The Mouse and the Frog

A frog, while out walking one day, saw a mouse coming toward him.

"There is that foolish mouse," said he. "I will play a good joke on him," and he grinned as he thought how much fun he would have.

As they met, the frog said, "Good morning, Sir Mouse; I hope I find you well to-day."

"Very well," replied the mouse. "How are you?"

"My health is not very good, so I have taken a holiday. If you are not busy, what do you say to our spending the day together?"

"Good!" answered the mouse. "I have little to do and nothing would suit me better." So they started off together.

They had not gone far when the frog said, "Let me tie one of your front feet to one of my hind legs, so that I may not lose you."

"All right," replied the mouse. "We shall surely be fast friends then."

So the frog took a blade of grass and fastened one of the mouse's front feet to one of his hind legs. When the frog leaped, the mouse tumbled after. Then they stopped and had a big laugh; it was
very funny.

They first went to an oat field, where the frog found many insects, and the mouse plenty of grain.

Beyond this field there was a pond. The frog had been going toward this pond all of the time, but the mouse had not noticed it. They were soon on its bank.

When the mouse saw the pond he cried out, "Oh, you know I do not like the water, Mr. Frog. Let us go to the barn."

"Nothing would do you so much good as a cool bath on this hot day. You have never taken one, so you cannot know how good it will make you feel," and the frog jumped into the water.

The mouse tried to get free, but the frog only laughed.

A hawk, looking down, saw the mouse and swooped down upon it. Since the frog was fastened to the mouse, he too was carried off, and both lost their lives.

When the other frogs heard of what had happened, they said, "Served him right. Served him right," and no frog since that time has ever played a mean joke.

Goldilocks And The Three Bears

Once there were three bears that lived in a house in the woods: a papa bear, a mama bear, and a baby bear. One morning they decided to take a walk before breakfast to let their porridge cool.

A little girl named Goldilocks lived with her mother nearby. Goldilocks took a walk through the woods and found the bear’s house. She smelled the porridge in the kitchen and went inside. Goldilocks tasted the porridge in each bowl and finally ate up the porridge in the small bowl. Then she sat on a big chair, but she didn’t like it, because it was hard. Afterwards she sat on the small chair, and it was just right. But while she was sitting on it she broke it. After eating the porridge, Goldilocks felt full and sleepy, and then she went upstairs. There she found a small bed. She lay down on it and fell asleep.

While she was sleeping, the three bears came home. When they went into the kitchen, they got very surprised. Someone had tasted their porridge, even eaten up baby bear’s porridge, while they were taking a walk. Moreover the poor baby bear was upset when he found that his little chair broke into pieces. When they went upstairs, they found out that Goldilocks was sleeping. Baby bear cried out, “Someone has been sleeping in my bed and here she is!”

Goldilocks woke up when she saw the three bears; she jumped out of bed and ran out of the house to her home. Never again did she make herself at home in anyone else’s house.

(Source: Dit. PSMP, 2006)

The Lion and The Gnat

“Away with you, vile insect !” said a lion angrily to a gnat that was buzzing around his head. But the gnat was not in the least disturbed.

        “Do you think,” he said spitefully to the lion, “that I am afraid of you because they call you king?”

        The next  instant  he flew at the lion and stung him sharply on the nose. The lion was made with rage. He struck fiercely at the gnat, but only succeeded in tearing himself with his claws. Again and again the gnat stung the lion, who now was roaring angrily. At last, worn out with rage and covered with wounds that his own teeth and claws had made. The lion gave up the fight.

        The gnat buzzed away to tell the whole world about his victory, but instead he flew straight into a spider’s web. And there, he who had defeated the king of beasts came to a miserable end, the prey of a little spider.

The Female Bees and The Male Bees

        One spring, the female bees were very busy building their beehive. The male bees did very little work. When the female bees finished building a part, the male bees would take over it.

        The female bees became so tired of her happening that one day they refused to let the male bees take over the hive. The male bees had a quarrel with the female bees since they could not agree with each other. At least, the bees decided to ask the wise hornet to be the judge of who was right.

        The judge said, “It is my duty to decide who owns this hive. The swarm of bees that can build a hive exactly like the old one will be declared the true owners of the hive.”

        The male bees, who were not used to building, did not agree. The female bees thought this was a good idea as they would find it easy to build another hive.