The Frog That Wished to Make Herself as Big as the Ox

"The Frog That Wished to Make Herself as Big as the Ox" by Jean de La Fontaine is a cautionary fable that teaches children the dangers of envy and the futile pursuit of being someone we are not. The story centers around a frog who, after spotting a large and majestic ox, strives to inflate herself to match the ox's size, but only ends up bursting in the process. This lesson on acceptance and humility is delivered in a simple yet profound way.

• Fable

								
A  Frog, no bigger than a pullet's egg,
A fat Ox feeding in a meadow spied.
The envious little creature blew and swelled;
In vain to reach the big bull's bulk she tried.
"Sister, now look! observe me close!" she cried.
"Is this enough?"--"No!" "Tell me! now then see!"
"No, no!" "Well, now I'm quite as big as he?"
"You're scarcely bigger than you were at first!"
One more tremendous puff--she grew so large--she burst.
The whole world swarms with people not more wise:
The tradesman's villa with the palace vies.
Ambassadors your poorest Princelings send,
And every Count has pages without end.


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