The Frogs Desiring A King

The Frogs were living an easy, comfortable and free life among the lakes and ponds. Soon they grew discontented because they had no King to rule over them.

They prayed to Jupiter: "O Mighty Lord, God of the Gods, send us a King. Jupiter, being in a merry mood, cast a log into the pool where they lived, saying, as he did so. There, then, is a King for you." The Frogs were terrified at first by the splash and they watched their King in fear and awe. They scuttled away into the deepest parts of the pool. By and by when they saw that their King remained motionless, they ventured to the surface again.

Emboldened by his stillness, one Frog, more daring than the rest, jumped upon the shoulder of his monarch. Soon, others followed his example and the frogs made merry on the back of their unresistant King.

The Frogs began to feel contempt for such a King. They believed that a King of that sort was an insult to their dignity. Hence they once again petitioned Jupiter and asked him to take away the sluggish King he had given them and send them another and a better one-something more like a King.

Jupiter, despising the folly of their request and annoyed at being pestered in this way, sent them a Stork to rule over them. The Stork soon began his task of tossing the Frogs about and gobbling them as fast as he could. He devoured them without mercy. Terrified, the Frogs beseeched the god to give them again their former state.

"No, no."replied he, a king that did you no harm did not please you. Make the best of the one you have, or you may chance to get a worse one in his place."