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Leopold Lizard sat on a hot rock by a cool stream
and dreamed of getting to the other side.
He practiced his leaps on the riverbank each morning before resting on his rock.
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Some days he almost leapt far enough. But he was not willing to risk falling in. The reeds next to the hot rock whispered, "What for?" The Frog agreed,"Here or there, it's all the same." Leopold didn't care what they said. He wanted to see for himself.
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So he practiced and practiced. He leapt further and further, until he was almost sure he could make it if he tried.
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But Leopold lingered on his rock. He couldn't make up his mind to take the leap. "What for?"
"Why not?" Said Blue Jay,"What have you got to lose?"
Leo said,"Leaping might be a big mistake.There's always a chance I'd fall in."
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"Excuuuuses, Excuuuuses," chanted the running stream as it ran by.
"It's now or never," sang Blue Jay and flew away.
But Leopold refused to make his move. "What for?"
He slept all day in the sun by the cool running stream.
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The next day he didn't even bother to practice his leaps. "What for?"
"Dream on," whispered the reeds in the breeze.
"You're only getting older," rustled the leaves in the trees along the shore.
"Soon you'll be too old to leap," the Frog croaked. "You'll have lots of time then to sit alone on your rock by the stream and dream."
"Maybe tomorrow," said Leopold, blinking slowly.
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But tomorrow came and went and there he sat. "What for?" he asked himself.
"Where's your pride?" roared the lion stalking by.
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"What's your purpose?" quizzed the wise old Tortoise.
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"Play your part," urged the playful Otter.
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"Be productive," buzzed a swarm of Bees in the trees above Leopold's head. But Leopold wouldn't budge from his rock by the stream. "What for?" he wondered and dreamed.
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Then one day, as Leopold dozed, he heard a lonely lizard singing from a rock on the other side of the stream. Lovely Lola sang her heart out. Time slowed down. The music wrapped its arms around Leopold.
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Without stopping to think, Leopold leapt.
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He didn't fall in. He didn't fall short. He flew over the stream and landed, soft as a wooers whisper, next to Lola. She blushed a lovely shade of lizard green.
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Leopold's heart was still leaping when Blue Jay
flew over to ask, "What for?"
Leopold looked into Lola's eyes and caught his
breath to answer. "For a song."
