OnceuponatimetherewasafrogcalledMr.JeremyFisher;helivedinalittledamphouseamongstthebuttercupsattheedgeofapond. Thewaterwasallslippy-sloppyinthelarderandinthebackpassage. ButMr.Jeremylikedgettinghisfeetwet;nobodyeverscoldedhim,andhenevercaughtacold! Hewasquitepleasedwhenhelookedoutandsawlargedropsofrain,splashinginthepond— “Iwillgetsomewormsandgofishingandcatchadishofminnowsformydinner,”saidMr.JeremyFisher. “IfIcatchmorethanfivefish,IwillinvitemyfriendsMr.AldermanPtolemyTortoiseandSirIsaacNewton.TheAlderman,however,eatssalad.” Mr.Jeremyputonamackintosh,andapairofshinygaloshes;hetookhisrodandbasket,andsetoffwithenormoushopstotheplacewherehekepthisboat. Theboatwasroundandgreen,andveryliketheotherlily-leaves.Itwastiedtoawater-plantinthemiddleofthepond. Mr.Jeremytookareedpole,andpushedtheboatoutintoopenwater.“Iknowagoodplaceforminnows,”saidMr.JeremyFisher. Mr.Jeremystuckhispoleintothemudandfastenedtheboattoit. Thenhesettledhimselfcross-leggedandarrangedhisfishingtackle.Hehadthedearestlittleredfloat. Hisrodwasatoughstalkofgrass,hislinewasafinelongwhitehorse-hair,andhetiedalittlewrigglingwormattheend. Theraintrickleddownhisback,andfornearlyanhourhestaredatthefloat. “Thisisgettingtiresome,IthinkIshouldlikesomelunch,”saidMr.JeremyFisher. Hepuntedbackagainamongstthewater-plants,andtooksomelunchoutofhisbasket. “Iwilleatabutterflysandwich,andwaittilltheshowerisover,”saidMr.JeremyFisher. Agreatbigwater-beetlecameupunderneaththelilyleafandtweakedthetoeofoneofhisgaloshes. Mr.Jeremycrossedhislegsupshorter,outofreach,andwentoneatinghissandwich. Onceortwicesomethingmovedaboutwitharustleandasplashamongsttherushesatthesideofthepond. “Itrustthatisnotarat,”saidMr.JeremyFisher;“IthinkIhadbettergetawayfromhere.” Mr.Jeremyshovedtheboatoutagainalittleway,anddroppedinthebait.Therewasabitealmostdirectly;thefloatgaveatremendousbobbit! “Aminnow!Aminnow!Ihavehimbythenose!”criedMr.JeremyFisher,jerkinguphisrod. Butwhatahorriblesurprise!Insteadofasmoothfatminnow,Mr.JeremylandedlittleJackSharp,thestickleback,coveredwithspines! Thesticklebackflounderedabouttheboat,prickingandsnappinguntilhewasquiteoutofbreath.Thenhejumpedbackintothewater. Andashoalofotherlittlefishesputtheirheadsout,andlaughedatMr.JeremyFisher. AndwhileMr.Jeremysatdisconsolatelyontheedgeofhisboat—suckinghissorefingersandpeeringdownintothewater—aMUCHworsethinghappened;areallyFRIGHTFULthingitwouldhavebeen,ifMr.Jeremyhadnotbeenwearingamackintosh! Agreatbigenormoustroutcameup—ker-pflop-p-p-p!withasplash—anditseizedMr.Jeremywithasnap,“Ow!Ow!Ow!”—andthenitturnedanddiveddowntothebottomofthepond! Butthetroutwassodispleasedwiththetasteofthemackintosh,thatinlessthanhalfaminuteitspathimoutagain;andtheonlythingitswallowedwasMr.Jeremy’sgaloshes. Mr.Jeremybounceduptothesurfaceofthewater,likeacorkandthebubblesoutofasodawaterbottle;andheswamwithallhismighttotheedgeofthepond. Hescrambledoutonthefirstbankhecameto,andhehoppedhomeacrossthemeadowwithhismackintoshallintatters. “Whatamercythatwasnotapike!”saidMr.JeremyFisher.“Ihavelostmyrodandbasket;butitdoesnotmuchmatter,forIamsureIshouldneverhavedaredtogofishingagain!” Heputsomestickingplasteronhisfingers,andhisfriendsbothcametodinner.Hecouldnotofferthemfish,buthehadsomethingelseinhislarder. SirIsaacNewtonworehisblackandgoldwaistcoat. AndMr.AldermanPtolemyTortoisebroughtasaladwithhiminastringbag. Andinsteadofanicedishofminnows,theyhadaroastedgrasshopperwithlady-birdsauce,whichfrogsconsiderabeautifultreat;butIthinkitmusthavebeennasty! 
