The Gossamer Elf and other stories [antikvár]

Muddy-One and Pranky "THERE goes old Muddy-One!" said the big water-snail. "Look out, you young frogs." The Iittle frogs swam up to the top of the pond at once. They were all afraid of Muddy-One. He was a large, ugly grub who lurked in the mud, and was always hungry. Curly-Shell, the snail, wasn't at all afraid of Muddy-One. He had only to curl himself up in his hard shell whenever he spied the big grub, and nobody could harm him then. But most of the other creatures in the pond were afraid of the ugly old grub. Pranky, the water-pixie, teased him dreadfully. He was a naughty Iittle mischief, very quick and cheeky, and the names he called Muddy-One made all the snails and fishes laugh. Muddy-One had been in the pond for a very long time. He had been small at first, but now he was big. He crawled about in the mud, and across his face he put a curious claw, which could shoot out and catch any Iittle water creature in its pincers. He didn't like being teased by Pranky. "I can't help being ugly," he would say; "I didn't make myself. If I could have made myself I would have given myself beautiful wings, and a gleaming body, and I wouldn't live down here in the slimy mud, but