Pagina 105 van 274

Two little Frogs were playing about at the edge of a pool when an

Ox came down to the water to drink, and by accident trod on one

of them and crushed the life out of him. When the old Frog missed

him, she asked his brother where he was. "He is dead, mother,"

said the little Frog; "an enormous big creature with four legs

came to our pool this morning and trampled him down in the mud."

"Enormous, was he? Was he as big as this?" said the Frog, puffing

herself out to look as big as possible. "Oh! yes, much bigger,"

was the answer. The Frog puffed herself out still more. "Was he

as big as this?" said she. "Oh! yes, yes, mother, MUCH bigger,"

said the little Frog. And yet again she puffed and puffed herself

out till she was almost as round as a ball. "As big as...?" she

began--but then she burst.

THE MAN AND THE IMAGE