the frogs, living an easy, free sort of life among the lakes and ponds, once prayed jupiter to send them a king.

jove, being at that time in a merry mood, threw them a log, saying, as he did so, "there, then, is a king for you."

awed by the splash, the frogs watched their king in fear and trembling, till at last, encouraged by his stillness, one more daring than the rest jumped upon the shoulder of the monarch. soon, many others followed his example, and made merry on the back of their unresisting king. speedily tiring of such a torpid ruler, they again petitioned jupiter, and asked him to send them something more like a king.

this time he sent them a stork, who tossed them about and gobbled them up without mercy. they lost no time, therefore, in beseeching the god to give them again their former state.

"no, no," replied he, "a king that did you no harm did not please you. make the best of the one you have, or you may chance to get a worse in his place."