The Two Frogs

Long ago, in Japan, there were two frogs. They did not know
each other, nor were they related, but they were very alike.
The first frog lived in a ditch, in the town of Osaka, beside
the sea. The second frog lived some distance away in Kyoto.
The two cities are only about 50 kilometres apart, but for
small frogs that is a long way! The Kyoto frog had his home in
a stream, where the water was clear and clean.
Now, as I said before, these frogs were not related. They
were neither brothers nor cousins; they did not know each
other. But, at the very same time, they both had the same
idea! It is said that twins think alike. These two frogs were
not twins, but they could have been. How else might they
both have had the same idea at the same moment?
Well, the idea they had was this. The Kyoto frog, because
he was a bit of a poet, put his thought into verse:
‘It’s time for me, to step out and about,
To travel afar, without a small doubt;
My first place of call will be Osaka,
But I’ll have to work; I can’t go by car!’
Delighted with his little poem, he made a little hop, and
kicked his heels together in the air. He was even more
pleased with the thought of seeing Osaka.
 The Osaka frog, sitting in his ditch, was also a bit of a poet.
He too put his thought into verse:
‘How long I’ve been here, I really don’t know;
But it’s time now for me to go, go, go!
To Kyoto I’ll hop, to see the show
At the palace of the great Mikado!’
Apart from being poets, the two frogs were clever little
chaps. They did not set off immediately, for it was still winter.
They waited for the spring, when, on a bright sunny day, they
both left their homes. And just think! Isn’t that strange?
The first frog left his ditch in Osaka. And the second left his
stream in Kyoto they travelled the same road, but from
different directions. The poor little fellows hopped as fast as
their tiny legs would take them, but it was hard work.
And what did they know of the world outside their own
homes? Nothing!
Along the way, the frogs arrived at about the same time at
mountain, the road went up and up; the little frogs hopped
and hopped. The higher they went, the more tired they
became. It took them ages to get to the top of the mountain,
but get there they did. And that is where they met!
The first frog stopped hopping. The second frog stopped,
too. They were surprised to see each other: so, at first, they
just started and said nothing.
 After a while, they both started talking at the very same
time. Then, most politely, they stopped talking and waited
for the other to speak. There was a moment of silence,
before they started talking in turns.
‘What brings you here?’ asked the Osaka frog.
‘I’m on my way to see the world,’ said the Kyoto frog. ‘It’s
hard work, but I’m heading for Osaka.’
‘Delightful!’ said the Osaka frog. ‘I’m doing exactly the
same. I’m off to see the world, and I’m heading for Kyoto!’
‘Where have you come from?’ asked the Kyoto frog.
‘From Osaka,’ replied the Osaka frog. ‘And you?’
‘How strange! How strange!’ cried the Kyoto frog, laughing.
‘I’ve come from very place to which you are going- Kyoto!’
Since the frogs were not in any hurry, they decided to
spend some time together. They found a cool pond;
stretched out on the wet grass beside it, and chatted about
their hometowns.
‘It’s not far to my home,’ said the Osaka frog. ‘But it seems
like a long way for my little legs!’
‘Yes,’ said the Kyoto frog. ‘My legs are tired, too. It’s a pity
we’re not taller. If we were, we could see both cities from
here!’
 ‘Quite!’ replied the Osaka frog. ‘We could then tell if it
were worth going there.’
‘I have an idea!’ said the Kyoto frog. ‘Why don’t we stand
up on our hind legs, and hold on to each other? You can then
see Kyoto, and I’ll be able to see Osaka!’
‘Brilliant!’ cried the Osaka frog. ‘That’s a great idea!’
So the two frogs stood up and came together. The Osaka
frog placed his front paws on the shoulder of the Kyoto frog.
The Kyoto frog put his paws on the shoulder of the Osaka
frog. They stood on tiptoe, and stretched themselves as high
as they could. They held tightly to each other, so they might
not fall over.
When they were steady, the Kyoto frog turned his nose
towards Osaka; the Osaka frog turned his nose towards
Kyoto. But the silly fellows forgot that their eyes lay in the
back of their heads! So, although their noses were pointing
one way, their eyes were looking the other way. The frogs
were not looking at the place to which they were going; they
were looking at the place from which they had just come!
The Osaka frog stared at Osaka. The Kyoto frog stared at
Kyoto.
‘Oh dear!’ cried the Osaka frog. ‘To me, Kyoto looks exactly
the same as Osaka. It’s no different at all. It’ll be a complete
waste of time for me to go there. I think I’ll return home.’
 ‘You are right,’ agreed the Kyoto frog. ‘Osaka looks just the
same as Kyoto. It’s a great pity; I’ve travelled all this way for
nothing!’
At this point, the frogs let to go of each other and fell onto
the grass. They rolled over, and faced each other once again.
They spoke a few friendly words, and said goodbye, and set
off back the way they had come.
Till the end of their lives the frogs believed that Osaka and
Kyoto were exactly the same. But if you visit these cities, you
will see they are very different; that is, if your eyes are not on
back of you head!