FABLE IX
by Unknown · from Favourite Fables in Prose and Verse
Adapted Version
Once there was a little frog. She lived in a muddy marsh. But she did not like her home. She thought her home was not good. It was too wet. It was too dirty. She felt special. She wanted a new place. She wanted clean air. She wanted clean water.
Little Frog left her home. She hopped away from the marsh. Hop, hop, hop. She felt very happy. She felt very proud. She did not look back. She wanted a new life. She hopped far away.
Mr. Rat saw Little Frog. He lived near the path. Little Frog hopped very slowly. She looked tired. Mr. Rat asked her. "Where are you going?" he said. He looked at her. She was far from home.
Little Frog spoke with pride. "My home is not good," she said. "It is a dirty place. I am special. I want new water. I want clean water. Is there water near here? I am very thirsty now."
Mr. Rat gave a warning. "No water here," he said. "You will not find water today. Go back home. Your home is safe. Stay in your home. Your home is best for you." He spoke kindly.
Little Frog said, "No!" She did not listen. She hopped away. Hop, hop, hop. She did not care about Mr. Rat's words. Her mouth got very dry. She felt very thirsty. She needed water.
Little Frog was so thirsty. Her throat was dry. She tried to hop. But she cannot hop. She was very tired. Her legs felt weak. She could not move. She needed water now.
Little Frog thought, "Oh no!" She remembered Mr. Rat. "Mr. Rat was right," she thought. She felt very sad. She was scared. It was too late. She made a big mistake.
Little Frog closed her eyes. She was very, very still. She could not move anymore. She was gone. She did not listen to Mr. Rat. It was a sad end for her. She learned her lesson too late. It is good to listen to wise friends. It is good to stay where you are safe.
Original Story
FABLE IX.
THE FROG AND THE RAT.
Once on a time, a foolish Frog,
Vain, proud, and stupid as a log,
Tired with the marsh, her native home,
Imprudently abroad would roam,
And fix her habitation where
She'd breathe at least a purer air.
She was resolved to change, that's poz;
Could she be worse than where she was?
Away the silly creature leaps.
A Rat, who saw her lab'ring steps,
Cried out, "Where in this hurry, pray?
You certainly will go astray!"
"Ne'er fear; I quit that filthy bog,
Where I so long have croaked incog:
People of talents, sure, should thrive,
And not be buried thus alive.
But, pray (for I'm extremely dry),
Know you of any water nigh?"
"None," said the Rat, "you'll reach to-day,
As you so slowly make your way.
Believe a friend, and take my word,
This jaunt of yours is quite absurd.
Go to your froggery again;
In your own element remain."
No: on the journey she was bent,
Her thirst increasing as she went;
For want of drink she scarce can hop,
And yet despairing of a drop:
Too late she moans her folly past;
She faints, she sinks, she breathes her last.
MORAL.
Vulgar minds will pay full dear,
When once they move beyond their sphere.
Story DNA
Moral
Vulgar minds will pay full dear, when once they move beyond their sphere.
Plot Summary
A foolish and proud Frog, tired of her marsh home, decides to venture out for a 'purer air.' She encounters a Rat who warns her against leaving her natural element, but the Frog dismisses the advice, believing her talents deserve better. Despite increasing thirst and the Rat's caution, the Frog stubbornly continues her journey. Ultimately, she succumbs to thirst and exhaustion, dying far from her home, a victim of her own folly and pride.
Themes
Emotional Arc
pride to despair
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Fables are ancient forms of storytelling, often attributed to Aesop, but this specific one is from a later collection, maintaining the classical fable structure.
Plot Beats (9)
- A foolish, vain, and proud Frog decides to leave her marsh home, believing she deserves a better place.
- The Frog begins her journey away from the marsh.
- A Rat observes the Frog's struggle and asks her where she is going.
- The Frog proudly explains her decision to leave the 'filthy bog' and seeks water.
- The Rat warns the Frog that she won't find water soon and advises her to return to her natural habitat.
- The Frog ignores the Rat's advice and continues her journey, becoming increasingly thirsty.
- The Frog's thirst becomes unbearable, and she can no longer hop.
- The Frog realizes her mistake but it is too late.
- The Frog faints, dies, and breathes her last.
Characters
The Frog
A plump, green frog with smooth, moist skin. Her body is round and somewhat squat, typical of a marsh-dwelling frog, but she carries herself with an air of self-importance despite her size. Her legs are strong for leaping, though her current journey makes them appear to labor.
Attire: None, as she is an animal.
Wants: To escape her perceived 'filthy bog' and find a 'purer air' where her 'talents' can thrive, driven by vanity and a desire for a better, more refined environment.
Flaw: Her extreme vanity and stubbornness. She refuses to listen to reason or acknowledge her limitations, leading to her downfall.
She begins as a proud and foolish creature determined to leave her home, ignoring all warnings. She ends up dying from her folly, learning too late the consequences of moving beyond her natural sphere.
Vain, proud, foolish, stubborn, and imprudent. She believes herself superior to her surroundings and dismisses good advice.
The Rat
A common brown rat, lean and agile, with a long, scaly tail. Its fur is likely coarse and practical, suited for navigating various terrains.
Attire: None, as it is an animal.
Wants: To offer helpful, albeit unsolicited, advice to a creature it perceives as foolishly endangering itself.
Flaw: Its advice is ignored, showing a limitation in its ability to influence others.
Remains consistent throughout the story, serving as the voice of reason.
Observant, practical, and sensible. It offers sound advice based on its understanding of the world and the frog's limitations.
Locations
The Marsh
A 'filthy bog' where the frog has lived for a long time, characterized by its stagnant water and the frog's croaking.
Mood: Dull, confining, and unappealing to the frog, who views it as 'filthy'.
The frog's native home, which she decides to abandon in search of a 'purer air'.
Dry, Open Ground
An arid, open area away from water, where the frog struggles and eventually perishes from thirst.
Mood: Desolate, increasingly desperate, and ultimately fatal for the frog.
The frog's journey away from the marsh, where she encounters the rat and ultimately succumbs to thirst.