It was a bright morning in early summer. The river was its usual size and moved at its usual speed. The hot sun shone on the green plants. Mole and Water Rat were awake since dawn. They were very busy with their boats. It was the start of the boating season. They painted the boats and fixed the wooden paddles (long poles used to move a boat). They were finishing breakfast when they heard a loud knock at the door.
“Oh, no!” Water Rat said. His face was covered in egg. “Mole, please see who is at the door. You finished your breakfast.”
Mole went to the door. Water Rat heard Mole shout in surprise. Then Mole opened the door and spoke with a loud voice. “Mr. Badger is here!” Mole said.
This was a very unusual thing. Mr. Badger did not usually visit people. He was a quiet animal. He lived in a house under the ground in the Wild Wood. Usually, his friends had to go there to find him.
Mr. Badger walked into the room. He looked very serious. Water Rat was so surprised that he dropped his spoon. He sat with his mouth open.
“The time has come!” Mr. Badger said.
“What time?” Water Rat asked. He looked at the clock.
“It is time to help Mr. Toad!” Mr. Badger replied. “I said I would help him after winter. I am going to help him today!”
“Hooray!” Mole cried. “I remember now. We will teach Mr. Toad to be sensible.”
“This morning, a new car is coming to Toad Hall,” Mr. Badger said. He sat in a chair. “Mr. Toad is probably putting on his ugly driving clothes now. We must go to Toad Hall immediately. We must save him from himself.”
“Yes!” Water Rat said. He stood up quickly. “We will save the poor animal. We will change him. He will be a new Toad!”
The three friends walked up the road. Mr. Badger walked in front. The animals walked in a straight line. This was the safe way for animals to walk together.
They reached the front of Toad Hall. They saw a large, shiny car. It was bright red. Red was the favorite color of Mr. Toad. The front door opened. Mr. Toad came down the steps. He was wearing goggles (special glasses to protect the eyes) and a large coat. He was putting on his gloves.
“Hello, friends!” Mr. Toad cried. He was very happy. “You are just in time. Come for a drive with me!”
Then Mr. Toad stopped talking. He saw that his friends looked very angry. His friends did not say a word.
Mr. Badger walked up the steps. “Take him inside,” Mr. Badger said to Mole and Water Rat. Mr. Toad struggled and shouted, but they pushed him through the door. Then Mr. Badger spoke to the chauffeur (a person whose job is to drive a car).
“Mr. Toad does not want the car today,” Mr. Badger said. “Please leave now. This is a final decision.” Then Mr. Badger went inside and shut the door.
The four animals stood in the hall. “Now,” Mr. Badger said to Mr. Toad. “Take off those ridiculous clothes!”
“No!” Mr. Toad replied. “This is a bad thing you are doing! Why are you doing this?”
“Take the clothes off him,” Mr. Badger ordered.
Mole and Water Rat had to hold Mr. Toad on the floor. Mr. Toad kicked and called them names. But Mole and Water Rat took off the driving clothes. Then Mr. Toad stood up. He felt less brave now. He looked at his friends and began to be quiet.
“You knew this would happen, Mr. Toad,” Mr. Badger said. “We gave you many warnings. You are spending all your money. You drive too fast and you have accidents. You have many problems with the police. You are a good animal, but you are acting like a fool.”
Mr. Badger took Mr. Toad’s arm. “Come into the other room with me,” Mr. Badger said. “I will tell you the truth about yourself. We will see if you change your mind.”
They went into the room and closed the door. Water Rat sat in a chair. “Talking will not help,” Water Rat said. “Mr. Toad will say anything to make us happy.”
Mole and Water Rat waited. They heard Mr. Badger talking for a long time. Then they heard Mr. Toad crying. Mr. Toad was a soft-hearted animal. He felt things very deeply for a short time.
After forty-five minutes, the door opened. Mr. Badger came out with Mr. Toad. Mr. Toad looked very sad. He was crying and he could not walk straight.
“Sit there, Mr. Toad,” Mr. Badger said. He pointed to a chair. “Friends, I have good news. Mr. Toad is sorry for his actions. He promised me he will never use a car again.”
“That is good news,” Mole said.
“Yes, if it is true,” Water Rat said. Water Rat looked at Mr. Toad. He thought he saw a small smile in Mr. Toad’s eye.
“There is one more thing,” Mr. Badger said. “Mr. Toad, please tell your friends what you told me. Tell them you are sorry. Tell them you were a fool.”
There was a long silence. Mr. Toad looked at the floor. Then he looked at the ceiling. Finally, he spoke.
“No!” Mr. Toad said. “I am not sorry. It was not foolish. Driving a car is wonderful!”
“What?” Mr. Badger shouted. “You told me you were sorry when we were in that room!”
“Oh, yes,” Mr. Toad said. “I said that in the room because you were very convincing. You are a very good speaker, Mr. Badger. But now I am out of the room. I am not sorry at all. It is no use telling lies.”
“So you will not promise to stop driving?” Mr. Badger asked.
“Certainly not!” Mr. Toad replied. “I promise that I will drive the next car I see! Poop-poop!”
“I knew this would happen,” Water Rat said to Mole.
“Very well,” Mr. Badger said. He stood up. “We tried to talk to you. Now we will use force. We will stay here at Toad Hall with you. We will stay until you change your mind. Mole and Water Rat, take him upstairs. Lock him in his bedroom.”
