Download Tim’s Swimming Lesson
All the pond life who live with Bertie the Frog agree that the silliest creature by far is Tim the Tadpole. Colin the Carp is always complaining about his silly questions. Even so, the creatures were amazed recently when Tim suggested that all the fishes, frogs, and tadpoles should have swimming lessons. In fact, Colin said that was the silliest thing he had ever heard. But as this brief tale goes to show, even the dumbest ideas can sometimes lead to good ones.
Read by Natasha. Duration 5.5 minutes.
As you know, Bertie used to be a handsome prince, but now he’s a frog. His little friend Tim the Tadpole has been has been asking him about his life in the palace when he was a prince.
“What did you do on Wednesdays, Bertie?” asked little Tim.
Bertie tried to remember. He was pretty sure that Wednesdays in the Palace began like most other days, with his feet in comfy slippers, a copy of his favourite comic on a silver tray, and toast dripping with lots of lovely honey. But what happened after that?
“Ah yes,” he said, “Wednesdays were for swimming lessons.”
Tim grew very excited at this; “What a wonderful idea. Can we have swimming lessons here on the pond?’
Colin the grumpy carp over-heard this suggestion of Tim’s and barged in, as is his way, with a rude comment. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve heard yet. Tadpoles don’t don’t know much, but at least they’re supposed to know how to swim.”
Tim swam around in circles for a bit and thought about this. After a minute or so, he caim up with another idea.
“Well can we have walking lessons then? I don’t know how to walk, and I think it would be a terribly useful thing to know how to. Please Bertie. Show us how to walk. Prince’s know everything, so I’m sure you can teach us how to walk beautifully.”
Colin was about to point out that the reason that Tim couldn’t walk was that he didn’t have any legs. But he was in a particularly grumpy mood that morning, and he thought to himself, “What’s the point? These creatures are too stupid for words. I might as well talk to stone – it would be more interesting.” So Colin sank down to the bottom of the pond to find a interesting stone he could talk to. A little later, he looked up through the water and saw that Bertie had hopped onto the bank of the pond.
“There you are,” Colin said to the stone. “That stupid frog is trying to walk. But his legs are too bendy. That’s why frogs don’t walk. They hop.”
And sure enough, Bertie found that walking wasn’t so easy as it was in the old days when he was a handsome prince. He tried to put one foot in front of the other, but he couldn’t. His legs just weren’t made that way anymore.
“Croak!” he said. “Walking is more difficult than I remembered.” A moment later, he bent both legs, and than sprang two feet in the air. Little Tim was mighty impressed and called out, “That was great. Go on Bertie! Walk again!”
This was too much for Colin. He rose to the top of the pond and stuck his mouth out of the water. “That’s not walking,” he said, “That’s hopping and not very good hopping at that.”
“Well,” said Bertie, “It’s true that Tadpoles and frogs are not so good at walking as Princes are. But one day, Little Tim will start to grow legs like all tadpoles do when they get older. Then he will turn into a frog like me and will be able to hop on land whenever he wants to, and swim in the pond whenever he wants to. That’s twice as clever as you. You’ll never be able to hop you grumpy old fish.”
“Pa! Pond Life!” said Colin. And he sank to the bottom of the pond to continue his conversation with his new friend the stone.
But one day, if enough children listen to Bertie’s stories, he’ll turn back into a handsome prince and he’ll be able show everybody how well Princes can walk, with straight backs, and holding their chins up high. He’ll have swimming lessons every Wednesday again, and perhaps he will invite his pond life friends to joining him in the pool and watch him dive-bomb Colin the carp with a big splash.
84 Comments
How could I get the transcript of it?
KM, we don’t normally publish transcripts of the Bertie / Tim stories, on the basis that we plan to make them into books one day. As this is a shortie, I’ve made an exception and added the text to the post where you can find it now.
How come your trying to advertise the stories and making that more kids will listen? Pfft
wiegeht es
fooy pooy!!!!
it is a funniest story i ever heard!!!!!!!
