Filbert's Lost Adventures

by

Noel Joseph Sharrock

Table of Contents
You are invited to complete Filbert's Lost Adventures. The best entry will be added to this page and accredited accordingly. The rest will have links to their own pages as alternative adventures. I remind you that this is a children's story and only that children's themes will be entertained.

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 Last Modified 9-April-1997
 
 
 Chapter one. Meeting New Friends 


 James found a frog in Monty's water bowl. The frog was swimming round and 
around. 
"What you got there?" asked Muffy. Her voice was a bit muffled by the plastic bag 
she lived in.
"Oh. Its just a frog swimming in the water." said James.
"What's its name?" said Muffy.
"Filbert. Filbert Redip" croaked the frog.
"His name is Filbert" cried James. "He's a talking frog, Muffy. He can be our 
friend." 
James picked up his new friend and said "My name is James and this is my friend 
Muffy." James gave Filbert a look at Muffy. Muffy looked up at Filbert and smiled.
 James put Filbert into a jar of water so that the frog could have somewhere to 
swim. Filbert was very happy to be rescued from the water bowl. He was even 
more happy to have two new friends of his very own. 
Muffy asked Filbert "Do you have any other friends?" But Filbert didn't hear. James 
lifted Filbert out of the water to ask him Muffy's question.
"I have two hundred and thirteen brothers and sisters back home." said Filbert. 
"and I once made friends with a fish named Rhonda. I feel sad that I haven't seen 
them at all since I left home." Filbert cried big froggy tears when he remembered 
his far away family.
 James and Muffy said that it would be alright and not to worry because he had 
two new friends to play with. Filbert sniffed a few more times then dried his eyes 
and was happy again.
 The three friends played all afternoon. First they played on the beach making ponds and
sand castles. Filbert told his friends of when he was a tadpole. He told them of all the
names of his brothers and sisters. James knew that Filbert was homesick. James also knew
that he had to go back to the city with his mum that night and he wondered if Filbert
would be happy living there. After they jumped on the sand castles and wrecked all the
ponds James said that he wanted to see the horses. They gave Digger and Darby some
apples. While the horses ate the fruit their lips tickled James's hand and he laughed at
having such fun. Filbert was happy to see his friend laughing but he had not seen horses
before 
and he was a bit scared of their hugeness. 














 Darby
 



Filbert wandered if it was possible to have such big friends. Suddenly Filbert knew 
that it was alright to have big friends because James was bigger than him and 
James was his friend.
 That night at the dinner table James told his mum of his new friend and of the 
adventures that they had had. He showed her Filbert swimming around in his jar. 
While James ate his tea Filbert swam to the surface and James said "Filbert are you 
hungry? Do you want some mashed potato and some jelly and icecream for 
sweets?" 
 Filbert said "My tummy has been grumbling all day and I haven't eaten anything 
since I jumped into that water bowl yesterday. I would love to munch on a fly or 
three. I could try some mashed potato. What kind of insect is a potato?" 
James put some spud on his fork and dropped a small portion into the jar. 
The mash stayed for a while on the surface of the water until James poked at it 
with the handle of his fork. The spud began to sink slowly to the bottom. Filbert 
watched as the potato sank through the water. The mashed potato didn't wriggle or 
squirm or swim or kick or anything as it sank. 
Filbert didn't think that  mashed potato was actually food as it didn't move or 
wriggle.
 Muffy said "We'll have to feed Filbert on flies James and there is a fly in my bag 
right  now. It tickles my nose and eye sockets as  it buzzes through my head. Could 
you  please catch it for me."
  James lifted Muffy's bag off of the back  of the chair, careful not to bang Muffy  
against  the  table as Muffy is a bit fragile. He  caught the fly in a fold of the  
plastic bag and gently put the	fly into the water. 
 The fly floated to the surface and didn't move. James poked at it with his finger. 
The fly bobbed	in the water but still didn't move.
 "It must be dead." said James. 
 "Dead things aren't food and I only eat things that are alive and moving. James! I 
am a frog after all and frogs are hunters that catch and eat their prey." stated 
Filbert. His hunger and disappointment made him annoyed. 
Filbert saw that James was hurt by his own annoyance. 
"I'm sorry James, for snapping at you but I get grumpy when I am very hungry 
you know."  explained Filbert. 
 "What do you normally eat Filbert?" asked Muffy, she continued. "If we knew 
where to find what you eat then we could go there and you could have a hop 
around and catch some dinner." 
James could see Muffy smiling to herself for being such a clever sheep.
 "Fantastic!" exclaimed James "What a great idea Muffy".  James loved Muffy's matureness.
"Well, I eat flies, moths, mosquitos, little spiders, grasshoppers, anything that I can
catch with my sticky tongue and fit into my mouth." Filbert replied as saliva started to
drool out of the corner of his mouth. "I catch them in the grasses near the water." Tummy
grumbling could be heard and Filbert had to swallow his saliva repeatedly. "Well lets go"
said James as he gathered his mates to rush down to the water.  Zac the wonder dog
pranced in front barking. "Come, Harly. James, Walking. Come on. Come?"  Harly just stood
there watching James and his friends run down to the big dam. She didn't know what to do.
She couldn't make up her mind weather to go or to 
sleep in the shade.

















