'Quite soon' said Frog.

Toad ran home as fast as his legs would hop him. Finding a clearish patch of earth he hurriedly planted his seeds. "Now seeds, " said Toad

in a commanding tone, "Start growing". Toad walked up and down a few times. Nothing seemed to be happening. Toad put his head close to the ground and said loudly, "Now seeds, start growing." Toad looked at the ground again. The seeds did not start to grow. Toad put his head very close to the ground once more and shouted, "Now seeds, START GROWING!."

A very agitated Frog came running up the path. "Toad, what is all this noise?" she asked. "My seeds will not grow" said a red faced Toad.

"You're shouting too much" said Frog. "These poor seeds are afraid to grow". "My seeds are afraid to grow?" "Of course" she said. "Leave them in peace for a few days. Let the sun shine on them, let the rain fall on them and soon your seeds will start to grow."

That night Toad looked out of his bedroom window.

"Drat", said Toad, "My seeds have still not started to grow. I wonder if they are afraid of the dark." Toad went out to his garden with some candles. "I will read the seeds a story," said Toad, "then they won't be

so afraid." Toad read an exceedingly long story to his seeds. All the next day Toad sang songs to his seeds. And all the following day Toad

read poems to his seeds. And the day after that Toad played music for his seeds.

Toad looked at the ground. The seeds still did not start to grow. "What shall I do?" lamented Toad. "I can't think of anything else to do. These must be the most frightened seeds in the whole world." Then Toad worn out to the very bone from all his exertions, fell into a deep sleep.