You are a traveling tinker, leading your pack mule through the forest. Branches criss-cross the path so much that you walk continuously in shade. Ferns and moss carpet the forest floor. The day is peaceful.
You are half a day from Bobeck village. You've traveled this route many times, to Frankfurt and back to Dresden again.
2) Take the left path to a meadow.
3) Take the right path to a creek.
You enjoy your lunch by a babbling creek, watching little fish dart in a calm bit of water. You gradually notice the croaking of toads has joined the sound of running water. One, two, three, you count the toads as you locate them. Eight, nine, it's funny how many you can find once you look carefully.
When you reach twelve it is a king among toads, easily four times the size of the others. It hops forward as you watch until it is directly in front of you. It croaks and drops a golden ring from its mouth, not two inches from the toe of your boot.
6) Pick up the golden ring.
7) Leave the ring where it is.
You reach down and pick up the ring. It has the look and weight of real gold. As you examine it, the toad croaks again and drops a human finger onto the ground. Is the toad larger than it was? It is six times the size of its brethren. You feel frozen in place with your hand clenched around the ring. The toad, which is plainly larger now, croaks a third time and drops the rest of the hand at your feet.
12) Throw the ring as far away as you can.
13) Stomp on the toad.
You stomp hard on the toad. It squashes and snaps at the same time. Your foot slides and finds purchase again to stomp stomp until the wobbly pile of flesh is flattened into the mud.
All the toads have ceased croaking. You gather up your mule and walk away as fast as you can short of running.
You feel calmer when you meet up with a band of trappers going the same way, until they show off their prize catch - a two-headed wolf pelt. You don't look closely enough to tell if it is stitched together or not.
The village, when you finally arrive, feels sinister. Night is falling.
26) Go to the inn with the trappers.
27) Bed down in a hay loft.
You find a farmer happy to take a bit of coin for space in their barn. You fall asleep to the smell of alfalfa.
The night is pitch black when you are awakened but you clearly see the blood-red rooster perched on your chest. Despite its normal size, it presses your back flat with a terrible weight.
The rooster cackles, "Squashed flat! Old Toad will not soon recover. Well done! Well done, craven daughter. You praise me in deeds and I see you.
"You have the favor of Crowing Tom this day. What would you ask of me?"
54) Ask for a big client tomorrow.
55) Ask for protection.