The Boy and the Garden Toad

Ben loves his garden more than anywhere else, and every morning he puts on his red rubber boots, picks up his magnifying glass and searches for worms, beetles and anything wiggly. One warm afternoon, while digging near the old stone wall, he finds a small, lumpy, olive-brown creature with golden eyes and curious horizontal pupils. His mother explains that it is a garden toad, a shy animal that must be watched gently and quietly.

From her, Ben also learns what a toad really needs: cool, damp hiding places, clean water to drink and a garden without pesticides, since sprays harm toads, frogs and bees alike. Rather than only listening, he acts, and with his mother he prepares a special corner by the stone wall, with flat stones, fallen leaves, a shallow water dish and mossy edges. Written by Aysel Banu YAVUZAL, this gentle tale about caring for garden wildlife can be read on Masal İzle.