The quiet of the forest was broken by the sound of the frogs in the pond croaking with excitement. The annual Frogathalon was about to begin. The frogs trained all year to compete in swimming, fly-catching, and jumping.

“There’s no point in entering; Maximus wins every year,” whispered Rubetta to her mother.

“Rubetta, my little precious jewel, you are faster and stronger than you think.”

Rubetta’s heart was heavy as she made her way to the swimming starting blocks. She was a tiny girl frog, while Maximus was a strong boy frog. She climbed up and took her place.

“Eat my waves,” yelled Maximus.

“Go!” the referee croaked. Rubetta plunged into the murky water and swam with slow, easy strokes. She was surprised that she had reached the opposite bank so quickly.

“Wow!” Rubetta croaked. “I won!”

“Not fair!” shouted Maximus.

The referee vetoed Maximus’s complaints. “Rubetta wins!” he said.

The second event was fly-catching. There was one tiny fly hidden near the beehive next to the pond.

“You got lucky swimming, but “I’ll win this easily!” Maximus bragged.

“Find the fly!” the referee croaked.

Rubetta hesitated; she could avoid being stung by patiently waiting for the fly to appear. Maximus poked his tongue at anything that moved. The bees surrounded him, obscuring his vision and stinging him. As the bees flew toward Maximus, Rubetta spotted the fly and grabbed it!

“I caught it!” Rubetta yelled, dropping the fly delicately on a leaf.

“Rubetta wins again!” the referee croaked.

“She cheated!” Maximus yelled.

The final challenge was jumping over a tree limb. The other frogs did not compete; it was Rubetta and Maximus. Whoever jumped higher, without error, would be crowned Frogathalon’s Champion.

“Rubetta,” her mother said, “you may be small, but you can do anything!”

With determination, Rubetta faced the tree, took  a deep breath, and jumped. She leapt nimbly over the second lowest branch.

“This is pathetic!” Maximus gloated. “I could jump as nimbly as you over the highest branch.”

Maximus sprang, missing the branch and slamming into the tree.

“Rubetta is our winner!” the referee croaked.