 

 Zac
 


By this time Filbert was jiggling around in the jar as there wasn't much water left to 
swim in. James and Muffy raced down the slope and Zac ranged ahead. Then they 
were out of sight, behind the trees. 
"This spot looks bubble bubble bubbly good" said Filbert in and out of the water. 
There was plenty of grass and the water was not far off. James set down the jar and 
gently tipped it over. The water flowed into a puddle. Filbert could easily jump out 
now. 
Filbert was hesitant. "James you will wait for me. Won't you?" He asked, not 
knowing exactly why he asked that question. 
"You'll be alright in the grass. We will look out for you, Filbert." said James while 
Muffy smiled. 

 Harly finally decided to run with Zac and his friends. She sniffed the ground for their
scent. It was no good she couldn't smell anything anyway but she thought she would have a
go to look like a dog should. She shook herself in her lip slapping way. Her slobbery
saliva flinging off her in all directions. She remembered that they went down the track
and with that, off she lumbered in pursuit. She rounded the corner and there was James in
the grass and Zac down at 
the waters edge.

















 Harley
 


   Harly rushed up to James and give him a slobbery 'I'm here at last' greeting.
James jumped back and shouted "Blah Blah Blah Harly. Blah Blah Blah bad dog." 
Harly didn't understand what he meant but she knew that James was very upset 
with  her.
She stood there not knowing what to do.

   James stood there as well. He couldn't believe it. The jar along with Filbert was 
no where to be seen. Harly must have kicked it away or maybe  he flung it away 
himself when Harly knocked him over. 
"Filbert, Filbert" called Muffy. 
"Filbert. FilBert.. FillBerrt...FILLLLBBERRRRT" they cried together. 
Then Muffy said "Lets look for the jar. It can't be far." James lifted Muffy up so 
that she could see well into the clumps of tall grass.
"There's the jar right behind you." exclaimed Muffy. The container was upside 
down in a clump of grass. Filbert wasn't in the jar nor was he in the grass.

"Filbert. Filbert. FILBERT FILLLLBERRRRT" There was no reply. They searched all 
around. James was getting more and more worried. When he had finished 
searching he was quite some distance from where the accident happened. James 
was standing by the drain that ran down to the water. The tall grasses came to an 
end at the drains edge. 
It was pointless to search any further. The sun was down and it was getting late.
Muffy had an idea. "You could leave me to look out for Filbert. You could hang me 
on that tree over there." 
 "What do you mean Muffy? We can't leave him." asked James who was a bit 
addled by the worry of it all. 
"What I mean is that you have to go back to the city tonight and I can stay and 
find Filbert. I will be alright on my own. Don't worry about me." said Muffy who 
was being brave. 
Worry lines marked James's forehead. 
He didn't want to lose his other friend too.
"Next time you come back here I will be in the tree and I can tell you if I saw 
Filbert or not and then we can be back together again." 
Feeling reassured James took Muffy over to the tree and hung her bag securely 
from a low branch. 
Muffy said "Good bye James. I know you will come back." 
"Good bye Muffy. Look after your self. I will see you next time." James walked 
through the grasses, jumped over the drain, walked slowly up the hill to his Mum,  
who was ready to leave for the city. 





