09. THE FROGS ASKING FOR A KING. Long ago, when the Frogs were all at liberty in the lakes, and had grown quite weary of following everyone his own devices, they assembled one day together and with a great clamour petitioned Jupiter to let them have a king to keep them in better order and make them lead honester lives. Jupiter, knowing their foolishness, smiled at their request, and threw down a log into the lake, which by the huge splash and commotion it made, sent the whole nation of Frogs into the greatest terror and amazement. They rushed under the water and into the mud, and dared not come within a leap's-length of the spot where it lay.
At length one Frog bolder than the rest ventured to pop his head above the water, and take a look at their new king from a respectful distance. Presently when they saw the log lie stock-still, others began to swim up to it and around it, till by degrees growing bolder and bolder, they at last leaped upon it and treated it with the greatest contempt. Full of disgust for so tame a ruler, they carried a petition a second time to Jupiter for another and more active King.
Upon which he sent them a stork, who had no sooner come among them, than he began laying hold of them, and devouring them one by one as fast as he could, and it was in vain that they tried to escape him.
Then they sent Mercury with a private message to Jupiter, begging him to take pity on them once more; but Jupiter replied that they were only suffering the punishment due to their folly, and that another time they would learn to let well alone, and not be dissatisfied with their natural state. [more info]
At length one Frog bolder than the rest ventured to pop his head above the water, and take a look at their new king from a respectful distance. Presently when they saw the log lie stock-still, others began to swim up to it and around it, till by degrees growing bolder and bolder, they at last leaped upon it and treated it with the greatest contempt. Full of disgust for so tame a ruler, they carried a petition a second time to Jupiter for another and more active King.
Upon which he sent them a stork, who had no sooner come among them, than he began laying hold of them, and devouring them one by one as fast as he could, and it was in vain that they tried to escape him.
Then they sent Mercury with a private message to Jupiter, begging him to take pity on them once more; but Jupiter replied that they were only suffering the punishment due to their folly, and that another time they would learn to let well alone, and not be dissatisfied with their natural state. [more info]
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