Aesop | Greece
The Frog and The Ox
Little frog tells his father about a scary beast, the father tries to prove it's just an ox, but he bursts in the process.
A long time ago, there was a little frog who hopped up to his father, his eyes wide with fear. "Father," he croaked, "I have just seen a scary beast! It was as huge as a mountain, with points on its head, a long tail, and it had feet split in two."
"Hmm," the old frog responded, a little amused. "That's no monster, little one. That's just an ox from the farm. And it's not so big. Perhaps a bit taller than me, but I can puff myself up just as wide. Watch this." And with that, the old frog took a deep breath, puffing himself up until his belly ballooned out. "Was it as big as this?" he asked.
"No, father," the little frog replied, shaking his head. "It was much, much bigger."
The old frog took another deep breath, puffing himself up even more. "How about now?" he asked, his voice a little strained.
"Bigger, father, bigger!" the little frog insisted.
So, the old frog, determined to prove his point, took the deepest breath he could. He blew and blew, and his body swelled and swelled. "There's no way the ox is as big as this," he declared with confidence. But at that very moment, the old frog burst.
