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."
Dos pequeñas Ranas jugaban a la orilla de un estanque cuando un Buey bajó a beber agua y, por accidente, pisó a una de ellas y la aplastó hasta matarla. Cuando la Rana vieja notó que le faltaba, preguntó a su hermano dónde estaba. «Está muerto, madre», dijo la pequeña Rana; «una criatura enorme, de cuatro patas, vino a nuestro estanque esta mañana y lo pisoteó en el barro».
"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.
«¿Enorme, dices? ¿Era tan grande como esto?», dijo la Rana, hinchándose para parecer lo más grande posible. «¡Ah, sí, _mucho_ más grande!», fue la respuesta. La Rana se hinchó todavía más. «¿Era tan grande como esto?», preguntó. «¡Ah, sí, sí, madre, _MUCHO_ más grande!», dijo la pequeña Rana. Y una vez más se hinchó y se hinchó hasta quedar casi tan redonda como una pelota. «¿Tan grande como…?», comenzó a decir… pero entonces estalló.