 Chapter two.	A frog abandoned
 


Filbert was a bit annoyed with James's rough handling. He thought that  he only 
had to hop out of the jar but Filbert had been flung violently up into the air. He 
had bumped the side of his head on the lip of the jar as he was catapulted out. 
He landed on the bare ground near the drain. He cut his lip as he bounced to a 
stop. 
Filbert just lay there stunned. For how long he didn't know. Gradually the stars in 
his head went away and he could think again. 
He would have to talk to James about such roughness.
"That's no way to treat a friend." He said aloud. He got up and checked himself to 
see if he was alright. Nothing too serious. He knew that he would live. 

 Filbert could see James's head above the grass tops and Muffy held up high in his 
hands. Filbert felt reassured that James was still there and then he felt hungry 
again. He hopped over to the drain's edge and looked down, 
"There was prey in there." he said with glee and he jumped into the water. 
He hunted and gulped down five mosquito wrigglers and a water bug. He felt so 
much better to have something in his tummy. But it wasn't enough, he wanted to 
eat some flies to really fill him up. 
Filbert hopped out of the drain onto bare dirt. He hopped until he came to some 
low bushes. 
"Just the spot where flies would roost at night." he said to himself. Filbert crept 
under the foliage and made himself invisible to flies. 
He waited for his main meal to arrive.

 Filbert thought about James and Muffy. He thought of how James had put him on the top of
the highest sand castle and when they had finished, of how James had such fun wrecking
everything. James's joy at being alive was what he liked best but Filbert was also a bit
sad at having his very first castle smashed to the ground. Filbert felt happy and lucky
to know a person like James and it didn't even hurt Filbert's cut lip too much when he
smiled at the having these good feelings. Muffy was wonderful too. Her good advice and
her quiet patience with him was most appreciated. Every body else was always busy but she
would always have time for 
James and him. 



















 Filbert and his castle
 


 A fly came buzzing by and landed on a stem to far away for Filbert to catch with 
his tongue. Filbert was annoyed with himself for daydreaming and missing out on 
that fat juicy fly. He would have to concentrate on hunting. 
Presently another fly flew by and without hesitation Filbert snapped it up with his 
long sticky tongue and down the hatch went the fly. 
Filbert could feel the fly's legs wriggling about inside his tummy. He really liked 
the feeling of his dinner settling. Suddenly three more flew in for a nights sleep 
and Filbert snatched the first and gulped it down ready for the next one. The other 
two flies were upset at having their friend disappear and they buzzed around 
angrily.
 Filbert waited for the right moment to strike and then snap, he had another one in 
his mouth. 
He didn't gulp this one straight away. He held it in his mouth for a while to savour 
the flavour. The roof of his mouth was tickled by the fly's vibrating wings. 
Filbert was at last content and very full. What a great day this had been he 
thought. With new friends to love and fine food to eat Filbert was very happy. 
 Filbert hopped out from under the bush and across the open ground to the drain. 
"James, James I'm full now." he called. He hopped into the drain, up and out the 
other side and into the tall grasses. He hopped over to where James had poured 
out the water from his jar. The ground was still moist. Filbert sat in the old puddle 
looking around for James and Muffy. 
"James, Muffy, James" he called out. "James said that he would stay here for me." 
he said to himself as he was feeling quite worried. 
His meal turned in his stomach. 
Filbert started to cry in great croaking sobs. Froggy tears flowed from his eyes, ran 
down his arms and dripped onto the mud. He felt so alone it hurt. Then as his 
howling changed to gasping he felt betrayed. He had been tricked by James's offer 
of friendship. James was really a nasty person after all. Filbert was very angry with 
himself for letting his heart tell him what to do. 
 "I will only have frogs as friends from now on." he shouted as loud as he could 
croak.
 "I hate you James." he croaked , sobbing again.
"Filbert is that you? Filbert can you hear me?" Filbert heard Muffy's voice. 
He jumped with excitement and expectation. 
"Muffy." he shouted "I'm over here." He looked all around but couldn't see her. 
"Muffy where are you? I can't see where you are." Filbert was leaping as high as 
he could so that he could see over the grass tops. 
"I'm up here in the tree Filbert. You should see my bag hanging from a branch." 
reassured Muffy in her soft and gentle voice. Filbert stopped leaping about and 
looked for the tree. Suddenly he saw the white plastic shopping bag dangling from 
the tree limb. He hopped over to where Muffy was as fast as his legs could go. 
"Muffy. Muffy are you alright? Where is James? Why are you in that tree? Why did 
James go away? Is James angry with me? Did I do something wrong?" he wanted 
desperately to know. 
Muffy could see his impatience and she liked his eagerness. Filbert made Muffy feel 
young again.
"We stayed as long as we could and I stayed behind to keep an eye out for you. 
James is quite worried for you, you know. We searched and 
searched for you after the accident but we couldn't find you. 
Filbert." said Muffy soothingly.
 Filbert was overjoyed to hear his friend again.




