THE VORACIOUS FROG
by Maive Stokes · from Indian Fairy Tales
Adapted Version
Once, a rat and a frog wanted to make dinner together. “Get sticks,” said Rat. “I will get flour and milk,” she said. Frog went to get many sticks. Rat went to get flour and milk. She cooked the dinner in a big pot.
“Guard the food,” said Rat. “I am going to bathe.” Rat went away to the river. Frog looked at the dinner. He was very hungry. Frog took the dinner. He hid it behind a tree. Then he ran away to hide.
Rat came back. No food. No Frog. She looked everywhere. She found Frog behind a bush. “Why did you take my food?” asked Rat. “A big dog took it,” said Frog. “He was very scary.” Rat was sad.
“Get more sticks,” said Rat. “I will get more flour.” Frog got more sticks. Rat cooked again. “Guard the food,” she said. Frog looked at the dinner again. He was still hungry. Frog took the dinner again. He hid it under a leaf.
Rat found Frog. “You took my food!” she said. “No,” said Frog. “If you say that, I will take you.” “Okay,” said Rat. Frog took Rat and hid her in his pocket.
A baker walked by. “Give me bread!” said Frog. “No,” said the Baker. “I am big. You are small.” “Then I take you,” said Frog. Frog took the baker and hid him in his other pocket.
A fruit seller walked by. “Give me fruit!” said Frog. “No,” said the Fruit Seller. “Then I take you,” said Frog. Frog took the fruit seller and hid him too.
A horse walked by. “Give me a ride!” said Frog. “No,” said Horse. “You are too small.” “Then I take you,” said Frog. Frog took the horse and his groom.
A barber walked by. “Shave me!” said Frog. “Okay,” said the Barber. The barber shaved Frog very carefully. Frog looked very fat and round. The barber tickled Frog on his side. Frog laughed and laughed. He opened his mouth very wide.
Out came Rat! Out came the Baker! Out came the Fruit Seller! Out came the Horse and the Groom! Everyone was safe and happy.
The barber ran away quickly. Frog felt very sorry. He was not greedy now. He learned to share.
Being greedy and lying is not good. It makes you lose your friends.
Original Story
THE VORACIOUS FROG
To notes T HERE were a rat and a frog. And the rat said to
the frog, “Go and get me some sticks, while I go
and get some flour and milk.” So the frog went
out far into the jungle and brought home plenty of sticks,
and the rat went out and brought home flour and milk for
their dinner. Then she cooked the dinner, and when it was
cooked she said to the frog, “Now, you sit here while I go
to bathe, and take care of the food so that no one may come
and eat it up.” Then the rat went to take her bath, and as
soon as she had gone the frog made haste and ate up the
dinner quickly, and went away.
When the rat came back she found no dinner, and she
could not find the frog. So she went out to look for him,
calling to him as loudly as she could, and she saw him in
the distance, and overtook him. “Why have you eaten my
dinner? Why did you go away?” said the rat. Said the
frog, “Oh, dear! it was not I that ate your dinner, but a
huge dog that came; and I was only a tiny, tiny thing, and
he was a great big dog, and so he frightened me, and I ran
away.” “Very well,” said the rat; “go and fetch me more
sticks while I go for flour and milk.” So the frog went out
far into the jungle and brought back plenty of sticks. And
the rat went to fetch flour and milk. Then she lit the
fire and cooked the dinner, and told the frog to take care of
the dinner while she went to bathe. As soon as she had [ Pg 25] gone, the frog ate up all the dinner, and went away and hid
himself. When the rat came back she saw no frog, no dinner.
She went away into the jungle and called to him, and the
frog answered from behind a tree, “Here I am, here I am.”
The rat went to him and said, “Why did you eat my dinner?”
“I didn’t,” said the frog. “It was a great big dog
ate the dinner, and he wanted to eat me too, and so I ran
away.” The rat said, “Very well. Go and fetch me some
more sticks, and I will go for flour and milk.” Then she
cooked the dinner again and went to bathe. The frog ate
up all the dinner, and went away and hid himself. When
the rat returned she saw no dinner, no frog. So she went
far into the jungle, found the frog, and told him that it was
he that had eaten the dinner. And the frog said, “No,”
and the rat said, “Yes.” And the frog said, “If you say
that again, I will eat you up.” “All right,” says the rat,
“eat me up.” So he ate her up and sat behind a tree, and
the baker came past. The frog called out, “Baker, come
here! come here! Give me some bread.” The baker looked
about everywhere, could not see anybody, could not think
who was calling him. At last he saw the frog sitting behind
a tree. “Give me some bread,” says the frog. The man
said, “No, I won’t give you any bread. I am a great big
man, and you are only a little frog, and you have no money.”