HEY BERTIE THAT WAS SO COOL AND I WILL KEEP READING ALL YOUR STORYS TO MAKE U TURN BACK INTO A PRINCE A HANDSOME PRINCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND THANKS NATASHA FOR READING AND I LIKE YOUR ACCENT I REALLY LOVE THANK YOU FOR RETELLING THE STORIES AGAIN
MONIQUE
BAMBI
SAM
GOOD STORY!
THIS IS AN AWESOME STORY!!!!
It was a good story it was funny and weird because a carp was talking to a stone.
It’s not bad!
It’s good!
apple
i found this story quite funny at the beginning
please be sure to put more bertie stories on i love them
I like this story very much!!!
I like this story very much!It’s very nice.
I like this story very much!It’s very nice.
GOOD STORY
good!!!!!!!!!
good!!!!!!!!!
I’m not so good at English.
study hard(here)
thank you~
Have a good day.
I LOVE 时天蝉
plzzz turn birddy back into a prince? thanks.
hi bill, I will turmn back into a prince if enough children listen to storys.
very nice, though i hoped that Birddy would turn back into a Prince soon, like right now
that was cool XD
-_-
wow
wow i love this story it is very good i have to listen to this agian so this is hello and goodbye!!
that was a shortie but was as good as a longie.
.
this story is the best story ever thank you miss sarita from monica
Its a good story sick
cool beans speaking
of beans
this is cool
I love this story@!!!!
I like the part when the prince turned to a frog and had a swimming lesson. ^_^ I think Colin is very very mean!!!!
Not bad,I guess…^0^ >v<
Nice story^0^ >v<
Like the story…
*sort of
*kind of
*a little
*not bad
I like this story very much!!!
I like this story very much!!!
this is a realy good book for the chidren all around the world
swimming is fun to play in
hi bertie
oh bertie your so kind
CAN we HAVE writeing LESONS.??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????…………………………………………………………………………………………???????????????????????????…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..?????????????????????????????????????????????
I love berties storys! I think that natasha sould tell the palace that bertie is a frog!!!
(please make the princess kiss beartie!!!)
p.s. please wright back bertie
Dear Lauren, You are quite right. I’ll ask Natasha to have a word with Beatrice … but I’m worried that Beatrice simply won’t believe it.
PS Colin should be nicer.
bertie ask natasha to tell beatrice about valintines day and that she kissed the wrong frog (wright back)
P.s. I LOVE YOU BERTIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dear Lauren, Many thanks for the suggestion.
Bertie do you think we could stay in touch ( wright back )
Bertie please wright back!!!!!!!!!
Hi Lauren
Yes, I really do agree with you. Colin really can be disgustingly rude at times. But in a strange way we all love him. i suppose you just have to get used to that grumpy old fish. Thanks ever so much for your comments
Beartiedo you think we can stay in touch PLEASE WRIGHT BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bertie cAN WE STAY IN TOUCH
Hi Lauren, the best way to stay in touch is via storynory’s comments. They are anonymous (first name only) and safe . I’m happy to answer your comments – but of course I’m not always at my computer.
Lauren, don’t censuring bertie…
bertie, i would like the picture on this story. Great job, artist!
Hi Yeh-Jun, I’ll have to look for a picture.
bertie are you a prince or are you made up????????????
bbbbbbbeeeeeeerrrrrrrtttttttiiiiiiieeeeeee
Dear Megan, I’m the true life real prince of Storynory.com
estubo buenisisma
lali
i just want you to turn back into a prince!
i have 1 hr swiming lesines! ( if you are wondring if i AM a moster well, i am not a monster. i just have LOT `S of lego`s)
my name is neil to
way dos evrey 1 say: bbbbeeeerrrrrrtttttiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeee?
#
#
nice, hope bertie would be a prince one day.
bye, bye,
Red aju
i love it
wat dod u dooo on furzday brtie?
Tim how can you type???
Sorry!Born sekret!
Brill Story.
I Love It.
I Love All The Storys
Bertie, what did you do on saterdays?
Dear Audrey, on Saturdays I usually sleep in late, go for a hop around the pond, eat a few flies, and then think up a story.
This site is a good one and I pray God continue to give u the wisdom to update and educate children with this valuable educative site of your.
VERY FUNNY