Super Pig and The Frog That Couldn't Swim

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. II Timothy 4:7

One very hot summer day the animals of Hollyhock Farm gathered at June Bug Creek to play in the water. There was lots of laughing and splashing as they took turns jumping off a big rock into the cool creek water.

The Frog family had joined the fun and Izabella Frog jumped off the rock with the rest of her friends, but Justus Frog refused. "I don't want to jump," he said.

"But you're a frog and all frogs jump," the animals teased.

"Come on Justus. Play in the water with me," his sister Izabella pleaded.

"There are no lily pads to sit on in this water. I don't like the creek," he said.

"Why doesn't Justus want to play in the water?" asked Pinky Pig.

"He never learned to swim," Izabella explained. "Our pond has lily pads and he floats on them, but June Bug Creek doesn't have any."

Justus sat in the grass with his head down feeling sad. Why can't I swim? Whoever heard of a frog that couldn't swim? He hopped home alone.

When Izabella arrived home, she went to the pond and found a nice big lily pad for Justus to sit on. "Come play," she said.

"I don't want to," refused Justus.

"Don't be sad. I don't care if you can't swim," Izabella assured him.

"But I do. Why can't I swim? It's so silly to be a frog that can't swim," Justus said.

"Ha-ha! You can't swim. What kind of frog can't swim?"

Justus and Izabella looked toward the pond and there on the big lily pad sat the mean Bullfrog brothers.

One of the brothers jumped in the water. "Look at me!" he said. "I can't swim. Help me, oh help me!" He thrashed all around the pond pretending he couldn't swim. His brother doubled up with laughter.

"Go away and leave us alone," Izabella told the bullies.

"Who's going to make us?" said the brothers. They were much bigger than Izabella and she knew she couldn't make them leave.

"I am." Izabella's Papa hopped up beside her. The Bullfrog brothers decided they should leave.

"We'll be back!" they said and hopped off.

"Why can't I swim, Papa?" asked Justus.

"Did I ever tell you about great-grandpa, Fred E. Frog?" Papa Frog sat Justus on his lap.

"He couldn't swim either. He would just paddle around on his lily pad. The other frogs made fun of him too, and he'd say, 'I'll learn to swim in my own time.' One day there was a big swimming competition. Frogs came from all over the county to compete in the race. All the frogs lined up at the starting line and when the judge yelled, 'Go!' Grandpa held on to the lily pad and kicked with all his might. Soon he was out in front."

"Did he win, Papa?" asked Justus, impatient to know the ending.

"He did win and all the other frogs where angry. They said he had cheated because he used a lily pad. The judges checked the rule book and couldn't find a rule against it, so Grandpa Fred E. was declared the winner. He did learn to swim and the next summer he won the race again. No one made fun of him after that."

"Do you think I'll learn to swim, Papa?" Justus asked.

"I know you will," Papa Frog answered.

Early the next morning, while the rest of the Frog family still slept, Justus sneaked out to the pond. I just have to learn to swim, he told himself.

Justus slipped into the pond and his head went under water. He popped back up, sputtering and choking and quickly hopped on a lily pad. He heard laughter and there were the Bullfrog brothers watching him.

"Look who's trying to swim," they teased. "We'll help you learn." They grabbed a hold of Justus' lily pad and began spinning him around and around.

Justus held on tight. "Stop it!" he yelled as the brothers laughed.

Pinky Pig sat under an apple tree, enjoying the early morning breeze when she heard the commotion at the pond. She could see the frogs bullying Justus.

THIS WAS A JOB FOR SUPER PIG!

"You Bullfrog brothers had better leave Justus alone!" ordered Super Pig.

The brothers had never seen a pig in a mask and cape before. They were so startled, they hopped from the pond as fast as they could, and were never seen again.

"Thank you, Super Pig," Justus said.

"You should never get in the pond by yourself. It's too dangerous," Super Pig warned

"I just want to learn to swim," Justus said."I'm just so embarrassed I can't swim."

Super Pig put her hoof in the water and told Justus to hop on. "Now, just paddle with your arms and legs."

Justus began to paddle. Super Pig pulled her hoof away and Justus kept paddling. He was half way across the pond before he realized he was swimming all by himself.

"I'm swimming!" he shouted for joy.

The rest of the Frog family had awakened and Justus' Papa waited for him at the edge of the pond.

"Did you see me Papa? I was swimming!" Justus said.

"I sure did. See, you knew how all along you just need to believe you could do it. said Papa Frog.

As Super Pig slipped away he heard Mama Frog say as he hugged her little boy, "I'm proud of you too. But don't you ever go in the pond alone, promise me."

"I promise," said Justus looking at the ground, and then he looked up and smiled. "But now I can swim."


Mama Frog, shook her head and put a webbed foot on his head. "Come eat your breakfast."

It turned out, Justus was a lot like his great-grandpa Fred E. Frog. He became the best swimmer and the fastest frog in the pond and was the winner of many races.