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A frog lived in a
shallow well. One day, he boasted to a large turtle from the
Eastern Ocean:
“Life here is perfect! When I go out, I hop along the well’s
rim; when I return, I rest in the crevices between the
bricks. I can float with just my head above water, or wade
ankle-deep in soft mud. No crab or tadpole can match me. I
am ruler of this water, master of my well. What more could
anyone want? You should come here often—it’s great fun!”
The turtle stepped forward, but before his left foot could
enter the well, his right claw caught on the edge. He
stopped, stepped back, and began to speak.
“The ocean is more than a thousand miles wide and over ten
thousand feet deep. In ancient times, floods came nine years
out of ten, yet its waters never rose. Later, droughts
lasted seven years out of eight, yet its waters never fell.
Through all the ages, it has remained the same. That is why
I choose to live in the Eastern Ocean.”
The frog sat in silence, feeling suddenly very small.
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