Toad has been put in prison and the weasels and stoats have taken over Toad Hall. It is the evening of the Chief Weasel's birthday and they are having a banquet...
CHIEF WEASEL: “Friends and Fellow Animals. Before we part this evening, I have one final toast to propose. It is a toast, which on all occasions has something of solemnity in it, something even of sadness, but never more so than on this occasion. Absent Friends.
With this toast I couple first the name of our kind host, Mr. Toad. Although unable to be present himself tonight, owing to a previous engagement, Mr. Toad has generously put his entire establishment at our disposal for as long as we like to make use of it.
We all know Toad, good Toad, wise Toad, modest Toad. It is a personal sorrow to every one of us that he is not amongst us tonight. Let me sing you a little song which I have composed on this subject.”
Toad he went a pleasuring, Gaily down the road.
They put him in prison for twenty years: Poor old Toad!
Toad he had a beautiful house, A most refined abode.
They put him in prison for twenty years: Poor old Toad!
Toad he had much money and goods All carefully bestowed.
They put him in prison for twenty years: Poor old Toad!
Poor old Toad! Poor old Toad!
They put him in prison for twenty years: Poor old Toad!
CHIEF WEASEL: “But while we are thinking of our good host, Mr. Toad, we must not forget our other absent friends, Mr. Badger, Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole. It is a particular sorrow to me that they are not with us tonight, living as they do, unlike Mr. Toad, so very conveniently in the neighbourhood.
From time to time, indeed, of late, we have caught glimpses of them, behind hedges. We have seen their back views - in the distance - running away. We know that they cannot plead absence from the country as an excuse for their absence from our board, so that the only reason for it must be excessive shyness. Modesty.
All the more do we regret that they did not see fit to join us. Fellow animals, I give you the toast, Absent Friends!”
NOTE: There is a pleasant walk from the parking co-ordinates to the cache away from any traffic but there is a major road approximately 40 metres beyond the cache. Please make sure children are supervised.