Frogs in the well

Fable

Frog was trying to catch Fly for his breakfast when Snake came crawling through the grass.  Hunger is what drives Frog, Fly and Snake.  Escaping from the other’s hunger is the art of living.  Frog leaped away from Snake.  He had not been careful enough, however.

It was a blind leap.  Frog had no time to practise what his grandmother had taught him: “Look before you leap.”  Frog was descending rapidly into darkness.  But he could soon hear the croaks of other frogs.  He hit water.  He had reached the bottom of a well.

Soon all the frogs in the well gathered around him.  From the tiny tots to the grandpas and grandmas, all the frogs croaked away in wonder until one frog who looked like a leader said, “You are the Avatar of God.  You have descended from Heaven to save us.”  All the frogs in the well fell prostrate in front of Frog.

Frog was not a fraud, however.  “I’m not any avatar of any god.  I was trying to save myself from Snake but did not have the time to look before I leaped.”

The frogs croaked.  “We have a Saviour who has killed the Serpent, our enemy.  Our Saviour has delivered us from Evil.”  The Leader chanted hymns of praise for Frog the Saviour, Avatar of God.  The frogs followed suit.

Soon a temple was erected on the tallest rock in the well.  Nobody was interested in listening to Frog’s explanations and entreaties.  Myths overpower truths, Frog realised.  Soon he would be a prisoner of myths in the well.  Rather, he would not have even the freedom to move about in the well.  He would be imprisoned in the temple. 

While the frogs were giving the finishing touches to the temple, Frog found a way to get out of the well.  Using the grass and roots on the wall of the well, he ascended. 

The temple looked marvellous when it was completed.  The frogs made a sculpture of their God and burst into croaks of worship.

They added a new ending to their Saviour myth.  After destroying their mortal enemy, Serpent, their Saviour had ascended back into heaven.  He now resides in Heaven delivering the frogs in the well from evils.

The temple resounded with devout croaks that cried to the Heaven ceaselessly.