zzard was
outside the door making music on his violin.

"Good morning, Friend Buzzard," said the toad. "Are you going to
attend the party in the sky?"

The buzzard replied that he was planning to go.

"That is good," said the toad. "May I have the pleasure of your
company for the trip?"

The buzzard was delighted to have the toad seek his company. It was a
new experience.

"I'll be charmed to go to the party with you," replied the buzzard.
"What time shall we start?"

"We'll start at four o'clock," said the toad. "Come to my house and
we'll go on from there. Be sure to bring your violin with you."

Promptly at four o'clock the buzzard arrived at the toad's house. He
had his violin with him, of course, because the toad had asked him to
bring it.

"I'm not quite ready to go," the toad called out. "Just leave your
violin there by the door and step inside. It will take me only a
minute to finish my toilet."

The buzzard laid his violin carefully outside the door and went inside
the toad's house. The toad jumped through the window and hid himself
inside the violin.

The buzzard waited and waited for the toad to get ready but he did not
hear a word from the toad. Finally he got tired of waiting. He picked
up his violin and started.

When he arrived at the party he was a trifle late but he explained how
he had waited for the toad.

"How foolish to wait a minute for the toad," said his hosts. "How
could the toad ever get to a party in the sky? We just asked him as a
joke because he is such a great gad about. Lay down your violin and
come to the feast."

The buzzard laid down his violin. As soon as there was no one looking,
out hopped the toad. He was laughing from ear to ear. "So they
thought I would not come to the party! What a joke! How surprised they
will be to see me here!" he said.

There was nobody at the feast who was as gay as the toad. When the
buzzard asked how he arrived he said: "I'll tell you some other day."
Then he went on eating and dancing.

The buzzard did not have a very good time at the party. He decided
that he would go home early. He went away without saying good-bye to
his hosts and without taking his violin with him.

At the end of the party the toad hopped inside the violin and waited
and waited for the buzzard to take him home. Nobody picked up the
violin and the toad began to be very much worried. He almost wished
he had not come.

After a while the falcon noticed the violin.