The Little Boat and the Lantern

Down where the reeds grew tall and green, a little wooden boat sat waiting at the edge of the pond. Its paint was blue as a robin's egg, and a small lantern hung from its bow, not yet lit. A frog named Pim hopped in and settled on the middle seat. "I think I'll see where the water goes," Pim said softly. And the boat slipped away from the reeds. And the water was smooth, and the water was cool. The evening was quiet. The pond was wide. Pim floated on. The first thing Pim found was a lily pad, round and flat, with a snail resting in the very center.