The Well-Meaning Frog

'Twas a lonely bog,
With a boy and frog
On the marsh's brink.
"I'll kill him!" cried the boy. In fact
He leaned to do the dreadful act,--
When lo! a splash!
And in a flash
Did froggie think:

Too true
He meant to do
Some harm to me,
But then, you see
To mock him now would not be kind,
Lest he should drown.
I'll just go down
And tickle his ears
To calm his fears
And let him know that I didn't mind.

Soon, a dripping, sobbing, muddy boy
Ran home across that lonesome bog;
While placidly smiling on the shore
Squatted that thoroughly well-meaning frog.