Zhuangzi | China

The Frog in the Well

A cheerful frog knows only his small well, until a sea turtle arrives with stories of a vast world. What will the frog discover beyond his tiny home?

The Frog in the Well
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Once upon a time, in a small well deep in a large forest, a happy little frog made his home. This tiny place was all the frog knew. He hopped around, swam in the cool water, and played with his friends, the crabs and the minnows. He thought he was living the best life.

One sunny day, a big turtle came into the forest. He had traveled far from the Eastern Sea, a huge and deep body of water with many amazing things.

When the turtle heard the frog playing, he looked into the well. The frog saw the visitor and shouted, "Hello there, friend! My life here in this well is wonderful. I hop, swim, and play all day. I can see everything, and I'm in charge! Why don’t you come down and join the fun?"

Curious, the turtle tried to fit into the well. But, oh no! The well was too small for him! He tried to squeeze in but got stuck. Realizing it was no use, he backed out and started talking about his home, the Eastern Sea.

"My home," the turtle began, "is so huge, it goes beyond where your eyes can reach. It’s so deep, no one has ever touched the bottom. The Eastern Sea has waves taller than the highest trees here. It's full of many creatures. Some are bright and colorful. Others are mysterious, but all are amazing. It’s so large that whether it rains for years or not at all, it remains the same."

Listening, the frog’s eyes grew bigger and bigger. For the first time, he understood that there was a much larger world beyond his well. He tried to picture the waves, the depth, and the creatures the turtle talked about, but it was hard to imagine. It was all so new to him.

As the turtle left to continue his journey, the frog stayed at the edge of his small well. He realized that his cozy home was just one part of a big, amazing world. There were so many things he had never seen or experienced.

And so, the little frog decided it might be time to leave his well and explore. A great big world was waiting out there to show him how beautiful and vast it could really be.

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The Frog in the Well