Once upon a time, when animals could still speak, the land of the Frogs was ruled by King Puff-jaw. When spring turned to summer, the king organized a big party. Everybody was dressed in the most beautiful clothes and they walked in a parade to the party tent. In front was king Puff-jaw, his wife and kids. The king opened the ball with a great speech and then several contests started.
In the reed were famous singers and they sang beautifully, while the other partygoers danced the mosquito dance. While everyone was busy partying, a little frog came running to the crowd, out of breath he said he saw five strange little men arrive from the next door forest. And they were so drunk that the frogs were scared they would drink the entire lake.
Immediately king Puff-jaw had his general show up and gave him the order to go to the strange little men with ten soldiers. If they were enemies, he had to take them prisoner, if they were friends, he had to invite them to the party as guests. As quick as they could, they went to the lake. The little men got the scare of their lives when they got surrounded by ten frog soldiers. But when the frogs realized they came in peace, the little men were invited to the party.
The most important of the men replied: ‘I will gladly accept your invitation. Please tell your king that I, Crumb-snatcher, prince of Mice, will attend with pleasure.’ Accompanied by the frog soldiers the mice arrived and waved to everyone with their tails. When the mice prince saw king Puff-jaw he waved with his hat and yelled: ‘Long live king Puff-jaw!’
The king liked this very much and asked the mice prince to tell him about his country and family. ‘I am’, the mouse started telling, ‘the youngest son of king Gnawler. The capital of our land is Mousella and is on the other side of the forest. Many of our people have been killed by our enemies, the cats, the owls and the foxes.
‘Us too’, king Puff-jaw interrupted him, ‘are not safe in the water and land from fish, snakes and storks. But let’s not dwell on these sad things. We shall go to my castle that is on the other side of the lake.’‘
‘I would gladly go with you’, said Crumb-snatcher, ‘but I can’t swim’.
‘Oh well, you can sit on our backs, we will make it.’
No sooner said than done. The mice sat on the frogs’ backs and splash! They hit the water. The mice were not comfortable, but they didn’t want the frogs to know. Suddenly out of nowhere a huge water snake appeared! The frogs, so scared they weren’t thinking straight, ducked under water, causing the mice to drown.
In the meanwhile king Gnawler had troops sent out to look for his son, as he thought he got lost. When the mice king heard his son had drowned, he got angry and promised to avenge his son’s death. Immediately he let all the mice know that he planned to battle the frogs and send a message to the frogs. When king Puff-jaw heard about it, he ordered every frog that was able to fight to come to the riverside in three days. When everybody assembled Puff-jaw mounted his horse and held a speech for his army.
King Gnawler had also dressed up in his armor and gold crown. Bravely the troops started the attack, but soon the frogs were in over their heads. Their unarmed bodies were too vulnerable for the enemy’s bullets. In the middle of the battle the two kings attacked each other and fought hard.
Gnawler fell and Puff-jaw took his crown. That was such an insult that the mice started a carnage. Puff-jaw was carried out of battle badly wounded. He saw his soldiers flee and wanted to end his life by falling on his sword. But the king of the lobsters stopped him.
He offered the frog king and his people his help, if the frog king would return the land they took from him years ago. Puff-jaw gladly accepted and with the help of the lobster army, who pinched the ears and tails of the mice, the mice army was fought back. Peace had yet again returned. The mice had their kingdom in the field and the frogs ruled the water.
