伊索寓言 20青蛙與牛 The Frog and the Ox
Two frogs are playing near a pond.
Baby Frog：Big Brother, rabbit, rabbit. Why don’t we go home now?
Brother Frog: Let’s stay a little longer, Baby Frog.
Baby Frog：We should go home. Mother Frog is waiting for us. She told us to come home for lunch. She will be worried.
Brother Frog: Don’t worry, Baby Frog. It’s only noon. I want to play a little longer.
Baby Frog：Come on, Big Brother Frog. Let’s go home.
Brother Frog: Let’s play for five more minutes.
Just then, a Farmer and his Ox pass the pond. The two frogs jump into the pond to hide. They stick their heads out of the water and watch the Farmer and the Ox pass by. They have never seen such a big animal before.
Brother Frog: What was that, ribbit, ribbit?
Baby Frog：I don’t know, but it was very big.
Brother Frog: Yes. It was very big. It was bigger than Mother Frog.
Baby Frog：So what? Let’s go home now.
Brother Frog: What is the name of that animal? I am curious.
Baby Frog：I don’t know and I don’t care, Big Brother Frog. Let’s go now, huh? Mother Frog will be waiting for us.
Brother Frog: No, let’s follow the animal. It will be fun. Come on!
Baby Frog：Oh… Okay, but only for a little while.
The two Frogs follow the Ox from behind when suddenly the Ox turns around. Baby Frog doesn’t see the Ox’s hoofs.
Farmer: Let’s go back to the farm.
Ox: Moo…Moo…
Brother Frog: Watch out, Baby Frog! Jump! Quickly!
Baby Frog：What? Ribbit, ribbit. Uh…
Baby Frog is crushed by the Ox. He is dead.
Brother Frog: Baby Frog! Baby Frog!
There is no answer.
Brother Frog: Oh my goodness! What shall I do? I must hurry home. I must tell Mother Frog. She will be very sad.
Big Brother Frog hops home and tells Mother Frog what has happened.
Mother Frog: Why are you alone, Big Brother Frog.? Where is Baby Frog, ribbit, ribbit?
Brother Frog: Don’t be too sad, Mother Frog.
Mother Frog: What do you mean? Where is Baby Frog？
Brother Frog: Baby Frog is dead, Mother Frog.
Mother Frog: What? How? Why?
Brother Frog: A big monster crushed him.
Mother Frog: Boo-hoo! Boo-hoo! My poor Baby Frog. What did the monster look like?
Brother Frog: It had horns and a long tail. And it was very, very big.
Mother Frog: You mean the Farmer’s Ox. How big was it?
Brother Frog: It was as big as a mountain.
Mother Frog: An Ox isn’t that big.
Brother Frog: It looked really big to me.
Mother Frog: How big was it again?
Brother Frog: Bigger than you, Mother Frog.
Mother Frog: Bigger than me? Are you sure?
Brother Frog: Yes.
The Mother Frog puffs up her belly.
Mother Frog: Was it this big?
Brother Frog: No, Mother Frog. Much bigger.
Mother Frog: Much bigger?
Brother Frog: Yes, yes.
The Mother Frog puffs up her belly more than before.
Mother Frog: How about this? Was it bigger than this?
Brother Frog: Oh, much bigger than that.
Mother Frog: Really? How about this?
Brother Frog: You are not even close. The Ox was much bigger than you.
The Mother Frog again puffs up her belly even more. Big Brother Frog keeps shaking his head.
Mother Frog: It can’t be bigger than this.
Brother Frog: Its legs are bigger than that.
By this time, Big Brother Frog gets a little worried. Mother Frog’s belly is already very swollen. It looks like it is going to burst any minute.
Mother Frog: Okay. Wait just a minute. I’ll try to puff myself up one more time.
Brother Frog: Please don’t, Mother Frog. It is too dangerous.
Mother Frog: No, I’m fine. I can become bigger.
The Mother Frog continues to puff up her belly. Her face is all red.
Brother Frog: Please stop, Mother Frog. The Ox was much bigger than you.
Mother Frog: Don’t worry. I can become bigger than Ox. Was it this big?
Brother Frog: It was much, much, much bigger!
The Mother Frog takes in more and more air. Her belly is really about t burst.
Mother Frog: I’ll show you.
The Mother Frog is swollen like a balloon. Finally, it happens. The Mother Frog’s belly bursts! Pop!
Brother Frog: Oh my goodness! Mother Frog! Mother Frog! Wake up! Wake up! Please！ What shall I do? Boo-hoo.
MORAL
Don’t try to do the impossible.
