. "I was beginning to think you would never look up and see me."

Mr. Greencroak was still staring into the greenish-gray eyes of the little man. They seem like intelligent eyes, Mr. Greencroak thought. What kind of intelligent man would get himself trapped in a bubble? That is what Mr. Greencroak thought, but because he didn’t want to be rude by asking the green man that question, he decided to ask a simpler, friendlier question.

Hello. Do you have a name? he asked, trying to sound calm and polite. But then his curiosity kicked in and he blurted out, "Where do you come from? And what was that bubble? And, and…you floated."

The little man’s frown grew even frownier. Questions, questions, questions. He scowled. Why does everyone always begin conversations with questions? Why not say ‘Glad you’re free’ or even ‘Get off my rock’? The scowl on his face softened,