The Royal Frog and His Diplomacy
Long long ago, there was a frog named Gangadutta who lived in a well. The well had been abandoned by people who once used it. A forest had grown around it. It was deep and spacious well. It never went out of water-not even in the hottest season of the year. It was overshadowed by trees. Occasionally woodcutters or hunters drank its cool water which remained undisturbed most of the time. Prominent among the small creatures who inhabited it were frogs. Gangadutta was the king over the small population of frogs in the well. But he lorded over them too much and became very unpopular. Some frogs began to defy his authority. Physically, Gangadutta was not strong enough to punish those rebel frogs. Soon a sinister idea came to his mind. An old rope, which was in use no more, hung from the mouth of the well. With great difficulty, Gangadutta came out of the well with the help of the rope and hopped on and on, till he saw a hole under a tree. He knew that the hole was the home of a snake. "Hello, snake! please come out. I have an excellent proposal for you," said Gangadutta. "Who are you?" asked the snake, although he was sure that it was either a snake charmer out to capture him and tame him, or a physician in search of his poison which was of great medicinal value.
"I am a royal frog, Gangadutta by name, out to befriend you." "Don't make me laugh! A frog would call out a snake to befriend him, eh? You take me for a fool, I see!" replied the snake. "Believe me, friend, I am a frog, a king among frogs though, and I do value your friendship!" replied Gangadutta. Slowly the snake showed his head and was amazed to see his caller. "I invite you to my well. There is a hollow on its stone wall, almost touching the water, which should prove a fine camp for you. Come, friend, follow me!" said Gangadutta. "But why on earth do you need my company?" demanded the snake. "To be frank, it is to punish my enemies. I shall point them out to you. You can gobble them up one by one. There are plenty of frogs who have incurred my displeasure. They would be food enough for you at least to last a month," informed Gangadutta. It was summer. The cool hollow in the well and the ready food were most inviting. The snake agreed to honor Gangadutta's suggestion. "I, however, wish you to make one solemn promise. You must not harm any frog who has not been marked by me as a bad character!" said Gangadutta. "How can I do anything without my host's sanction? Am I not an upright snake?" Satisfied, Gangadutta led the snake to the well. It was a tough job for the snake to descend into it with the support of the rope. But once he was inside the well, his eyes glittered with happiness. "What have you done? How could you bring a terrible enemy of our race here?" asked Gangadutta's wife in great disgust.
"I am a king. I have to do many things to maintain my authority!" Gangadutta replied gravely. "To suppress some foes with the help of other foes is called diplomacy!" The snake began his work. Gangadutta would point out his enemies and he would gleefully gobble them up. Looking askance at his host, he would swallow even those who had not been pointed out to him. There was a great panic in the well. A few frogs who tried to escape were caught by the snake. In a fortnight the snake finished all the enemies of Gangadutta. "Thanks a lot, sir, you may now return to your hole," said the host. "You are an ungrateful creature to say so. My hole must have been filled up by sand or occupied by another snake. I have to be here," declared the snake gobbling up Gangadutta's only son! Gangadutta's wife wailed. But not for long. She too was caught and despatched by the snake. In a few more days the snake emptied the well of all frogs, Gangadutta excepting. Slowly the snake turned towards Gangadutta. The dazed Gangadutta tried to recover his wits and said, "You can eat me, but that cannot keep you satisfied for long. Better I go out, and lure some more frogs into the well." At that, the snake allowed Gangadutta to go out, who needless to say, never returned to the well! But he lived only to repent for the rest of his life.
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