Character Index | Proverb Index
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| Character Index | Proverb Index |
Townsend version
Two frogs were neighbors. One inhabited a deep pond, far removed from public view; the other lived in a gully containing little water, and traversed by a country road. The Frog that lived in the pond warned his friend to change his residence and entreated him to come and live with him, saying that he would enjoy greater safety from danger and more abundant food. The other refused, saying that he felt it so very hard to leave a place to which he had become accustomed. A few days afterwards a heavy wagon passed through the gully and crushed him to death under its wheels.
Moral
A willful man will have his way to his own hurt.
L'Estrange version
There were two neighbour-frogs; one of them liv'd in a pond, and the other in the high-way hard-by. The pond-frog finding the water begin to fail upon the road, would fain have gotten t'other frog over to her in the pool, where she might have been safe; but she was wonted to the place, she said, and would not remove. And what was the end on't now, but the wheel of a cart drove over her a while after, and crush'd her to pieces?
Moral
Some people are so listless and slothful, that they'll rather lie still and die in a ditch, then stir one finger to help themselves out on't.
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Tom Simondi, All Rights Reserved