Mr. Toad was in a dungeon (a dark prison cell under the ground). The prison was old and cold. Mr. Toad was very unhappy. He lay on the floor and cried. He thought his life was over. He was sad because he was a prisoner. He missed his beautiful clothes and his big house.
"I was a famous and rich Toad," he said. "Now I am in this dark place. I was a fool to steal that car. I was a fool to be rude to the police." He thought about his friends. He remembered that Mr. Badger, Water Rat, and Mole were very sensible. Mr. Toad cried for many weeks. He did not want to eat his food.
The gaoler (the person who guards the prison) had a daughter. She was a kind girl. she liked animals very much. She had a bird and some mice. She felt sorry for Mr. Toad. She saw that he was becoming very thin. She asked her father to let her help.
"Father, let me take care of that animal," she said. "I will make him eat." Her father agreed. He was tired of Mr. Toad. The girl went to Mr. Toad’s cell. She knocked on the door.
"Cheer up, Mr. Toad," she said. "Sit up and dry your eyes. Try to eat some dinner. I brought you some of my food." She gave him "bubble-and-squeak" (a hot dish made of fried cabbage and potatoes). The smell was very good.
Mr. Toad smelled the cabbage. He began to feel better. He stopped crying. He thought about meadows and flowers. He thought about his friends and Toad Hall. He began to feel clever again. He thought he could find a way to escape.
Later, the girl brought him tea and hot buttered toast. The toast was thick and had a lot of butter. Mr. Toad ate the toast and drank the tea. He started to talk about himself. He told the girl about his big house. He told her how important he was.
"Tell me about Toad Hall," the girl said. She liked to listen to his stories. Mr. Toad told her about the gardens and the many rooms. He told her about the parties he had with his friends. He sang songs and told stories. He felt happy again. He slept well that night.
The girl visited Mr. Toad many times. They had many talks. The girl felt very sorry for him. She thought twenty years in prison was too much for stealing a car. Mr. Toad thought the girl liked him because he was handsome. He felt very proud of himself.
One morning, the girl looked very serious. "Mr. Toad, listen to me," she said. "I have an aunt. She is a washerwoman (a woman whose job is to wash clothes for other people). She washes the clothes for the prisoners. She brings the laundry on Friday."
"I have a plan," the girl continued. "You are rich, and my aunt is poor. You can give her some money. Then you can wear her dress and her hat. You can walk out of the prison. You and my aunt have a similar shape."
Mr. Toad was a little angry. He thought he had a very good shape. But he wanted to escape. "You are a kind and clever girl," Mr. Toad said. "I am a stupid Toad. Please help me meet your aunt. I will pay her well."
The next evening, the girl brought her aunt to the cell. Mr. Toad showed the aunt some gold coins. The aunt was very happy to help. She gave Mr. Toad her cotton dress. She gave him her shawl (a large piece of cloth worn over the shoulders) and her bonnet (a hat that ties under the chin).
The aunt had an idea. "You must tie me up," she said. "Tell the guards I attacked you. Then I will not get in trouble." Mr. Toad liked this plan. He helped the girl tie up the aunt. Then it was time for Mr. Toad to change his clothes.
The girl helped Mr. Toad put on the dress. She tied the bonnet under his chin. Mr. Toad looked just like the washerwoman. "Good luck, Mr. Toad," the girl said. "Walk straight. If anyone talks to you, pretend you are a poor widow."
Mr. Toad walked out of the cell. His heart was beating fast. He was very nervous. But the plan worked. The guards thought he was the washerwoman. They made jokes, and Mr. Toad joked back. He walked through many gates. Finally, he reached the big outer door. He walked outside. He was free!
He walked toward the lights of the town. He did not know what to do next. He needed to leave the area quickly. He saw some red and green lights. He heard the sound of a train. "A railway station!" Mr. Toad thought. "That is perfect."
He went to the station. He looked at the time-table (a list of times when trains arrive and leave). A train was leaving soon. It was going near his home. Mr. Toad was very happy. He went to buy a ticket.
He reached into his pocket for money. But he was wearing a dress. There were no pockets! He realized he left his money in his old coat at the prison. He had no money, no watch, and no keys. He felt terrible.
He tried to talk to the clerk. "I forgot my money," Mr. Toad said. "Please give me a ticket. I will send the money tomorrow." The clerk laughed at him. "Go away," the clerk said. "You are blocking the other people."
Mr. Toad walked down the platform. He was crying. He saw a train engine. The engine-driver (the person who drives a train) was cleaning it. The driver saw Mr. Toad and asked, "What is the matter, mother?"
"I am a poor washerwoman," Mr. Toad lied. "I lost my money. I cannot buy a ticket. I must get home to my children. They are hungry and alone." Mr. Toad cried very loudly.
The engine-driver felt sorry for him. "I have a lot of dirty shirts," the driver said. "My wife is tired of washing them. If you wash some shirts for me, I will give you a ride. You can sit on the engine with me."
Mr. Toad was very happy. He climbed onto the engine. He did not know how to wash shirts, but he did not care. He thought, "When I am home, I will send him money for the washing." The train started to move. Mr. Toad saw the fields and trees flying past. He was going home!
After many miles, the engine-driver looked worried. He looked at the tracks behind the train. "That is strange," the driver said. "I think another train is following us." Mr. Toad became very quiet. He was afraid.
The moon was bright. The driver looked back again. "I see it clearly now!" the driver shouted. "It is an engine. It is moving very fast. There are many people on it. I see police and prison guards. They are waving their arms and shouting 'Stop!'"
Mr. Toad fell on his knees. "Save me!" he cried. "I am not a washerwoman. I am the famous Mr. Toad! I escaped from a dungeon. If they catch me, I will be a prisoner again. Please help me, kind driver!"
The driver looked at him. "Why were you in prison?" he asked. Mr. Toad told the truth. He said he "borrowed" a car. The driver looked serious. "You were a wicked Toad," the driver said. "But I will help you. I do not like the police. We will try to escape."
The driver put more coal into the fire. The train moved faster. But the other train was faster. "I have a plan," the driver said. "There is a tunnel ahead. On the other side is a thick wood. I will go fast through the tunnel. Then I will slow down. You must jump off and hide in the trees."
The train went into the dark tunnel. It was very loud. Then they came out into the moonlight. The driver used the brakes. The train slowed down. "Jump now!" the driver called. Mr. Toad jumped off the train. He rolled down a hill and ran into the wood.
He hid in the bushes. He saw the other train fly past. The police were still shouting "Stop!" Mr. Toad laughed. He was safe from the police. But soon he stopped laughing.
It was late and cold. He was alone in a dark wood. He had no money and no food. The wood felt strange. He heard an owl and a fox. The fox laughed at his dress. Mr. Toad was very tired. He found a hollow tree. He made a bed with dead leaves. He fell asleep in the tree.