The Frog and the Ox – A Russian Folk Tale about Vanity and its Consequences
The tale "The Frog and the Ox" tells the story of how a frog tried to become as big as an ox and what happened to her. A story with an important lesson about humility.
Description: The full version of the Russian folk tale about a frog who tried to become as big as an ox. A story about humility and the importance of being content with what you have.
Once upon a time, there was a frog living in a swamp. She was small, but very proud and vain. She always thought she was no worse than others, and sometimes even better. One day, while walking through the meadow, the frog saw a huge ox calmly grazing on the grass.
The frog looked at the ox and thought, "How big he is! And I am so small. Why shouldn’t I become as majestic and strong as he is?" Deciding to prove her strength, she loudly said:
– Hey, ox! Do you think you're the biggest here? Well, I will puff myself up and become bigger than you!
The ox, not even glancing at the frog, continued calmly eating grass. This only angered the frog more, and she began to puff herself up. She took a deep breath, her belly expanded, and she proudly asked:
– Well, now am I bigger than you?
The ox remained silent, and the frog continued to puff herself up. Her skin stretched, and her eyes bulged, but she didn’t stop. She took even more air in and shouted again:
– Now am I bigger?
The ox glanced at the frog briefly, but said nothing. The frog couldn’t understand his indifference and decided to puff herself up until she became enormous. She strained with all her might, took in more air than her skin could withstand, and...
– Pop! – The frog burst. And so ended her futile attempts to become bigger than she really was.
The ox snorted and continued grazing. Meanwhile, the other frogs in the swamp, seeing what had happened, began to whisper:
– Did you see that? That’s what happens when you try to be someone you’re not.
Moral: This story teaches us that we should be humble and content with what we have. It’s not good to try to become someone you’re not.
Questions for Children:
- Why did the frog want to become bigger than the ox?
- What happened to the frog at the end of the story?
- What lesson does this story teach us?
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