Grades 3-5 reading level · Fable

The Frog and the Ox

"OH FATHER," said a little Frog to the big one sitting by the side of a pool, "I have seen such a terrible monster! It was as big as a mountain, with horns on its head, and a long tail, and it had hoofs divided in two." "Tush, child, tush," said the old Frog, "that was only Farmer White's Ox. It isn't so big either; he may be a little bit taller than I, but I could easily make myself quite as broad; just you see." So he blew himself out, and blew himself out, and blew himself out. "Was he as big as that?" asked he.

"Oh, much bigger than that," said the young Frog.

Again the old one blew himself out, and asked the young one if the Ox was as big as that.

"Bigger, father, bigger," was the reply.

So the Frog took a deep breath, and blew and blew and blew, and swelled and swelled and swelled. And then he said: "I'm sure the Ox is not as big as ——" But at this moment he burst.

Self-conceit may lead to self-destruction.

From The Frog and the Ox by Aesop, translated by Joseph Jacobs (1894). Public domain.

Check your understanding

1. What did the little Frog think was a terrible monster?

2. What happens to the old Frog at the very end of the story?

3. Retell what the old Frog does after the little Frog tells him about the monster.

4. Why did the old Frog keep blowing himself out?

5. The story ends by saying 'Self-conceit may lead to self-destruction.' Based on what happened to the Frog, what does this mean?

6. Have you ever tried to show off and it went wrong? How does your experience connect to what the old Frog did?