The Funny Friendship
of Frank and Fatima
Written By Elizabeth Yaboni
It was a wonderful day at the pond and Fatima the Fly could feel the wind whoosh past her as she flew through the blue sky. She felt happy and free soaring over the water. The sun was out and numerous dragonflies fluttered past her. Both she and the other animals nearby were enjoying the warm, spring weather.
One frog in particular had been sitting at the edge of the pond, soaking in the sun. His name was Frank. Frank was talking to his friend Felix, but Felix had been complaining about his dying of hunger for the past fifteen minutes.
“Oh, how terribly hungry I am,” Felix cried.
Frank groaned, although it came out as a croaky ribbit. “Stop complaining, Felix. We can always catch somethin’ later.”
Fatima hadn’t realized the conversation between the two frogs, so she flew nearer and nearer…
“I wish there was something I could eat right now…” Felix trailed off as he spotted Fatima flying by. “Hey. Would ya look at that?”
“What?” Frank asked, confused.
“That.”
Frank looked into the sky and saw an energetic fly zoom past Felix.
“Wanna catch it?” Felix suggested.
“Nah, I’m fine. I think she looks happy. Might as well let her enjoy it.”
“C’mon Frankie, why not?”
“‘Cause I said so.”
“Fine,” Felix huffed in defeat.
By now, Frank was sure Felix wouldn’t harm a fly, especially Fatima. But he was wrong.
When Fatima whizzed past the two frogs again, Felix’s tongue jumped out at her. Felix almost got her, but Fatima began to frantically fly away. Felix started to chase her across the pond, leaping from one lily pad to the next. Finally, Felix snagged Fatima on his tongue and caught her in his mouth.
He was ready to gulp her like he had never eaten in his life until he heard a loud, “Stop!” from the other side of the pond.
Frank was leaping after Fatima too, but for a different reason than Felix. He was there to save her.
Felix turned at the last moment, hoping he could get away with Fatima, but it was too late. Frank had already made the leap of faith--directly on top of Felix. Frank’s weight proved too much for the other, causing him to spit out Fatima.
“What are you doing?” Felix yelled.
“Saving her!” Frank shot back.
“But I could’a eaten her!” Felix whined.
“Are you okay?,” Frank asked the fly who was busy shaking off Felix’s saliva.
“Yup. I’m fine. I just never thought I would come across somethin’ like this before. I can’t believe you’d try savin’ me from your own friend. Why, what a mighty frog you are!”
“It was nothing,” said Frank, trying to humble himself and brush off his heroism.
“Thank you very much,” Fatima said with appreciation. “What’s your name?”
“Frank the Frog. You?”
“Fatima the Fly. And how ‘bout your friend who tried’a eat me?”
“That’s just ol’ Felix the other Frog.”
“I guess I’ll be seein’ you ‘round soooner or later. Thanks, again,” Fatima said. “Goodbye for now.”
Fatima buzzed away.
“She’s my friend now, so stop tryin’ to eat ‘er,” Frank warned Felix.
“Okay,” Felix sighed. “I guess I will.”
The next day, Felix sees Frank talking with Fatima.
“I don’t want them to be friends,” Felix muttered. “They can’t. Fatima’s food. Frank would never choose her over me.”
Felix decides to eat Fatima yet again, but Frank leaps in and protects her in the nick of time.
“What are you doing?” Frank yells.
“I’m going to eat her!”
“No!”
“Fine. Then you eat her!”
“Maybe I will.” Frank gobbled her up in one gulp--at least that’s what Felix thought. Frank didn’t eat Fatima; she was hidden in his mouth.
“I knew you’d listen to me.” Felix smiled victoriously. “You always do.”
Felix sauntered off into the distance on the opposite end of the pond. Once Felix was out of sight, Frank let Fatima exit his mouth.
“Thanks for saving me. Again,” Fatima said.
“No problem.”
Later that day, Felix catches up to Frank once again. Fatima was planning to talk to Frank also, but Felix beat her to it, so she stayed back and watched to make sure Felix wouldn’t start any trouble.
“Hey. Where’s your fly?” he adds teasingly.
“At home. Why?”
“Just tryin’ to be a good friend. Are you happy now that you’ve eaten Fatima?” Felix asked cruelly. “Maybe you could do a few errands for me later while I get you to do what I say.”
Frank was silent.
Felix laughed. “You good?”
“Yeah.”
“So could ya do me a few favors?”
“Sure,” Frank said quietly.
“Thanks, friend.” Felix walked away laughing
That evening, Fatima went to speak with Frank.
“Why do you let him?” she asked quietly.
“Let him what?”
“Let him push you around.” Fatima looked at Frank. “You let him control you and tell you what to do, but you don’t like any of it. So why do you do it anyway?”
“Because we're fr--”
“No you aren’t. With the way he treats you so badly, he was and still isn't your friend.”
Fatima decided Frank needed to have some space and few away.
Frank looked down at his reflection in the pond. “I think she was right.”
The morning after, Frank thought about what Fatima had said. Finally, he’d come to a consensus. She’s right. Felix was never a good friend. Frank raced to Fatima’s area of the pond and knocked on her shelter.
“It’s me, Frank. Open up.”
Fatima crawled out of her hiding spot.
“You were right,” Frank stated sadly.
“So what are you waiting for?” Fatima asked excitedly. “Let’s end this dilemma the proper way.”
Frank and Fatima traveled to Felix’s place and knocked on his shelter. When the other frog came out, they told him their thoughts.
“Okay.” Felix looked down at his feet. “I’m sorry you feel that way about me.”
Frank and Fatima stared at the frog.
“Look,” Felix sighed. “I know we can’t be friends again, but I would hate to hold any grudges. Can we at least start over?”
Frank and Fatima smiled at eachother. “Of course,” Fatima said welcomingly. “We’d love to.”
And so a new relationship between two frogs and one fly began.