The vegetable quest

The Vegetable Quest


In a pond not far away, there lived a frog named Roger Ribit.
Roger was an inventor, and was known for his famous frog submarine that was used by handicapped frogs that could not swim, his fly flavored bubble gum, and best of all, the XP300 flycatcher, which could catch ten flies in one go.

One day as Roger was around the stove in his bright green apron preparing a nice breakfast of flies, he heard a knock on the door.
It was Lucinda, his sister. She was dressed in the ugliest pink dress he had ever seen, along with the hat to match, and she was dragging her youngest son Rupert behind her.

"Roger!" she cried, throwing her arms around him and almost squashing him.

"I don't know what to do" she wailed" Rupert wont behave like a normal fog" she cried glaring at Rupert angrily.
Roger rolled his eyes "what is wrong this time Lucinda" said Roger.
Lucinda's eyes welled up with tears, "Rupert wont eat," she said, "I have tried everything, baked flies, fried flies, I even did up a nice fly stir fry, and he still wont eat, were doomed!" Lucinda squealed, blowing her nose loudly in her white handkerchief.

Roger patted his sister on the back and said "there, there Lucinda, let me have a talk with Rupert, we will get to the bottom of this".

Roger sat Lucinda down in the living room and took Rupert aside.

He looked Rupert up and down. Rupert certainly looked like he was not eating. He had lost a lot of weight, and his bright blue jacket that used to fit him so well hung loose and flapped around him. Roger thought he looked a hundred times better, because Rupert used to be so fat he could hardly fit through the door.

"Well Rupert" said Roger, "what's this I hear about not eating?"

"Uncle Roger" said Rupert, I don't know what's wrong, I try to eat flies, I really do, but I just don't like them." He leaned over to whisper in Roger's ear hoping his mother would not hear.

"I think I'm a vegetarian"

Despite Rupert's efforts his mother still heard him.

"A vegetarian!" screamed Lucinda, falling off her chair and pulling at the feathers in her bight pink hat.

"A vegetarian! That's not normal for a frog. What will the neighbors think, and what will he eat? I don't know how to cook vegetarian food!" sobbed Lucinda loudly.

Rupert hung his head in shame while Roger tried to calm his sister.

"There, there Lucinda, said Roger. It's not the end of the world. I am sure there are a lot of vegetarian frogs out there," said Roger confidently, although he was not quite sure of that.

"Really, Do you know any?" sniffled Lucinda, her eyes as wide as saucers.
"Well no...."replied Roger. At this, Lucinda drew in a deep breath and let out a wail that shook the very walls of Roger's house.
"Oh what will we do, were doomed!" she cried in despair.

"Well" replied Roger, "first thing is first, we have to get Rupert something to eat. I can hear his stomach rumbling and grumbling from a mile off."

And indeed Rupert's stomach was making a loud growling noise.

"Well", said Lucinda, "Do you know how to cook vegetarian food?" she asked Roger.

"No, but I'm sure I have a book on it somewhere." Roger replied.

Roger was known for his collection of books. It was said that he had a book on every topic imaginable. However, after searching for three hours, to the sound of Lucinda's foot tapping impatiently on the floor and the growling of Rupert's stomach, Roger was forced to admit that he did not have a vegetarian cookbook.

"But, Uncle Roger, I'm hungry" whined Rupert, looking hungrily out the window at a piece of lettuce that was floating by.

Roger was suddenly inspired.
"we could go over to, farmer Roberts's house and order a cookbook online from frogandfish.com." said Roger happily.
Frogandfish.com sold water friendly books to the under water community, with each page nicely wrapped in plastic.
The only problem was that there was no underwater internet service available, so they had to sneak into people's houses to use the computer. This was very dangerous because for some reason, humans didn't like frogs in their houses.

Despite the danger Rupert was excited.

"Yes! Lets do that," said Rupert, who had never traveled outside of the pond before. "It shall be a great adventure! And maybe we can catch up with that piece of lettuce on the way. It's going in the same direction," said Rupert clapping his hands.

Lucinda, on the other hand wasn't so excited.

She opened her eyes wide with horror. "Travel to human country, Are you mad Roger? shrieked Lucinda. "There are all sorts of dangerous thing there.

There are those animals that bark, what do the call them...bogs? asked Lucinda, her eyes wide with fright.

"Dogs" said Roger with a big grin on his face.

"And there are those big metal things that drive so fast on the road, what do they call them...jars? cried Lucinda.
"Cars" laughed Roger.
"We can't go to human country, its too dangerous," said Lucinda, stamping one foot on the ground.

"But Mom" whined Rupert, "we have to go. All I have been eating are little pieces of lettuce and cabbage that float downstream from time to time. I'm hungry," said Rupert, his stomach grumbling even louder.
Lucinda looked worriedly at Rupert's blue coat flapping loosely around him and said, "Well, I suppose so, but I don't know why you can't eat flies like a normal frog."

And so, Roger, Rupert and Lucinda set off for farmer Roberts's house. Through the pond they swam. They passed the shopping mall that had a special on books. Lucinda and Rupert had to drag Roger away from the shop window.

Pass the movie theater that was showing Attack of the flies starring Felix Feelgood, Lucinda's favorite movie star, Roger and Rupert had to drag Lucinda away from his poster.

They caught up with the piece of lettuce that had floated by Rogers window, Rupert smiled a big smile and nibbled on it happily.
When they reached the edge of the pond, Roger and Rupert jumped unto shore, followed by a panting Lucinda.
"Are we there yet" gasped Lucinda, falling with a loud splat, flat on her face in the mud.
"No" replied Roger.
"Well how far is it anyway" cried Lucinda.
Roger pointed to the big blue house on the hill.
Rupert gulped, "that's an awful long way Uncle Roger"
"Yes" said Roger, "but it's the only way to get the cookbook and Farmer Roberts has a vegetable garden so we can get some vegetables to experiment with," said Roger.
At this Rupert smiled happily rubbed his tummy and started hopping swiftly towards farmer Roberts house.
"Hey, wait for us" yelled Roger, hopping behind him.
Lucinda picked herself up, brushed at the mud on her dress and muttered, "don't know why he can't eat flies like a normal frog," and hopped slowly behind Roger.

K. Vassall
(
I am a bit stuck here...I hope to finish it soon, but please tell me what you think of it so far)