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Aesop | Greece

Two Frogs were Neighbours

A frog living in a peaceful pond invites a frog from a busy roadside to join him for safety, but the latter refuses, resulting in a tragic end.

Two frogs by a pond, one urging the other to leave a dangerous roadside
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Once upon a time, there was a Frog who lived in a quiet, peaceful pond. Not far away, another Frog lived by the busy roadside, where cars and wagons passed by all day.

The Pond Frog was worried about his friend by the road. One day, he said, "Come live with me in the pond. It's safe and calm here, with cool water and no danger."

But the Road Frog said, "No, thank you. I like the sounds of the wheels and people. It's exciting here. I don't want to leave."

The Pond Frog felt sad but he respected his friend's choice.

One day, there was a lot of noise, louder than ever before. The Road Frog couldn't move quickly enough. A big wagon came down the road and ran over the Road Frog. The Pond Frog heard about his friend's sad fate and wished his friend had chosen the safety of the pond.

Once upon a lily pad, two Frog friends were living very different lives. Pond Frog was happy as a clam floating around in a calm pond. But his buddy, Road Frog, had decided life was cooler next to a noisy road. Worried, Pond Frog called out across the reeds, "Hey, Road Frog! Why don't you hop over here and live with me? The water's nice, and you won't get squished!"

Road Frog laughed. "No way! I love the zoom and vroom! The cars and the trucks? They're like my favorite songs!"

Pond Frog shrugged his webbed shoulders. "You sure? Over here, it's all play and no work, and no big wagons!"

"Thanks, but no thanks," Road Frog sang out. "I like my adventure right where I am!"

So Pond Frog shook his head and hopped back to his quiet spot in the pond.

Then one day, oh boy, did things get loud! A really, really big wagon, the kind you can't just hop over, came thundering down the road. Road Frog tried to leap away, but he wasn't quick enough. And just like that, he went from being Road Frog to, well, part of the road.

When Pond Frog heard what happened, he sighed and looked at the peaceful water around him. "I wish my friend had picked the safe and fun pond," he thought.

Two froggy friends, not far apart,
One loved the pond, one loved the mart.
Each in their home, so content,
Living the days where they were meant.

"Join me, my friend, in water fine,
Cool and calm, like sips of wine.
No noisy cars or heavy gear,
Just peace and calm, you'll love it here."

The street frog smiled, "Thanks, but no deal,
I love the hustle, love the wheel.
The noise for you is just a din,
But to my ears, it's quite a win."

The pond frog sighed, "I see, my friend,
We each have loves we won't rescind.
While I love ripples and the reed,
You love the street's more urgent speed."

Then came a day, a fearsome sound,
A wagon roared on speeding ground.
Too late to leap, too late to flee,
The street frog's fate was sad to see.

Upon the news, the pond frog sighed,
"Wish you had stayed here by my side.
For roads may thrill but ponds are kind,
A safer place, I think you'd find."

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Word Finder

  1. Peaceful:

    Very calm, with no noise or disturbance.

  2. Roadside:

    The area along the side of a road.

  3. Wagons:

    Vehicles pulled by animals or machines for carrying things.

  4. Worried:

    Feeling concerned or anxious about something bad happening.

  5. Danger:

    A chance of something harmful or bad happening.

  6. Exciting:

    Making you feel happy or full of energy.

  7. Respected:

    Showed kindness and honor to someone’s choices or feelings.

  8. Quickly:

    Moving fast, without much delay or time wasted.

  9. Ran over:

    Hit or passed over something with a vehicle.

  10. Fate:

    The events or end that happen to someone.

  1. Clam

    A type of shellfish that lives in sand.

  2. Noisy

    Making a lot of loud sounds or noise.

  3. Squished

    Pressed or crushed into a flat shape.

  4. Shrugged

    Lifting shoulders slightly to show doubt or indifference.

  5. Webbed

    Having skin connecting fingers or toes, like a frog.

  6. Wagons

    A type of vehicle used for transporting goods.

  7. Adventure

    An exciting or unusual experience or activity.

  8. Thundering

    Making a loud, deep, rumbling sound.

  9. Leaped

    Jumped high or far using legs.

  10. Peaceful

    Calm and quiet, without any disturbance.

  1. Hustle

    Busy activity, lots of movement and noise.

  2. Urgent

    Needing fast action or quick attention.

  3. Rescind

    Take something back or cancel it completely.

  4. Din

    Loud, unpleasant, and continuous noise.

  5. Ripples

    Small waves moving on the water's surface.

  6. Reed

    Tall plant found near water, with narrow leaves.

  7. Fearsome

    Very scary or frightening, causing fear.

  8. Roared

    Made a loud, deep noise like a lion.

  9. Flee

    Run away from danger or something scary.

  10. Thrill

    Excitement or great enjoyment from something.
Understanding Questions
  1. Where did the Pond Frog live, and what made his home safe?
    1. A pond surrounded by trees
    2. A river with strong currents
    3. A busy road with cars
    4. A small puddle in the field
  3. Why did the Pond Frog invite the Road Frog to live with him in the pond?
    1. He wanted a friend
    2. He needed help catching flies
    3. He liked the Road Frog's stories
    4. He felt sorry for him
  5. What did the Road Frog like about living near the road?
    1. The exciting cars that passed by
    2. The warm sun on the pavement
    3. The variety of food available
    4. The friends he made there
  7. How did the Pond Frog feel about his friend's decision to stay by the road?
    1. Happy and supportive
    2. Concerned and worried
    3. Indifferent and uninterested
    4. Excited for new adventures
  9. What happened to the Road Frog at the end of the story?
    1. He found a new home
    2. He got hit by a car
    3. He decided to move back
    4. He met a new friend
  1. Where did the Pond Frog live, and what made his home safe?
  2. Why did the Pond Frog invite the Road Frog to live with him in the pond?
  3. What did the Road Frog like about living near the road?
  4. How did the Pond Frog feel about his friend's decision to stay by the road?
  5. What happened to the Road Frog at the end of the story?
  1. Where did the Pond Frog live, and what made his home safe?
  2. Why did the Pond Frog invite the Road Frog to live with him in the pond?
  3. What did the Road Frog like about living near the road?
  4. How did the Pond Frog feel about his friend's decision to stay by the road?
  5. What happened to the Road Frog at the end of the story?
Reflection Questions
  1. Why do you think the Road Frog decided to stay by the road, despite the danger?
  2. How did the Pond Frog try to help his friend, and what can we learn from his efforts?
  3. Can you think of a time when you made a decision even though others warned you it might not be the best choice?
  4. What does this story teach us about the importance of considering advice from our friends and family?
  5. How can we use the lesson from this story to make safer choices in our own lives?
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