

The Ox and the Frog.An Ox, drinking at a pool, trod on a brood of young frogs, and crushedone of them to death. The mother, coming up and missing one of her sons,inquired of his brothers what had become of him. "He is dead, dearmother; for just now a very huge beast with four great feet came to thepool, and crushed him to death with his cloven heel." The Frog, puffingherself out, inquired, "If the beast was as big as that in size.""Cease, mother, to puff yourself out," said her son, "and do not beangry; for you would, I assure you, sooner burst than successfullyimitate the hugeness of that monster." Impossible things we cannot hope to attain, and it is of no use to try. From Aesop's Fables |