The Frog in the Hole – A Fable by Emma Lindsay

Misty Hollow Carving
This BLOG is sponsored by “Misty Hollow Carving”. You are welcome to visit Misty Hollow and see all of my carvings.

My Web Site is a like a Gallery – please drop in for a stroll through.

To help me promote my Web Site please copy this URL address and email to someone today http://www.murraylincoln.com/  

* * * * * * * *
Today’s Blog Post
If you are a regular reader of this Blog, you know that I feature guest writers from time to time. Today, with the help of her father Bruce, Emma Lindsay, our granddaughter, submitted the following story.

The Frog in the Hole – A Fable by Emma Lindsay
Emma is 12 years old now. In grade 6. A recent project for French class was to write a fable (in French). The only rule was that it had to have at least two animals in it that talk to each other and the fable has to teach us a lesson. They learned about how different animals are often used, and their most common character traits. For example… Foxes are wise, crows brag but aren't very smart.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Frog in the Hole.

There once was a frog named Fred who lived beside a river. On the riverbank there was a very deep hole.  Everyone knew about the hole, and Fred had been warned to stay away, but one day, Fred fell into the
hole.

Some friends saw Fred fall in. They looked way down into the hole and saw him there. They called “Hey Fred! It’s too bad you fell into this hole. You know there’s no way out. You should have known better.  You’re a silly frog.”

From way down in the bottom of the hole, all Fred could hear was, “Blah, blah, blah, Fred. Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb.”

Fred tried to jump. He jumped as high as he could and kept on jumping. He tried to grab on to something, but the walls were smooth and he fell back down each time.

His friends saw him jumping. They started calling louder. “Hey Fred, you foolish frog! You might as well save your energy! Nobody ever gets out of that hole. Other frogs have fallen in there and they have all died! Forget about it! You’re wasting your time!” As they were shouting, other friends and family of Fred began to gather around the hole. They all started yelling too.

From the bottom, all Fred could hear was, “BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, FRED! RHUBARB, RHUBARB, RHUBARB!” He looked up and saw his friends and family. He was more determined than ever to get out. He jumped as high as he could. He felt a rock that was sticking out of the smooth wall. He jumped again and this time got a back leg on that rock and pushed off it and was able to jump even higher!

His friends and family at the top saw him struggling and they began to get upset. They knew that it was going to hurt when he kept falling from that kind of distance. They knew that it was hopeless to keep trying. They all shouted louder, “HEY FRED! SAVE YOUR ENERGY! STOP TRYING TO JUMP OUT! YOU CAN’T DO IT! NOBODY EVER GETS OUT OF THAT HOLE! YOU ARE GOING TO DIE DOWN THERE! IF YOU KEEP JUMPING YOU’LL JUST BREAK YOUR LEG! FORGET ABOUT IT!”

From way down in the hole, all Fred heard was,“HEY FRED! BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, FRED! RHUBARB, RHUBARB, RHUBARB, RAAH, RAAH, RAAH!” Fred looked up and saw his friends and family. He was scratched up and sore, but he was not going to quit. He jumped as high as he could, got his back foot on the rock and pushed up off it again. He jumped as high as he could, and luckily found a piece of tree root sticking out of the wall. In mid-air, he grabbed it with his front leg, then pushed off it with his back leg, and just like that, he was out of the hole!

His friends and family were silent as they looked at him. They couldn't believe it.

Fred caught his breath and said, “Thank you! I never would have made it out of there without your encouragement!”

This fable teaches us three things. First, when you are down, there always seems to be people ready to keep you down. They’ll tell you it is your own fault. You blew it. They might actually think they are
being kind to tell you this stuff. Often it’s your own family and friends who say these mean things. If you can ignore all the negative things people say, you might surprise them all and do something
amazing.

Second and more important, just because nobody has ever done something before, doesn’t mean you can’t do it.

Third and most important, you can do things that people think are impossible if you have enough encouragement. Fred thought that all these people were encouraging him to keep going, keep trying, so even thought he was banged up and scratched up, he kept trying. He didn’t give up, and he made it out of the hole.

~ Emma Lindsay ~

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Note: if you see me grinning from ear to ear, it could be that Grandpa is just a little proud of his only Granddaughter, Emma!

~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/