2. The little frogs and the big frogs Once upon a time, there lived a group of little frogs on a number of lily pads in the middle of a lake. The lily pads were comfortable, the sun was always shining and the frogs would croak to each other about how life was good. On top of that, the position of the lily pads and their pretty flowers ensured a good supply of flies. In essence then, the frogs considered themselves to be living in a demi-paradise. And then one day, another group of frogs, much bigger than the first group came along. They had seen the potential of the lily pads and they wanted to claim them as their own. So the big frogs pushed the little frogs out, until the little frogs found themselves on far less attractive lily pads on the lake edge and having to wade through mud in order to eat, and to visit their fellows. Then the big frogs offered a deal to the little frogs. “You can come back to the clean, comfortable lily pads in the middle of the lake, if you learn how to croak like us”, they said. “And you must not croak like you do now.” Some of the little frogs jumped at this idea. Did they really want to stay in a backwater of the lake with all its dirt and grime, little sunlight and far less abundance of flies? So they swam to the middle of the lake and soon they were croaking with new voice with the big frogs. They soon forgot about their old friends, the little frogs on the lake shore, and of course, they had no need to croak like they did with them. Croaking with the big frogs made them seem as if they were big frogs themselves – and indeed, they did well out of it. The lily pads were definitely better than those on the lake shore, the flies were indeed more numerous and the sun shone more brightly than in the shadier places where their erstwhile compatriots dwelt. One of the little frogs became so important that he eventually became the chief of the big frogs. When some of the little frogs heard about this, they thought that as one of their number now controlled the lily pads again, it would be a good idea to “reclaim their inheritance” as they put it. As a result, some of the more eager little frogs swam out to the middle of the lake, joined the big frog community and turned their backs forever on the group of little frogs. One night, one of the big frogs heard a strange croaking coming from near the shore. “It’s those damn little frogs keeping me awake with their incessant, incomprehensible croaking!” he cried. So he called forth a number of his fellow big frogs and together they swam to the little frogs’ lily pads. “How dare you croak in this barbarous way and keep us up at night!” thundered the big frog. “We can’t help it” said one of the little frogs meekly, “croaking like this is as natural as breathing to us.” “You can help it” shouted the big frog. “And I’m sure you’re croaking about me too – and that according to the rules of our society in the middle of the lake is slander!” “B-b-b-but ...” protested the little frog, but to no avail. “Silence!” shouted the big frog. “You are one of the ringleaders in this devilish plot, I see. You will come with me to that old rotten log downstream where you will not be able to croak to anyone.” And that’s how it turned out. Each time a little frog croaked in a way that the big frogs did not understand, they were escorted to the old rotten log. But this made some of the little frogs even more determined. Whilst some of them gave in and didn’t want to suffer the harshness of being away from family and friends on the old rotten log, others continued croaking in the way their ancestors had done for centuries – even if that meant periods alone on the old rotten log and not able to croak to any of the other little frogs for some time. On their return to the lake side, these little frogs would go back to croaking in the same way as before. Now the big frogs had control over the education of all the frogs in the lake. So the little frogs had to learn to croak in the same way as their teachers – who only croaked as the big frogs did. The little frogs found this difficult as they only croaked in the way of their parents and grandparents. So the big frogs devised a way of making their education system work. If they heard a little frog croaking, they would quickly pull the lily pad he was sitting on from under him and for a few seconds the little frog would think he was drowning. It was only if he had his wits about him and reacted very quickly, that the little frog could tread water and survive. The little frog students saw this event re-enacted so often that they quickly learnt that to avoid drowning or at least the sensation of drowning – which was just as scary – they should also learn to croak like the big frogs. Sometimes, the big frogs held parties on their lily pads. On such occasions, they decided to invite the little frogs over for a few days and nights and share little pieces of bluebottle or dragonfly with them. But they would never give a whole insect to the little frogs – oh no! That just wasn’t on! The little frogs should be pleased for any largesse on the part of the big frogs and wanting more was just being plain ungrateful. One day, the little frogs found a new supply of insects for themselves. Inevitably, word got out to the big frogs in the middle of the lake and they sent a deputation to talk to the little frogs. “We want your insects!” said one of the big frogs. “Despite all that you have done for us – taken our lily pads, ensured that you have the best locations, made us croak like you do, nearly drowned our children for croaking naturally, taken our intellectual frogs to the old rotten log downstream and more, we will share them with you” replied the little frogs’ representative, “but only on one condition – that you learn to croak like us.” “What impudent nonsense!” shouted the spokesfrog of the big frogs. “But when you wanted us to be part of your community, you insisted that we forgot to croak like little frogs and to only croak like you as big frogs, didn’t you?” queried the little frog, “What’s the difference?” “You all croak like us now!” retorted the big frog “and croaking like a little frog is of no use to anyone.” “Well, it is to us” replied the little frog firmly. “It’s as natural as breathing to all of us – you and me – to croak like we do, as you croak like you do. And you see, we wouldn’t be able to take advantage of this new supply of insects without it. For as you know, only we little frogs know where they are to be had.” “Damn your croaking!” screamed the big frog. “We should have drowned all your young frogs when they were at school!” “You very nearly did” replied the little frog softly. “But despite everybody and everything, we’re still here! And unless you change tack, my friend – and we’re only playing by your rules regarding this croaking business – we’re keeping this secret supply of insects to ourselves.” The big frog growled and stomped away. “I’ll be back” he muttered, Terminator fashion.
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 09:47:49 +0000
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