The Frogs and the Ox

Summary

The story revolves around an encounter between an Ox and a family of Frogs at a pool. When the Ox inadvertently crushes a young Frog underfoot, the other frogs relay the incident to an elder Frog, describing the Ox as a massive creature. In a misguided attempt to match the Ox's size, the elder Frog puffs herself up repeatedly, motivated by pride and jealousy, eventually leading to her bursting. The tale highlights themes of envy, pride, and the dangers of trying to imitate others without understanding one's limits. It serves as a cautionary fable about the folly of attempting to be something one is not, particularly through artificial means.

Listen to audio


Read Online

An Ox came down to a reedy pool to drink. As he splashed heavily into the water, he crushed a young Frog into the mud. The old Frog soon missed the little one and asked his brothers and sisters what had become of him.

“A great big monster,” said one of them, “stepped on little brother with one of his huge feet!”

“Big, was he!” said the old Frog, puffing herself up. “Was he as big as this?”

“Oh, much bigger!” they cried.

The Frog puffed up still 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 puffing herself out more and more until, all at once, she burst.