The Frogs and the Ox
An Ox walked down to a grassy pond to drink. As he splashed heavily into the water, he squashed a young Frog into the mud. The old Frog soon missed the little one and asked his brothers and sisters what had happened to him.
“A great big monster,” said one of them, “stepped on the little brother with one of his giant feet!”
“Big, was he!” said the old Frog, blowing herself up. “Was he as big as this?”
“Oh, much bigger!” they cried.
The Frog blew up even more.
“He could not have been bigger than this,” she said. But the little Frogs all declared that the monster was much, much bigger, and the old Frog kept blowing herself out more and more until, all at once, she burst.
Moral of the story
Don’t take on impossible tasks or try to be something you’re not. It’s essential to recognize your abilities and not exaggerate or compare yourself unnecessarily. Accepting yourself as you are leads to better outcomes and avoids unnecessary challenges
Questions for the children
- Why did the old frog blow herself up when she heard about the monster?
- What do you think the old frog could have done instead of trying to be bigger?
Post Note: This story is based on Aesop’s fable, written around 600 BC. In this retelling, we’ve used simpler words to make the story easier for young readers to understand.
