The Tree-Toad by James Whitcomb Riley
This poem is a nostalgic and humorous tribute to the joys of childhood. It describes the speaker's memories of playing with a tree-toad, a type of frog that lives in trees, during their youth. The poem explores themes of innocence, simplicity, and the passing of time.
By James Whitcomb Riley · First published 1883 · Genre: Poetry, Humor, Fable · 294 words
First lines
"S cur'ous-like," said the tree-toad, / "I've twittered fer rain all day; / And I got up soon, / And hollered tel noon -- / But the sun, hit blazed away, / Tell I jest clumb down in a crawfish-hole, / Weary at hart, and sick at soul!
"Dozed away fer an hour, / And I tackled the thing agin: / And I sung, and sung, / Tel I knowed my lung / Was jest about give in; / And THEN, thinks I, ef hit don't rain NOW, / They's nothin' in singin', anyhow!
"Onc't in a while some farmer / Would come a-drivin' past; / And he'd hear my cry, / And stop and sigh -- / Tel I jest laid back, at last, / And I hollered rain tel I thought my th'oat / Would bust wide open at ever' note!
Similar titles
- The Katydids by James Whitcomb Riley
- The First Bluebird by James Whitcomb Riley
- An Impromptu Fairy Tale by James Whitcomb Riley
- The Pet Coon by James Whitcomb Riley
- Bin A Fishin by James Whitcomb Riley
- All Aboard by Oliver Herford
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with rhyme and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Humor — The narrative employs a humorous tone, particularly in the exaggerated efforts of the tree-toad to summon rain.
- Fable — The story features an anthropomorphic animal with a moral or lesson about persistence and patience.
- Nature — The central theme revolves around natural elements, specifically the interaction between the tree-toad and the weather.
Tags
Fiction · Children's Literature · Poetry · Nature · Imagination · Fantasy · Adventure · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Coming of Age · Self-Discovery
What this Textopian page supports
The Tree-Toad is listed on Textopian as a poem by James Whitcomb Riley, dated 1883 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: James Whitcomb Riley
- Date: 1883 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Humor, Fable, Nature
- Length: 294 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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