Dear friends: I don’t normally post my fiction stories on this blog but decided to make an exception in this case. The story below is a (hopefully) humorous rhyming story for children of all ages. May it brighten the day of those who are finding it hard to smile.

With Love,

Russ

Zach and the Toad Who Rode a Bull

By Russ Towne

Zach’s friends had frogs to jump and race.

The boys held contests all over the place

To see how far they’d jump and how fast they’d go,

They really put on quite a show.

Zach wanted a frog so he could play

With the other boys and their frogs all day.

He looked for hours without finding a frog

But then he spotted a toad on a log.

It had zebra-type stripes,

But instead of being black and white,

His stripes were purple and yellow.

He was certainly a colorful fellow.

The toad had a friendly face,

So Zach took him to a jump and race.

The other boys laughed but didn’t mind

When Zach put his toad on the starting line.

He whispered, “Please try to jump far.

It’s now your turn to be a star.”

When the toad began to jump

The wind blew into him with a whump

It caught the startled jumping toad

And pushed him way back down the road!

“No fair!,” said his friends. “Your toad doesn’t score.

We won’t play with him anymore!”

Zach whispered to his toad, “You’re no slacker

Since you jumped backwards I’ll name you Backer

I like you just the way you are!

To me you’ll always be a star.

If you want to stay with me

We’ll be friends just wait and see.”

One day they went to a rodeo

And to help Backer see the show

Zach put him on a wooden rail

But he was slapped by a horse’s tail

That pushed Backer so far back

He landed in a lady’s lap!

She shrieked, “EEEK! What’s that?”

And threw him onto a cowboy’s hat

Things were now very rough,

The rider who wore it looked mighty tough.

He didn’t know Backer was on his head,

As the announcer pointed to him and said,

“He’ll be riding Last Ride Red.”

The other wranglers all looked down,

For Last Ride Red was the meanest around.

No one rode him more than a second or two

And when they hit the ground they were black and blue

The crowd held their breath when the announcer said,

“The reason he’s called “Last Ride Red”

Is because every rider who’s ever tried

Never ever took another bull ride.”

But this cowboy was mighty brave

And would try to ride him anyway.

He climbed onto the side of the bull’s pen

Then leaned forward to look at him.

That’s when Backer slid off the rider’s hat,

Onto Last Ride Red’s great big back!

That startled the man holding the gate.

He tried to close it but was too late.

Last Ride Red came charging out,

The crowd saw Backer and began to shout!

“That toad’s in trouble! Everyone look out!”

Backer knew he had to hang on tight

So he grabbed the bull’s hair with all his might.

He knew if he was thrown down

He’d be quickly stomped into the ground.

Last Ride Red was having a fit.

He ran through a fence shattering it.

But no matter how high and hard he bucked,

That brave little toad never gave up.

After an hour of stomping all around

Last Ride Red gave up and laid down.

Everyone jumped to their feet and cheered.

The bull hadn’t done what they had all feared.

Instead of the toad being stomped in the ground

Backer rode the bull all the way down.

Zach ran out and picked Backer up,

Then a man gave them a buckle and trophy cup.

He yelled, “Congratulations, son!

Your brave little toad has won!

No one’s ever done what he’s done.”

The announcer said, “The best bull rider is right here

Backer’s our Rodeo Champ this year!”

The next day the news was full

Of how Backer the toad rode the great big bull.

The rodeo retired Last Ride Red.

He’s now happy and very well fed

He gets to eat grass and hay all day

And stay in a field full of cows and play.

The End

(c) Copyright Russ Towne 2015 All rights reserved.