 Chapter Three.	 Muffy's Good Advice
 




 "I cut my lip and banged my head when I hit the ground. I even had stars in my 
head."  said Filbert "Then I went out to eat. I had five wrigglers, three flies and a 
water bug. Why couldn't James stay?" asked Filbert.
 He really wanted to know why his friend had left him behind.
"He had to go with his mother to his home far away. I know that he will come 
back when he is able to. We didn't think that you would take so long to eat your 
dinner. He had to go at sunset." said Muffy.
"I can't wait. I wish he would come back right now! What can I do Muffy?"
Filbert felt lost and a little angry again.
"You could visit your family while James is away or you could see your old friend 
Rhonda if you like" suggested Muffy "and Filbert, if you believe that James is going 
to come back you won't need to be angry about him going away." 
"How do you know he will come back Muffy?" queried Filbert.
"I love my friends and I know that they love me. I imagine how James is feeling 
about leaving you behind.  I can imagine James wanting to come back and then I 
feel that he will come back too. Try that Filbert. If you try to imagine James 
wanting to come back you will feel happier." said Muffy.
"OK. I'll try" said Filbert. He shut his eyes and then when he tried to he imagined  
he saw James walking down the hill. Then he saw James's smiling face above him. 
Filbert also imagined the excitement of the reunion and the happiness that James 
would feel. Filbert's anger vanished and he felt happy again. He knew now that his 
friend will come back. 
"I did it Muffy. If I were James I would want to be back with my friends. 
That means that he will come back if he can."
"Very good Filbert. You are a very smart frog indeed." said Muffy approvingly. 
"Now, what are you going to do in the meantime. I can tell James, the next time I 
see him, that you are OK or you can stay with me all the time, if you like, and tell 
him yourself."
"When is James coming back, Muffy?" asked Filbert.
"In a few days time. I think"  Muffy replied.
"I would like to see Rhonda and tell her about you and James and horses and 
everything" exclaimed Filbert. "Are you going to stay here Muffy?"
Filbert was making sure this time that his friend would be there when he got back.
 "Yes Filbert. I will be here until James comes back at least." Muffy 
soothed "If I you tell me where you are going and you don't come back here in 
time, I can tell James where he can find you."
"I said I'm going to see Rhonda!" Filbert said. He was annoyed again. 'She didn't 
listen to me after all.' he thought to himself. 
"Filbert! Can you tell me where Rhonda lives?" said Muffy in a solid voice. 
She had been awake all night listening, watching and waiting for Filbert's return. 
She was no spring lamb any more and she needed her beauty sleep.
"I'm sorry Muffy." said Filbert. "I thought you knew where Rhonda lives. "he said 
as he realised his mistake and Muffy's tiredness. 
"Rhonda lives in the creek below the last dam. Up stream from the bridge." he 
said.
"Thank you my friend. Take care of yourself Filbert." said Muffy.
"I will. Goodbye Muffy." waved Filbert.
"See you real soon Filbert. Bye." She watched him until he was out of sight. After a 
few moments thinking of how much growing up Filbert had to do she yawned and 
drifted off to sleep.





