A System
It was March, which is the month frogs go to the pond. The pond was on the other side of the road.
Three frogs sat at the kerb: Trix, Bumble, and Hopp.
The road looked very wide.
"You go first," said Trix to Bumble.
"You go first," said Bumble to Hopp.
"Nobody goes first," said Hopp. "We need a system."
The system was this: a girl in a yellow vest walked along the road. She had a bucket and a torch. She knelt down by the kerb and said, "Right, who's next?"
Trix went into the bucket. Bumble went into the bucket. Hopp went into the bucket, last, looking dignified.
The girl carried the bucket across the road, very slowly, looking both ways. She knelt down by the pond and tipped the bucket gently.
Trix swam off first. Then Bumble. Then Hopp, looking dignified all the way to the deep end.
The girl said, "You're welcome." But the frogs were already telling everyone in the pond about their adventure.
For nights and nights after, more frogs came, and the girl in the yellow vest came too. That is how the frogs of March cross the road. With a little help, and a system.