Twistales

On an ill-fated day a mouse made the acquaintance of a frog, and they set off on their travels together!

The frog pretended to be very fond of the mouse and invited him to visit the pond in which he lived. To keep his companion out of harm’s way, the frog tied the mouse’s front foot to his own hind leg, and thus they proceeded for some distance by land. When they came to the pond, the frog told the mouse to trust him and be brave as he began swimming across the water. But, no sooner had they reached the middle of the pond than the frog suddenly plunged to the bottom, dragging the unfortunate mouse after him.

Now the struggling and floundering mouse made such a great commotion in the water that he managed to attract the attention of a hawk, who pounced upon the mouse and carried him away to be devoured. Since the frog was still tied to the mouse, he shared the same fate of his companion and was justly punished for his treachery.

Old Learning: Whoever plots the downfall of his neighbour is often betrayed by his own treachery.