It was a sunny morning in the countryside, and little Lala was buzzing with energy. She had just finished her breakfast—warm porridge with honey and bananas—and was ready for an adventure. As usual, she asked her best friend, Thuy, if they could go exploring in the backyard garden behind the house. Thuy smiled, nodding, “Just don’t wander too far, okay?”
Lala nodded excitedly. She was a curious little girl, always eager to discover something new. Today, the morning air smelled extra fresh, and the flowers looked especially bright. Butterflies danced among the plants, and birds chirped happily from the trees. Lala hummed a little tune as she skipped down the garden path, her straw hat bobbing up and down.
As she wandered toward the vegetable patch, something strange caught her eye near the water bucket. A small, brown, lumpy creature was sitting very still in the shade. At first, Lala thought it was just a stone, but then—it moved!
Lala froze. Her eyes widened as the creature blinked slowly. It had bulging eyes and rough skin. Its body looked wet and squishy. She gasped and took a quick step back, heart pounding. “What… what is that?!” she whispered.
Suddenly, the creature gave a small hop.
Lala let out a little scream and jumped backward. She nearly tripped over a watering can. “Thuy! Thuy!” she shouted, hoping her friend could hear her. But Thuy was far off on the porch, reading a book and didn’t hear her call.
Lala cautiously stepped closer again, half-hiding behind a tall sunflower. The creature just sat there, looking calm and lazy, as if it had no idea it had just scared someone. Its throat puffed out slightly as it breathed.
“What is this thing?” Lala wondered aloud. She had never seen anything like it before. It wasn’t a lizard or a mouse. It wasn’t a snake either. It wasn’t like any animal she had met in books or cartoons. Her mind raced with possibilities. “Is it poisonous? Will it bite? Is it angry?”
As if to answer her, the creature gave a long, slow blink, then let out a soft “rrrrribbit.” That sound made Lala jump again. She’d heard that sound in the rain before—but she had never seen where it came from. Now she knew. It was this creature. A toad!
Lala backed away slowly, still unsure whether she was in danger. “Okay, okay,” she whispered, trying to calm herself. “I think it’s just… sitting. Maybe it doesn’t want to hurt me?”
Just then, Thuy came walking down the path with a curious smile. “Lala, are you okay? I heard you yell.”
Lala ran to her, pointing behind her. “There’s a monster near the water bucket!”
Thuy laughed gently. “A monster? Let’s go see.”
Together, they walked back to the shady corner. Thuy looked at the creature and smiled. “Oh, that’s not a monster, Lala. That’s just a toad!”
Lala blinked. “A what?”
“A toad,” Thuy repeated. “They’re kind of like frogs, but with bumpier skin and they don’t jump as far. They like to live in damp places and come out when it rains.”
Lala was still a little unsure. “But it’s so weird-looking. And slimy. And it made that noise!”
Thuy giggled. “It just croaked. That’s what toads do. They’re not dangerous. They actually help us—because they eat bugs that harm our plants.”
Lala stepped a little closer. Now that Thuy was with her, she felt braver. “It eats bugs?”
“Yes! Like mosquitoes and flies and beetles. They’re very helpful in the garden.”
The toad croaked again, and Lala didn’t jump this time. She tilted her head, watching it carefully. “So it won’t hurt me?”
“Nope,” said Thuy. “But we should still be gentle and not touch it too much. Toads have sensitive skin. Let’s just watch it for a while.”
The two girls sat nearby, quietly observing the toad. It didn’t do much—just sat and blinked, occasionally hopping a little to change spots. But somehow, Lala started finding it… interesting. Even a little cute.
“Can we name it?” she asked suddenly.
Thuy grinned. “Sure. What should we call it?”
“Hmm…” Lala thought for a moment. “What about… Bumpy?”
“Bumpy the toad,” Thuy nodded. “Perfect!”
For the next hour, the girls watched Bumpy as he slowly made his way toward the shade under the cabbage leaves. He didn’t mind their company. It was almost like he was used to being watched.
Later, when it was time to go inside for lunch, Lala waved goodbye to Bumpy. “Thanks for not being scary anymore,” she said softly. “I was really afraid of you at first. But now… I think you’re pretty cool.”
Back in the house, Lala couldn’t stop talking about her new friend. She even drew a picture of Bumpy with crayons, showing his big eyes and warty back. She proudly taped it to the wall in her room.
That night, as she lay in bed, Lala smiled to herself. She had learned something important today: sometimes, things that look scary at first aren’t scary at all. All it takes is a little understanding—and maybe a friend to explain.
From that day on, Lala looked for Bumpy every time she went outside. And each time she saw him, she smiled instead of screamed. What once confused and frightened her had become something wonderful: a small, surprising friendship with nature.
And so, Lala’s adventure in the garden reminded her that curiosity, courage, and a kind heart can turn fear into fascination. Even when it’s just a little toad.