 Chapter four.	Snakes get hungry too. You know.
 



 Filbert bounded down the side of the drain and splashed into the big dam. His 
powerful legs pushed him through the water at a good speed. He was enjoying this 
journey to see his old friend. 
He remembered Rhonda with affection. They used to play to together. They darted 
around the yabbies and their snapping claws. They played hide and seek in the 
water weeds and chasey in the middle of the creek where the water was clear. 
Filbert had a memory of Rhonda playing dead. She would float to the surface, belly 
up, and wait for the ibis to come. Just as the bird splashed down Rhonda would 
turn tail and swim for the bottom.
 The silly ibis would sit there looking around for the dead fish that wasn't there. 
Rhonda thought that this was very funny. Filbert thought this trick was funny until 
one day Rhonda was nearly gobbled up by pelican. 
Filbert had told Rhonda that playing dead made him nervous and that he wouldn't 
watch her do that trick an more. Filbert wondered whether an ibis or a pelican 
would snatch him up as he swam across the dam. He swam faster. 

 Presently he saw Harly, Zac and a small white dog running across the dam wall in 
front of him. The dogs were gone when Filbert finally hopped out of the water. He 
would have a rest on the bank and then he would find something to eat. 
He lay there panting on his tummy with his legs stretched out the back and his 
arms folded under his chin. He could feel the hot sun on his back. Soon he was 
asleep. 

 Filbert began to dream a watery dream. He was swimming around 
hunting. He was very hungry. He came across a water bug and he 
gulped it down. There was lots to eat in this pond. Filbert stalked his 
prey and then pounced, eating with gusto. He wasn't satisfied. He wanted lots of 
food. He was getting more and more hungry every time he ate something. He 
hunted bigger prey. Filbert caught a leech.  He hated leeches. He munched it up 
and swallowed it down. Even a fat squirmy disgusting leech wasn't enough. 
He wanted more. 
Filbert ate and ate. Then there was nothing left in the pond to eat. Filbert knew 
that to stop his hunger he would have to eat himself. He stuck his arms and legs in 
his mouth so he could eat himself.

 Filbert awoke with a start. His senses told him that there was danger present but 
he didn't know  what it was.
He kept very still. 
He remembered the ibis. He wondered if he should hide or was he still scared after 
his dream. 
Filbert heard a slithering in the marsh reeds at the water's edge. Very close. Too 
close. Filbert wasn't moving before but now he froze. The slithering grew nearer 
and nearer. He could see the grasses bend as he creature wormed it's way toward 
him. Should he jump away and be noticed or stay still and be invisible. 
Too late to decide now. A brown snake poked her head out of the grass and 
smelled the air with her vibrating tongue.
 Filbert would have to remain still now.

"I smell the scent of succulent slithery supper. Show yourself, so I my sup soon." 
hissed the snake.
 Filbert said and did nothing. Filbert made himself as invisible as he could. The 
snake was sniffing around, getting closer and closer.
"Sing me such a sweet song sweetie. Sing me a savoury supper song sweetheart." 
said the snake. 
Filbert knew that if he opened his mouth to sing he would be snake food instantly. 
Filbert stayed very still. 
"Show me your sensuous supine self. Stroke my serious side by sidling sideways."
The snake could make out Filbert alright but she could not see Filberts outline well 
enough to strike. The snake needed Filbert to move so that she could see him 
clearly.