“Yes, I have money. I will give you some pice, and you
will give me some bread.” But the man said, “No, I
won’t.” “Well,” said the frog, “if you won’t give me bread,
I will eat you up first, and then I will eat up your bread.”
So he ate up the man, and then ate up his bread. Presently
a man with oranges and lemons passed by. The frog called
to him, “Come here! come here!” The man was very
much afraid. He didn’t know who had called him. Then
he saw the frog, and the frog said, “Give me some lemons.”
The man wouldn’t, and said, “No.” “Very well,” says the [ Pg 26] frog, “if you won’t, I’ll eat you up.” So he ate up the man
with his lemons and oranges. Presently a horse and his
groom went by. The frog says, “Please give me a ride, and
I will give you some money.” “No,” said the horse, “I
won’t let you ride on me. You are like a monkey,—very
little—I won’t let you ride on my back.” The frog said,
“If you won’t, I’ll eat you up.” Then the frog ate him up,
and his groom too. Then a barber passed by. “Come
and shave me,” says the frog. “Good,” says the barber,
“I’ll come and shave you.” So he shaved him, and he
thought the frog looked very fat, and so as he was shaving
him he suddenly made a cut in his stomach. Out jumped
the rat with her flour and milk—the baker with his bread—the
lemon-seller with his oranges and lemons—the horse and
his groom. And the barber ran away home. And the frog
died.
[ Pg 27]
Story DNA
Moral
Unchecked greed and deceit will eventually lead to one's downfall.
Plot Summary
A rat and a frog repeatedly attempt to make dinner, but the frog, driven by gluttony, eats the meal each time and lies about it. When confronted, the frog consumes the rat, then proceeds to eat several other passersby who refuse its demands. Growing increasingly large, the frog encounters a barber who, noticing its unusual size, cuts open its stomach, releasing all its victims unharmed, leading to the frog's death.
Themes
Emotional Arc
deception to comeuppance
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Maive Stokes collected Indian folk tales in the late 19th century, often from local storytellers, which explains the specific cultural references like 'pice'.
Plot Beats (13)
- Rat and frog agree to make dinner; frog gathers sticks, rat gathers flour/milk and cooks.
- Rat asks frog to guard dinner while she bathes; frog eats dinner and flees.
- Rat finds frog, who lies, blaming a 'huge dog'.
- Rat and frog repeat the dinner preparation; frog eats dinner again and lies again.
- Rat and frog repeat the dinner preparation a third time; frog eats dinner and lies again.
- Rat confronts frog, who threatens to eat her; frog then eats the rat.
- Frog encounters a baker, demands bread, and eats the baker when refused.
- Frog encounters a man with oranges and lemons, demands fruit, and eats the man when refused.
- Frog encounters a horse and groom, demands a ride, and eats both when refused.
- Frog encounters a barber, demands a shave.
- Barber shaves the frog, notices its fatness, and cuts open its stomach.
- All of the frog's victims (rat, baker, fruit seller, horse, groom) emerge from its stomach.
- Barber flees, and the frog dies.
Characters
The Voracious Frog ★ protagonist
Small in size, but becomes very fat after eating others.
Attire: None, natural frog skin.
Gluttonous, deceitful, aggressive, voracious.
Image Prompt & Upload
A large, bright green anthropomorphic frog with smooth, glistening skin stands upright on two legs, wearing a worn leather vest over a simple tunic, sturdy brown trousers, and a belt with pouches. It has large, expressive golden eyes with a determined yet friendly gaze, a wide, cheerful mouth, and webbed feet. Its posture is confident and ready for adventure, one hand resting on its belt. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Rat ◆ supporting
Small, typical rat appearance.
Attire: None, natural fur.
Industrious, trusting (initially), persistent, eventually confrontational.
Image Prompt & Upload
A middle-aged anthropomorphic rat with sleek gray fur, wearing a tattered red waistcoat and patched trousers, standing with a slightly hunched posture, holding a wooden walking stick, and displaying a wise yet cautious expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature
The Baker ○ minor
Undescribed, but implied to be a normal human.
Attire: Period-appropriate baker's attire, carrying bread.
Confused, initially dismissive, fearful.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young boy around eight years old with a dusting of flour on his rosy cheeks and a focused, earnest expression. He wears a white apron over a simple brown tunic, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His dark, curly hair is slightly messy. He is standing at a wooden table, actively kneading a ball of dough with both hands, his posture engaged and slightly leaning forward. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature
The Man with Oranges and Lemons ○ minor
Undescribed, but implied to be a normal human.
