The Frogs and Their King 青蛙和他们的王国 Once upon a time the Frogs decided to ask Jupiter, the king of the gods, for a King of their own. Jupiter was amused. "Here you are," he said, throwing a log of wood with a splash into the lake where they lived. " Here is a king for you." The Frogs dived under the water in fright, burrowing as deep into the mud as they could. After a time one of the braver ones swam cautiously to the surface to take a look at the new King. "He looks very quite,: said the Frog. :Perhaps he is asleep." The log stayed quite still on the smooth lake and one by one more Frogs came up to take a look. They swam closer and closer until at last they leaped right on top of it, quite forgetting that they had been frightened. Young Frogs began to use it as a diving board; old Frogs sat sunning themselves on it; mother Frogs taught their tadpoles their first, wobbly jumps on its bark. One day an old Frog said: "This is a dull king of a King, you know. I thought we wanted someone to keep us in order. This one just lies around and lets us do what we please." So the Frogs went once more to Jupiter. Jupiter was not in a good mood. "Silly little animals, "he thought . "I shall give them just what they deserve this time." He sent a long-legged stork to the lake. The Frogs were very impressed and crowded admiringly round. But before they could even begin the speeches of welcome they had prepared, the stork stuck his long beak into the water and began to gobble up as many Frogs as he could see. "That's not what we meant at all," gasped the Frogs as they dived once more into the mud. But this time Jupiter would not listen. "I only gave you what you asked for," he said, "Perhaps it will teach you not to complain about things so much." |
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