TOADS’ BEAUTY
Mother – nature likes to teach us:
Toads are not these ugly creatures!
Toad boy would croak and call
To attract his toad girl.
Toad girls have smiley lips,
Tender belly, round hips.
Wharfs are toads’ decoration,
They arouse admiration!
Girlish fingers have membrane.
Legs like oars, flat and plain.
How graceful toads eat!
They prefer delicious meat.
Like a spiral quickly sprung,
They roll out sticky tongue.
Small mosquito or a bug
In a blink gets strongly stuck
Then the tongue makes backward roll –
Prey is swallowed as a whole.
No teeth to chew or punch -
This is how they have their lunch.
Toads know - truly nice
Is a pair of toads’ eyes.
They stick up above the cutie.
People say: “A real beauty!”
When you see a toad alone,
Cold and frozen to the bone,
Numb and lifeless like a stone,
Don’t get scared, don’t be sad -
Toad is sleepy, he’s not dead.
When it’s getting warm in spring
Toads thaw and start to sing.
From remote swamp and plain,
No matter – sun or rain,
Croaking loudly with pride,
Toad - lads rush to their brides.
Toads’ blood is cool enough,
But their hearts are full of love!
© Виталий Гостинский «Жабы - красавицы», 2004
© Victor Krupnik, translation from Russian, 2005