Filbert stayed very still. He kept his eyes open even though he wanted to blink. 
Eventually a fly landed on Filbert's nose and walked over his head. 
He could have snapped it up with his tongue any other time. This time it would be 
a deadly thing to do. 
The snake had coiled herself and had raised her head ready to attack. She had her 
mouth open. She smelled the air occasionally with her tongue.
 Filbert was relay scared now. He tried really hard not to start crying or to tremble 
with fear. 
 Filbert blinked away the fly. The snake snapped her 
head towards her meal but didn't come close 
enough to bite. That startled Filbert, he nearly 
flinched. Filbert told himself the he must 
not blink again.
 The snake moved her head back to attack position again. 
"Sweetie. Still such a shadowy semblance. Samanther is starving so. Save me from 
my shrivelling stomach." said Samantha the snake. 
Filbert didn't feel hungry at all. He didn't think he would ever eat again. Filbert 
thought of his new friends. He wondered if he would ever see them again.  Filbert 
lay there and waited for the end. Samantha tasted the air. 
She took her eye off Filbert and looked around. There was someone else nearby.

Filbert took his chance and scrambled to his feet and leaped as far as he could. It 
was tremendous bound. Higher than Filbert had ever jumped before. Samanther 
snapped at him and missed. She then hurled herself after him. She was very close 
to Filbert and catching up fast. 
Filbert heaved himself as hard and as fast as he could.

 Monty was coming back with Harly and Zac from their swim. The small white dog heard the
commotion down by the water and veered off his course to investigate. 'Good. A snake to
kill.' he thought as he saw Samantha. Monty was upon her in an instant. He bit her in the
middle and put four holes in her. He tossed his head back, flinging the snake high into
the air. Samantha's back broke. Filbert had to jump out of the way of the falling snake.
She would never get away now but she could still kill Monty with her bite. When she
landed she lifted her 
head to defend herself. It was Samantha that was scared now!
 



















 Monty
 


Monty darted in, nipped her tail and bounced away to avoid her bite. He ran 
around her. She swivelled to keep him in sight. Monty kept on running around her. 
When she couldn't twist any more and had to unwind, Monty attacked. He bit her 
and crushed her neck, killing her.
"Snake number six I think." Monty barked to Harly and Zac. 
He was very excited. He just loved to kill those creatures he loathed.
"Good show, old bean." called Zac.
"Thank you for saving my life. I thought I was going to be killed." said Filbert
"Snakes get hungry too, you know." said Monty "Who are you?"
"I'm Filbert. James's friend. I was swimming in your water bowl a couple of days 
ago." replied Filbert.
"Oh. That's you. Yes I remember. I'm Monty Snake Slayer. Why were you in my 
water?" said Monty.
"I was hopping along the bench. I looked down and saw that your bowl was a 
good spot for wrigglers to live in so I jumped in. I couldn't jump out and there 
were no wrigglers in there to eat. James saved me." said Filbert ."You saved me 
too. Would you be my friend as well?"





   Chapter five.	   Where are all my old friends?
 



Monty eyed the frog at an angle. He had seen some escape feats in his day and 
Filbert's escape was exceptional. He had never seen a frog leap that high before.  
This was a very exceptional frog indeed. 
 "I would like to be your friend but I think I might be a bit rough on you when we 
play together. I wouldn't want to hurt you but frogs and me don't seem to get 
along. " said Monty.
Filbert said with a nervous edge to his voice. "Oh!.. What rough games are you 
talking about, Monty?"
Monty tilted his head the other way and observed Filbert more closely. "Chasey and 
hide and seek. I don't know but I think that I go a bit crazy when I catch or find 
my froggy prey. I mean froggy friends. After all you'll be a friend and that will 
make a difference." said Monty