“It is for your own good, Mr. Toad,” Water Rat said. They pulled Mr. Toad up the stairs. Mr. Toad kicked and struggled.
“We will take care of your house for you,” Mole said. They pushed Mr. Toad into his room.
“No more problems with the police,” Water Rat said.
“And no more weeks in the hospital,” Mole added. He turned the key in the lock.
They went downstairs. Mr. Toad shouted through the door. The three friends talked about the situation.
“This will be a long job,” Mr. Badger said. “We must never leave him alone. We will take turns guarding him.”
They started their plan. One animal stayed in Mr. Toad’s room every night. They shared the work during the day. At first, Mr. Toad was very difficult. He put his chairs in a line like a car. He sat on the first chair and made loud engine noises. Then he would fall over and lie on the floor. After some time, he stopped doing this. He became very quiet and sad.
One morning, it was Water Rat’s turn to guard Mr. Toad. Mr. Badger was going for a walk. “Mr. Toad is still in bed,” Mr. Badger told Water Rat. “He is very quiet. Be careful, Water Rat! When Mr. Toad is quiet, he is often planning a trick.”
“How are you today, Mr. Toad?” Water Rat asked cheerfully. He went to the bed.
Mr. Toad did not answer for a minute. Then he spoke with a weak voice. “Thank you, Water Rat. I am not well. But tell me, how are you and Mole?”
“We are fine,” Water Rat said. “Mole and Mr. Badger are going for a long walk. They will be out until lunch. You and I will have a nice morning together. Get out of bed now!”
“Dear Water Rat,” Mr. Toad whispered. “I am too sick to get up. But do not worry about me. I do not want to be a burden. I will not be a burden for much longer.”
“I hope not!” Water Rat said. “You have been a lot of trouble. I want to go boating. But we stay here because we are your friends.”
“I know I am a nuisance,” Mr. Toad said weakly. “I understand if you are tired of me.”
“I would do anything for you,” Water Rat said. “But you must be a sensible animal.”
“Then I have a request,” Mr. Toad whispered. “Please go to the village. Fetch the doctor. I think it is too late, but we must try. And please fetch the lawyer (a person who knows the law and writes legal papers). I must see them both before I die.”
“A lawyer!” Water Rat thought. “He must be very sick!” Water Rat was worried. He locked the door and ran to the village. He did not have anyone to ask for advice.
“Mr. Toad is probably imagining things,” Water Rat thought. “But if the doctor comes, he can help Mr. Toad feel better. It is better to be safe.”
As soon as Water Rat left, Mr. Toad jumped out of bed. He laughed loudly. He dressed in his best clothes. He took some money from a drawer. Then he tied his bedsheets together to make a rope. He tied the rope to the window and climbed down to the ground. He ran away in the opposite direction.
Water Rat returned later with Mr. Badger and Mole. He told them the story. Mr. Badger was very angry. Mole tried to be kind, but he also thought Water Rat was a fool.
“Mr. Toad tricked you, Water Rat!” Mr. Badger said. “Now he is free. He will probably do something foolish. We do not have to guard him now, but we should stay at Toad Hall. He might return soon.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Toad was walking along the road. He felt very clever. He had escaped from his friends. “I am so smart,” Mr. Toad said to himself. “Poor Water Rat! He has no intelligence. I am much better than him.”
He reached a small town. He saw a sign for an inn (a house where people can eat and sleep). He was very hungry, so he went inside. He ordered a big lunch and sat in the dining room.
While he was eating, he heard a familiar sound outside. Poop-poop! A car drove into the yard and stopped. Mr. Toad was very excited. He had to hold the table because he was shaking. Some people came into the room. They talked about their car. Mr. Toad listened. Then he quietly walked outside to the yard.
“I will just look at the car,” Mr. Toad said to himself.
The car was in the middle of the yard. No one was watching it. Mr. Toad walked around it. He looked at it carefully.
“I wonder if this car starts easily?” Mr. Toad thought.
He grabbed the handle and turned it. The engine started. Mr. Toad felt a great passion. He forgot what was right and what was wrong. He sat in the driver’s seat. He drove the car out of the yard. Soon he was driving very fast on the high road. He felt like a king. He did not care about the consequences.
Later, Mr. Toad stood in a court. He was in front of a judge.
“This is a very clear case,” the judge said. “This animal is a criminal. He stole a valuable car. He drove dangerously. And he was very rude to the police. What is the maximum punishment?”
The clerk looked at his papers. “Twelve months for stealing the car,” he said. “Three years for dangerous driving. And fifteen years for being rude to the police. That is nineteen years.”
“Make it twenty years,” the judge said.
“Yes, twenty years is better,” the judge said to Mr. Toad. “If you come here again, it will be worse!”
The police took Mr. Toad. He was shouting and crying. They pulled him across the town. People laughed at him. Children shouted at him. They took him across a bridge and into a big, old castle. They walked past soldiers and big dogs. Finally, they reached a very deep dungeon (a dark prison cell under the ground).
An old man with big keys was there. “Take this criminal,” the police said. “Watch him carefully. If he escapes, you will be in trouble!”
The old man took Mr. Toad’s shoulder. They went into the cell and the heavy door closed. Mr. Toad was a prisoner in the strongest castle in England.