🐾 The Wind in the Willows – Chapter 4: The Escape

Toad sat in his prison cell.
The walls were gray. The bed was hard.
Worst of all, there were no cars, no roads—and no friends.

“I’m too important for prison!” he cried.

The jailer’s daughter was a kind young woman. She brought him warm meals and listened to his stories.

“You’re not a bad animal,” she said. “Just foolish.”

Toad agreed. “I’ve made mistakes. But I must escape!”

One day, the jailer’s daughter had an idea.

“My aunt is a washerwoman. She’s small and quiet. You could wear her clothes and sneak out.”

Toad blinked. “Dress like a washerwoman? Never!”

But the next morning, he changed his mind.

👗 She brought a long skirt, apron, and shawl.
Toad put them on and looked in the mirror. He didn’t look like himself at all.

“Perfect,” she said. “Now walk slowly and don’t speak.”

Toad nodded, held up his skirt, and shuffled down the hallway.

The guards didn’t even notice him.

He walked out the prison gate.

🚪 Free at last!

But now what?

He wandered through the town, looking for a way to escape farther.

Soon, he saw a horse pulling a cart.

“Can I have a ride?” he asked the driver in his high voice.

The man looked at him and laughed. “Jump in, madam!”

Toad sat down and smiled.

But as the cart moved, the man looked at him again.

“You’ve got strange hands for a washerwoman,” he said. “And your voice—it sounds... froggy.”

Toad grew nervous.

Suddenly, a police officer appeared in the road.

The man pointed. “That’s no woman! That’s the Toad who stole a car!”

Toad screamed and jumped off the cart.

He ran down a hill, through a field, and into the river.

🐸 Splash!

Cold water closed over his head. He swam hard and pulled himself to the far side.

Wet and tired, but free.

He looked around.

“I must get home,” he whispered.

But trouble still followed close behind...

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📖 Glossary

Word/Phrase	Meaning
Prison cell	A small locked room for prisoners
Washerwoman	A woman who washes clothes for work
Shuffled	Walked slowly and awkwardly
Wandered	Walked around without a clear direction
Pointed	Used a finger to show something
Splash	The sound or action of hitting water

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❓ Comprehension Questions

1. Where is Toad at the beginning of the chapter?

2. Who helps Toad plan his escape?

3. What disguise does Toad wear?

4. How does he get out of prison?

5. What happens in the cart with the man?

6. How does Toad escape the police again?

7. What does Toad say at the end?

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✅ Answers

1. In a prison cell.

2. The jailer’s daughter.

3. Washerwoman clothes (skirt, apron, shawl).

4. He walks out dressed as a woman, and the guards don’t recognize him.

5. The man starts to suspect Toad is not who he says he is.

6. He jumps off the cart and swims across a river.

7. He says, “I must get home.”