Ruse

As in:

Winsley’s plan was simple. At least at first. She would invite the three most skeptical of the literary critics to an event she called “meet the bass,” wherein each would be allowed to see the great fish and ask their questions. To protect the writers, a submerged fence of reed stalks would separate them from Godfrey H. though, on account of the bribe, this was purely for show. But a show was necessary to persuade the frog critics that they, like Solomon, would be in grave danger if left unprotected with the fish.

Two accepted. The third provided some loose response that the encounter would appear to violate his publication’s code of ethics. With that, the date was set. All Winsley needed to do was to coach Godfrey H. a bit in the story, so that he would be familiar with how Solomon had supposedly tricked him into not eating him.

It was a perplexing sight to anything that happened by–this fashionable frog settled right in next to Godfrey H.’s gills, explaining the script. Godfrey H. seemed bored until Winsley got to the punch line of the supposed ruse.

“So I’m really nothing like chicken and nothing like frog,” Winsley read from Solomon’s story. “Even the tiniest bite of me and you’ll be flat on your large mouthed bass ass.”

“Really?” Godfrey H. said. “He wrote that?”

“It’s a nice line I think,” she offered.

“Pretty brave imagination for a frog I’d say,” he replied.