Filbert thought a while before an idea came to him.
"Monty. Could I ride on your head? That way you couldn't chase me and you 
wouldn't have to find me either. So you wouldn't have 
to go crazy and hurt me." said Filbert. Who was bolder 
now.
Monty nodded as he panted.
"What do you think, Monty?" said Filbert.
"OK. I'll be your friend. To be my friend you must 
remember that I'm a dog and your a frog." said Monty 
still looking at Filbert.  Monty's head tilted the other way. 
Presently he said "This could be tricky Filbert. Can you hang 
on when I run and not fall off?"
 "I'll try. Here I go." said Filbert. He jumped onto Monty's head. He spread his 
legs over the dog's head. He had his tummy press against Monty's scalp. All of 
Filbert's toes grabbed some of the short fur on Monty's head.
"Shake your head, Monty. I want to see if I will come off." said Filbert.
"I know. We will go for a swim and then I can have a decent shake. How's that?" 
said Monty
"Great. I would like a swim."
Monty trotted to the water and walked in until he had to dog paddle.
Harly motored over. Her skinny wet tail waving greeting over her head. Harly 
really loved to swim. It was her second most favourite thing to do, her most 
favourite thing to do was to eat and then sleep in the shade. 
Filbert sat up and waved back. "Hello Harly." he cried. Filbert's excitement at being 
ported over the water on his new friend's head was catching. Monty started waving 
his tail above the water. The dogs circled each other several times and then Harly 
set off for the nearest island. 
"Do you want to go over to the island?" said Monty.
"Lets go. This is fun." said Filbert.
The two followed Harly as she waved  the water ahead.  They were soon on top of 
the little island. Harly's long hair was dripping wet. She started to shake the water 
out of her ears. She shook her head and then her neck and shoulders. She also 
shook her tail and her bum to keep her balance.  Great sprays of water	splashed 
Monty and Filbert. Then her middle started. She shook all the water out of her 
hairy coat. The spectators were drenched. Filbert was coughing and spluttering and 
Monty had to blink at the sudden deluge. 
"Well here goes." said Monty "Its time to dry myself. 
Hold on tight Filbert."
Filbert curled his toes tighter to hold on. Monty could 
feel his scalp and ears being tugged by Filberts grip. 
Satisfied that Filbert was holding on Monty started to 
shake. He wiggled his head and his bum and then he 
started to wiggle his middle. Water was flung off in all 
directions.
Filbert felt Monty's head bucking beneath him. Filbert felt out 
of control. He looked for places to land. He was sure that he would be flung off at 
any moment. He held his grip. The gyrations stopped, Monty had finished. 
"I'm dry now. Well done Filbert. You really stuck to me." said Monty.
Filbert lessened his grip and sat up. His fright turned to joy. "Yippee. Yippeee 
Hoooray. We are still together. That was exciting Monty." lied Filbert. It had been 
scary not exciting.
"I was scared and I was looking for places to land." He corrected.
"Was I too rough on you? I didn't mean to. That is the way I shake my self dry. 
That's what I do when I'm wet. I'm proud of you Filbert. You hung on as I did my 
stuff." said Monty.
"I hung on as hard as I could." said Filbert as he laid back and propped hid head 
up with his arm. He felt confident and on top of the world.  After all he had a new 
friend who respected him. He had been borne over the water in real regal fashion. 
Monty made him feel special.  Filbert crossed his legs and wiggled his toes. 'This is 
a special time.' He thought. 
Monty's head felt just like a lillypad leaf that had been heated by the sun's shine.  
Filbert felt at home riding a lillypad on wavy water. He could see himself riding in 
the roughest conditions he could imagine. He imagined the wind forcing his eyes to 
slits as he astride Monty braved huge waves and a raging storm with lightening 
and thunder. He imagined being in a flood fighting off goners. He felled the 
enemy with his mighty tongue. Splat. With Monty backing him up he could do 
anything. 
Harly decided to swim. Monty swivelled his head to see Harly's tail get wet. Filbert 
plopped on the ground. He wasn't ready for Monty's alert reaction. Filbert couldn't 
unfold his legs in time to land gracefully. Angered he shouted. "What did you do 
that for?"
"What?" said Monty looking at Filbert all spread eagled on the ground.
"Tip me off. You let me fall." said Filbert.
"You weren't hanging on, you fell off. Don't forget your the rider. You have to be 
ready for any sudden movement." said Monty.
Filbert felt angry. He could see that Monty was right but it felt like Monty had 
