P. V. Ramaswami Raju

The Frog and the Snake

A snake and a frog were friends in a pond. The snake taught the frog to hiss, and the frog taught the snake to croak. The snake would hide in the reeds and croak. The frogs would say, "Why, there is one of us," and come near. The snake would then dart at them, and eat all he could seize. The frog would hide in the reeds and hiss. His kin would say, "Why, there is the snake," and keep off.

After some time, the frogs found out the trick of the snake, and took care not to come near him. Thus the snake got no frogs to eat for a long time; so he seized his friend to gobble him up.

The frog then said, though too late, "By becoming your friend, I lost the company of my kindred, and am now losing my life. One's neck to fate one has to bend, when one would make so bad a friend!"