The Frog and the Ox
A free A2-level English story for language learners, readable online in 7 languages, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
When a mother frog hears about the giant creature that trampled her son, she's determined to prove she can grow just as big herself — no matter the cost.
Two little Frogs were playing about at the edge of a pool when an Ox came down to the water to drink, and by accident trod on one of them and crushed the life out of him. When the old Frog missed him, she asked his brother where he was. "He is dead, mother," said the little Frog; "an enormous big creature with four legs came to our pool this morning and trampled him down in the mud."
Dua Katak kecil sedang bermain di tepi sebuah kolam ketika seekor Sapi datang ke air untuk minum, dan tanpa sengaja menginjak salah satu dari mereka hingga tewas seketika. Ketika induk Katak kehilangan anaknya, ia bertanya kepada saudaranya ke mana perginya adiknya itu. "Dia sudah mati, Bu," kata Katak kecil itu; "seekor makhluk raksasa berkaki empat datang ke kolam kita pagi ini dan menginjaknya hingga tenggelam ke dalam lumpur."
"Enormous, was he? Was he as big as this?" said the Frog, puffing herself out to look as big as possible. "Oh! yes, _much_ bigger," was the answer. The Frog puffed herself out still more. "Was he as big as this?" said she. "Oh! yes, yes, mother, _MUCH_ bigger," said the little Frog. And yet again she puffed and puffed herself out till she was almost as round as a ball. "As big as…?" she began—but then she burst.
"Raksasa, katamu? Apakah sebesar ini?" kata sang induk Katak, mengembungkan tubuhnya sebesar mungkin. "Oh! Ya, jauh lebih besar," jawab si kecil. Sang induk Katak mengembungkan tubuhnya lebih besar lagi. "Apakah sebesar ini?" tanyanya. "Oh! Ya, ya, Bu, JAUH lebih besar," kata Katak kecil itu. Dan sekali lagi ia terus mengembungkan tubuhnya hingga hampir sebulat bola. "Apakah sebesar…?" ia mulai bertanya—tetapi kemudian ia meletus.