Attire: Period-appropriate clothing, carrying oranges and lemons.
Fearful, unwilling to share.
Image Prompt & Upload
A middle-aged man with a weathered, kind face and a gentle smile, standing in a relaxed pose. He has short, curly brown hair with a few grey strands and wears a faded blue linen shirt with rolled-up sleeves, brown trousers held up by suspenders, and worn leather boots. He is holding a large, round woven basket overflowing with bright oranges and yellow lemons, cradled in his left arm. His right hand rests casually on his hip. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Horse ○ minor
Large, typical horse appearance.
Attire: None, natural coat.
Proud, dismissive.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young chestnut horse with a glossy brown coat and a flowing dark mane. Its large, gentle eyes look forward with a calm and friendly expression. The horse stands in a relaxed pose with one front hoof slightly raised, its tail gently swaying. It has a slender, graceful build suggesting youth and potential. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Groom ○ minor
Undescribed, but implied to be a normal human.
Attire: Period-appropriate groom's attire, accompanying a horse.
Undescribed, acts as an extension of the horse's interaction.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young man in his late teens with a slender build and short, neatly combed brown hair. He wears a simple, slightly oversized dark gray suit with a crisp white shirt and a thin black tie, looking formal but slightly uncomfortable. His posture is straight but stiff, hands clasped loosely in front of him, with a neutral, reserved expression on his clean-shaven face. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Barber ○ minor
Undescribed, but implied to be a normal human.
Attire: Period-appropriate barber's attire, carrying shaving tools.
Observant, cunning, quick-thinking, fearful.
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly man in his sixties with kind, crinkled eyes and a neatly trimmed white beard. He wears a crisp white barber's apron over a simple blue shirt, with sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His silver hair is combed back neatly. He stands in a relaxed, confident pose, one hand resting on a polished wooden barber's chair, the other holding a straight razor and shaving brush. He has a gentle, welcoming smile. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Rat and Frog's Home
A domestic space where the rat cooks dinner.
Mood: initially domestic, then tense, then abandoned
The rat cooks dinner, the frog repeatedly eats it and flees.
Image Prompt & Upload
Evening light glows warmly from within a cozy, miniature stone cottage nestled at the base of a giant oak tree. The rustic kitchen is visible through an open wooden door, featuring a small clay oven emitting a gentle smoke, rough-hewn wooden shelves lined with tiny jars, and a sturdy table set with simple earthenware. A path of smooth pebbles leads to the doorstep, flanked by glowing mushrooms and soft moss. Fireflies begin to dot the twilight air above a nearby still pond, reflecting the deep blues and purples of the dusk sky. The atmosphere is tranquil, inviting, and steeped in quiet, domestic magic. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
The Jungle
A dense, wild area, far from the home.
Mood: mysterious, a place of escape and hiding
The frog gathers sticks and later hides from the rat here; the rat searches for the frog.
Image Prompt & Upload
A dense, primordial jungle at the humid peak of a misty dawn. Towering, ancient trees with gnarled roots form a thick canopy, their leaves a hundred shades of deep emerald and jade. Shafts of pale golden light pierce the vapor, illuminating swirling motes of pollen and moisture. The forest floor is a tangle of giant ferns, spotted mushrooms, and creeping vines that drape over moss-covered stones. A hidden waterfall cascades into a crystal-clear pool, its surface reflecting the vibrant, dappled light. The air feels thick and alive, with exotic, colorful orchids blooming in the shadows. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
Road/Path
A route where various characters pass by.
Mood: public, exposed, where the frog encounters and consumes others
The frog, after consuming the rat, sits behind a tree and encounters and consumes a series of passers-by.
Image Prompt & Upload
A winding cobblestone path through an ancient enchanted forest at dusk, bathed in the soft golden glow of fireflies and bioluminescent mushrooms lining the edges. The path is made of moss-covered, irregular stones, worn smooth by countless travelers. Towering, gnarled oak trees form a dense canopy overhead, their leaves filtering the fading twilight into dappled patches of lavender and deep blue. Thick ivy and climbing roses with pale pink blossoms cling to the tree trunks. A faint, magical mist hovers just above the ground, swirling gently around the base of the trees. In the distance, the path curves out of sight around a massive, hollow tree trunk wrapped in glowing vines. The air feels cool and still, with a sense of quiet anticipation. The color palette features deep greens, warm ambers, and soft purples. No border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
