She always ran to the toad.
Oh, there were horses and unicorns on brass poles that rose and fell during the ride. The huge golden retriever seemed to be bounding home. The smirking goat went up and down. The pig did not. The swan with a graceful neck was stationary as was the toad.
The toad was greenish-brown, bumpy, and ugly. No one ever rode the toad. She felt sorry for him so one day, she climbed aboard.
On her first toad ride, she wasn’t expecting the total transformation of her surroundings when the carousel started to revolve. The organ music started, the platform picked up speed, and suddenly she was in a garden on a toad who hopped a time or two before unexpectedly shooting its tongue out to catch a fly.
As the platform slowed, the garden faded and she was back where she started.
“Can I ride again?” she begged her mom.
On the second ride, the toad hop-hop-hopped before stopping to grab a worm wiggling on the ground. the scene faded as the ride stopped.
After that, it was always the toad. At home, she read about toads: their habitats and their diet which she saw on every ride. She also learned about their means of protection.
One day when she was riding, the toad was hopping and encountered a yappy dog. She immediately knew what sticky stuff was coming out of the toad’s skin.
I wonder if toad-toxins kill, she thought.
This is my submission to the Unicorn Challenge. The challenge has only two rules: 1.) no more than 250 words, and 2.) use the photo as a prompt.
In my town, we have a beautiful carousel, handcarved by artists from around New York. It has quite an array of animals, but no toad.
Hot Dogs and Marmalade 
They sure made my dog foam at the mouth a few times. Luckily a good old gargle with the garden hose fixed him right up. Very clever take.
Well shared
This is delightful, Sally!
Thanks, Keith!
Perfect!! I love the example of a powerful imagination!
Laughing here, Sally.
I’ve never seen a toad on a carousel!
I haven’t either. Wouldn’t it be funny though?
I love the direction you took this, Sally! My animals came alive too, but in a different way! 💞💞💞
Haha, love this!
I love where your imagination took you, Sally, and that it’s the usually least appealing character who has the magic and rewards her for her choice.
(And much as I love dogs, I’m having a very unkind thought about toad-toxins and yappy dogs…)
Oh, no, I hope the toxins aren’t toxic to little girls. A very creative story, Sally!
Sally, I love this fun and imaginative piece. Wonderfully written!