betrayed him all the same. 'If Monty was really my friend then he would look out 
for me.' He thought.
"Could you tell me when you are going to make sudden movements? I would like 
some warning." said Filbert.
"No. I won't. As I said. You're the rider. If you can't ride me stay off." said Monty 
with a snarl in his voice. 
Filbert sat dumbfounded. 
"I mean that to ride me is dangerous for you unless you stay on. I don't want to 
cause you any harm, Filbert, but it would be to much trouble to tell you what I'm 
going to do before I do it. You don't want me to miss out on any prey. Do you?" 
said Monty.
"No I don't want you to miss out on any prey. I am a hunter to, you know, and I 
know the value of food. Why were you angry?" said Filbert.
"You didn't appreciate me allowing you to ride on my head" said Monty. "and you 
wanted me to change myself so that you could ease your burden further. Even after 
I had freely given you so much."
Filbert was nonplussed. He wasn't even sure if Monty was right. He knew that 
friends should look out for one another. They must appreciate one another and say 
that they do. Filbert hadn't done that. He began to worry. 
"You are my friend Monty. I know that real friends look out for one another. I 
know that you like me enough to let me ride atop your head. Is it hard for you to 
have me ride on you, Monty?" said Filbert. 
"Yes it is a difficulty. I have to think of you all the time. I do all this stuff so that 
you can ride around safe and sound and you don't even have to think about me. I 
reckon that you only think of what you can get out of me. You are being heartless 
and selfish if you do." said Monty.
"I was being selfish Monty. I'm sorry." said Filbert.
"OK Filbert. Lets go for a long run to get you used to riding." said Monty.
Filbert jumped onto Monty's lowered head. He positioned himself and clung on. 
Monty walked into the lake and made for the shore  When they reached the bank 
Money said "Where to Filbert.? You can be the navigator."
"Eye, eye. Captain. West to see Rhonda again." said Filbert looking over his 
shoulder. Monty turned and trotted down the slope to the grassland below. 
"Who is Rhonda again. I forget." said Monty.
"I grew up with Rhonda. Since I was all tail and she was all stomach. She's a fish. 
We were hatched the same day. We liked each other straight away. I used to play 
with her. Lots. We always had time for each other. When I decided to leave the 
pond to seek my fortune and food she said that I must come back to visit from 
time to time. I left the home a long time ago. I haven't been able to get back yet. 
I've wanted to." said Filbert.
"Now you can." said Monty. They were past the first set of ponds already.
"We are really flying. Monty. We've covered more ground just now than I could 
cross in a week. This is marvellous. I like the wind on my face." said Filbert.
"How far? Navigator" said Monty.
"We are more than half way there. My home is the last pond in the creek. The one 
before the big pipe that goes under the road." said Filbert.
"I know it." Monty said as he altered his course to go down the track.
Filbert's arms and legs were getting sore and his chest hurt from all the pounding 
his body was taking. He tried riding with his body lifted off Monty's head. That was 
better. He could absorb some of the up and down motion of his perch with his 
limbs. Filbert changed his stance from a sprawl to a half crouch. He felt more 
comfortable.
"What have you done Filbert? I don't feel you any more." said Monty.
"I'm riding" said Filbert. "I'm not struggling to hold on any more. Is it wonderful. 
This is fun, Yippee Yarhoo!" shouted Filbert.
"It feels better for me too. I can move my head around easily now. I feel happier 
carrying you. Do you feel like going faster Filbert? I do." said Monty. With out 
waiting Monty quickened his pace. 
"Yes. Yes. Faster. Faster." shouted Filbert. Monty put on all the speed he could. The 
wind roaring in Filbert's ears was interrupted by Monty's flapping ears. Filbert 
loved it. They tickled each time they brushed his skin. He started to laugh. "Haw, 
Haw, haw.. Your ears are haw, haw, haw, tickling me. Haw, haw, haw." he said. 
Filbert had never imagined ears flopping about before and the thought of it 
seemed ridiculously funny. 
Monty galloped down the track toward the front dams. He ran past the beach 
where Filberts very first sand castle had stood. Filbert looked at the spot as they 
raced past. His laughter turned to sobs.
"I miss James. I really want him back here now. I want to hear him again. He 
makes me feel special. I like him." said Filbert. He remembered what Muffy had 
told him about being lonely and he imagined James smiling down at him. He felt 
better.