A Careful Toad

Once upon a lonely road,
I saw a stray and small, lost toad.
He croaked away and called to me so,
That I paused my walk to listen close.
He croaked and I understood his words.
He then said nothing too absurd,
But where I was going, he’d come from that way.
“Only danger there you’ll find today!”
He hopped away then, quickly.
I thought him possibly sickly,
And decided for myself to see,
What danger would there awaiting be.
Why didn’t I listen to the toad passing by?
His warning was free, I didn’t even try.
And just as a child, wondering if the fire burns, extends his hand,
I ignored the warning, and set off into that unknown land.