The Frog and the Ox A little Frog saw an ox in a field. He ran home as fast as his legs could carry him. "O Father, Father," he cried. "I saw a big frog in the field. It was as big as a mountain." The father said, "Was it bigger than I am?" "Oh, much, much bigger," said the little Frog. The old Frog puffed himself out. "Was it as big as that?" he asked. "Oh, much bigger than that,” said the little Frog. The old Frog puffed and puffed. The old Frog puffed and puffed. "Bigger, Father, bigger," said the little Frog. Then the old Frog puffed and puffed and puffed and puffed. "It was not as big as this," he said. "Yes, Father," said the little Frog. "It was much, much, much bigger." Then the old Frog puffed and puffed and puffed-and just then he burst! Esop. The Dog and the Shadow A Dog took a bone from the butcher, and ran off with it. On the way home, he came to a river. He looked in the water, and there he saw another dog with another bone, bigger than his. When he stopped, the other dog stopped. When he ran on, the other dog ran on. "This will not do," thought the Dog.. "I will take his bone away from him." So he opened his mouth to take the other dog's bone, and he dropped his bone into the river. He sprang at the other dog, and fell into the water. So he got no bone at all, and had to go home, wet and hungry. Æsop. The Crow and the Pitcher A Crow was very, very thirsty. He came upon a pitcher of water, but when he put his bill into the pitcher, he could not reach the water. He tried and tried and tried, but he had to give up. Then he took a pebble in his bill, and dropped it into the pitcher. Then he took another pebble, The water came up still higher. He dropped another pebble and another and another and another. At last he could reach the water, and he drank and drank. "Little by little does the trick." Æsop. |