In a sunlit pond bordered by swaying reeds and floating lily pads, lived a community of frogs. They spent their days swimming wherever they pleased, catching dragonflies when they were hungry, and making their own choices about everything in their lives. The pond was peaceful and prosperous, with plenty of food and space for everyone.
But sometimes, having freedom means having to make difficult decisions. Some days, the frogs argued about the best spots for sunbathing. Other times, they disagreed about who should keep watch for herons. Making choices wasn’t always easy, and slowly, some of the frogs grew tired of having to think for themselves.
“Why should we have to make all these decisions?” croaked one frog, lounging on a particularly comfortable lily pad. “Life would be so much easier if we had a king to tell us what to do.”
“Yes!” agreed another, floating lazily in the warm water. “A king would solve all our problems. No more arguments, no more difficult choices!”
Soon, more and more frogs joined in, until their croaking chorus reached all the way to Mount Olympus, where Jupiter, king of the gods, listened to their plea with amusement.
“So, they want a king, do they?” Jupiter mused, stroking his beard thoughtfully. “Very well, I shall give them what they ask for.”
The next morning, something massive splashed into the pond, sending waves across the water. The frogs dove deep in terror, hiding among the underwater plants. After a while, one brave frog peeked out to see what their new king looked like.
There, floating majestically in the middle of the pond, was… a log.
At first, the frogs stayed hidden, expecting the log-king to do something grand and royal. But the log simply floated there, peaceful and silent. Gradually, the frogs emerged from hiding and swam closer to inspect their new ruler.
“This isn’t a real king!” they complained, hopping onto the log and jumping up and down. “It doesn’t do anything! We wanted a strong ruler who would take care of everything for us!”
Their ungrateful croaking once again reached Jupiter, who this time became annoyed. “They reject my peaceful king? Then perhaps they need one who will show them what real authority looks like!”
This time, when Jupiter’s gift arrived, it came in the form of a long, sleek water snake. This new king wasted no time in showing exactly how he would rule – by chasing and eating any frog he could catch!
Now the frogs understood the terrible price of giving up their freedom. They could no longer swim where they wanted or enjoy peaceful afternoons on the lily pads. Every moment was spent hiding from their new king, who saw them not as subjects to rule but as meals to enjoy.
“Oh, please!” they begged Jupiter, “Give us back our freedom! We’ll gladly make our own decisions, even the hard ones, if it means we can live in peace again!”
But Jupiter had taught them their lesson. The frogs learned that while freedom means facing choices and responsibilities, it’s far better than living under the rule of someone who doesn’t have your best interests at heart.
