This is a short story I wrote earlier this year, intending to post it for a flash fiction challenge (FFfAW) which had a duck pond as the prompt. In the end, I wrote a story about a witch and the ducking stool and posted that one instead. That story can be found here. I came across this story sitting in my Documents file today, and as I’ve (reluctantly) given up writing flash fiction for a while, I thought I might as well bring it out of hibernation. The picture is not the same prompt: this one is courtesy of Pixabay.
So here’s my story:
Frog Wisdom
Drusilla hovered over the edge of the pond, scanning the blue-green water. Around her, the greening leaves of forest trees rustled in the April breeze.
‘Where are you, Alfrin?’ she called. ‘I know you’re down there somewhere. I saw you shoot off when I asked you to lay the table.’
After a few moments, she heaved a sigh. ‘If you don’t show yourself this minute, I’ll send your father to fetch you. You can’t hide anywhere from him, you know.’
A tiny head bobbed up, right next to a lily pad on which a big, green frog squatted. ‘But Dad’s already here!’ Alfrin retorted. ‘He’s showing me how to play hide-and-seek with the tadpoles.’
Freda, the frog, nodded sagely. ‘Of which I heartily approve. Our children need to play.’
A larger head suddenly emerged. ‘Hello darling. The water’s lovely… just couldn’t resist…’
Drusilla flapped her wings, ready to rant, then paused. Alfrin was learning to socialise, after all.
Two water sprites in the family would try the patience of any self-respecting fairy.
Word Count: 173
Millie Thom 
totally delightful…Drusilla…love that
Thank you! I don’t write fairy stories too often. 😀
oh, this is prefect!
I have a friend named Drusilla, but we call her Dru.
Yes, Dru would certainly not be as much of a mouthful as Drusilla! It reminds me of the way the names Prudence and Prunella are shortened to Pru. Come to think of it, my daughter, Louise, always gets called Lou. Drusilla’s a pretty name, though not a very common one nowadays. Thanks for sharing that, Peggy.
A funny aside relating to Dru. She sometimes gets mail addressed to Dr. U.
Ha ha. I think she needs to have a word with the postman! But I’m sure she sees the funny side! Thank you for that amusing snippet, Peggy. Much appreciated.
Dru thinks it’s hilarious.
I’m glad she does. I like a gal with a sense of humour. 😀
Me too.
* I like *
Thank you for liking my little story. It’s good to write something for fun now and then.
So glad you found it and shared! Wonderful!
Thank you, Lynn. It just seemed to be wasting away, sitting amongst all my Documents. It’s the quickest post I’ve ever done … ready made, you might say. 😀
That is so nice and easy for you! Loved it!
It was. I wish all my posts were that quick to do. I have a great tendency to write quite long ones. I always did talk too much. 🙂
Haha me too!
Well, I certainly love to read your stories. They’re quite long, but you don’t use unnecessary words and descriptions. All that you write is needful for the telling of the story. And what a story it is! I look forward to every episode. I may be a day or so late at times, depending on my writing, but I’ll be there, eventually. Great work, Lynn. 🙂
Thanks millie!!!:)
Sweet tale, very human isn’t it? When children are needed or need to do something they don’t do: Call the help of the father!
Thanks, Scrapydo. Yes, most children know how to bolt as soon as jobs are being handed out! Some husbands do that, too. I’ve been very lucky with mine. He’s great around the house! 🙂
Lovely 🙂 Just like boys to go missing when there’s chores to do!
Thanks, Bekki. I’m glad you liked it! I wasn’t sure about it when I first wrote it, that’s why I abandoned it and wrote another. It’s come in handy now I haven’t time to write FF.
As for boys … don’t I know it! I have four of them…five if I include Nick. 😀
Four! Hadn’t counted that many when you talked about them.
We have two daughters as well, so we always had a rather full house. 🙂
Sounds t. But great fun! 🙂
Fairies, nymphs and frogs – my favorite creatures. I can see how they all get along. Wonderful story, I would love to live in the fairy world.
Thank you, Inese. I would have added an odd leprechaun if I’d have known your liking for the magical, fairy world. The funny thing is, I have a story with a leprechaun in it, too. I wrote in years ago – long before I wrote my books or had a blog. It was for a competition about the little Tetley Men (as in Tetley’s Tea). I never did send it off to the competition. That had a pond in it, too.
I think we all love fairy stories, really. They’re so much part of our childhood, and in some cases, our culture. I know the belief in elves is still quite strong in some parts of Scandinavia. I’m sure they’re part of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon culture, too.
Absolutely lovely… I love the idea of Alfrin being taught by his dad to play hide-and-seek with the tadpoles… Not to mention the two water nymphs.-.. Thanks for sharing… have a joyful day… best wishes. Aquileana 🎇★☀★🎇
Thank you, Aquileana! I really appreciate your kind comments. 😀
Nice tale and post… Thanks for sharing…. 🙂 Best wishes 🙂