How the Toad Got its Skin
a Brazilian Folktale
tranlated and illustrated by Maria Lucia Guimaraes Maier

All the birds were happy. Soon, it would happen again - the party in the sky. Only the birds would go because only they could fly. The animals that could not fly were upset and jealous. They all knew the party in the sky was very beautiful. All the guests would dance among the clouds and stars.

Sometimes an animal who could not fly would try to find its way to the party. They always failed. Now all the animals were convinced that it was simply impossible to ever get to the party in the sky.

There was one fellow, however, who would not give up. The toad said, "This time, I will get to go to the party in the sky!" He had a plan and would not tell any of the other animals what it was.

The day of the great party arrived. The birds were all very excited, preparing the things they would take with them and fluffing up their feathers. All the other animals stayed away. Only the clever toad stayed among the birds. The birds were curious to see how this silly toad might get to their great party in the sky.

The vulture swooped down and asked the toad, "Just how do you intend to get up into the sky?"

"That's my surprise," answered the toad. He turned and hopped away leaving the vulture to scratch its head.

An hour later the toad snuck back and hid inside the vulture's guitar.

Soon, the vulture came, took his guitar and flew high into the sky. The toad stayed quietly inside the guitar.

When the vulture arrived at the giant party in the sky, the clever toad jumped out and danced across the clouds. The birds were all very surprised and demanded to know how the toad had managed to trick them. Toad would tell them nothing.

The party was very lively. There was lots of food and drink. Birds were singing and dancing to their hearts' content. The toad tried everything. He drank and ate quite a lot.

Most of the birds refused to dance with the toad. The parrot and sparrow were very upset with having this toad in their midst. They suggested that the toad be pushed off the cloud. The vulture was totally against this idea. The toad listened to all this and became worried. He crept back to the vulture's guitar and climbed back inside to hide.

Soon, the vulture picked up the guitar to play. The poor toad was going deaf inside!

When the party in the sky was finished the vulture flew off the cloud and soared through the sky. He noticed that his guitar seemed heavy so he looked inside and discovered the hidden toad.

"Please let me stay inside your guitar," begged the frightened toad.

"Oh no, little toad," answered the vulture. "I want to see how you fly."

With that the vulture shook the guitar and the poor toad fell all the way to the ground and broke into pieces.

The vulture looked down and felt pity for the poor toad, so he flew home to get a needle and some thread. When he returned to where the toad lay broken he sewed the toad back into one piece.

"Dear toad," the vulture said. "Won't you come to our next party in the sky?"

The toad hopped away without saying a word.

To this day you can still see where the toad had his skin mended by the needle and thread.