FRIENDS FOREVER

A MOUSE AND A FROG WERE FRIENDS.

EVERY MORNING THE FROG WOULD HOP OUT

OF HIS POND AND GO TO VISIT HIS FRIEND

WHO LIVED IN A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF A TREE.

HE WOULD RETURN HOME AT NOON. 

THE MOUSE DELIGHTED IN HIS FRIEND’S

COMPANY UNAWARE THAT THE FRIEND WAS

SLOWLY TURNING INTO AN ENEMY.

THE REASON?

THE FROG FELT SLIGHTED BECAUSE THOUGH

HE VISITED THE MOUSE EVERYDAY,

THE MOUSE ON HIS PART,

HAD NEVER MADE AN ATTEMPT TO VISIT HIM. 

ONE DAY HE FELT HE HAD BEEN HUMILIATED

ENOUGH. WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR HIM TO TAKE

LEAVE OF THE MOUSE, HE TIED ONE END OF A

STRING AROUND HIS OWN LEG,

TIED THE OTHER END TO THE MOUSE’S TAIL

AND HOPPED AWAY, DRAGGING THE

HAPLESS MOUSE BEHIND HIM. 

THE FROG DIVED DEEP INTO THE POND.

THE MOUSE TRIED TO FREE HIMSELF

BUT COULDN’T, AND SOON DROWNED.

HIS BLOATED BODY FLOATED TO THE TOP. 

A HAWK SAW THE MOUSE FLOATING ON THE

POND’S SURFACE. HE SWOOPED DOWN, AND

GRABBING THE MOUSE IN HIS TALONS,

FLEW TO THE BRANCH OF A NEARBY TREE.

THE FROG, OF COURSE,

WAS HAULED OUT OF THE WATER TOO.

HE DESPERATELY TRIED TO FREE HIMSELF,

BUT COULDN’T AND THE HAWK SOON

PUT AN END TO HIS STRUGGLES. 

IN AFRICA THEY HAVE A SAYING:

‘DON’T DIG TOO DEEP A PIT FOR YOUR ENEMY,

YOU MAY FALL INTO IT YOURSELF’.