The Fable of the Rushing River

By David Gosselin

An original fable

There once was a group of four frogs who loved to swim in the lively waters of a wild pool. They would play games and have competitions to see who could swim across the pool the fastest. Depending on the day, different frogs would win the competition. But one day, the four frogs got tired of racing across the same old pool of water and decided to find new waters where they could see who the best swimmer really was. So, they went from a pool to a pond.

Once arrived at the pond, they had a race and the first frog won. But now the second frog said, “Wait, that was just luck! These waters are too easy to swim in.” So, he proposed that the frogs find other livelier waters where they could see who the strongest swimmer really was. The four frogs decided to go to the strongest waters they knew, a rushing creek just an hour of hopping away. The four frogs agreed and set out to the new waters. So, they went from a pool to a pond to a creek.

Finally, they arrived at the rushing creek and jumped in the water. “This water is stronger!” said the second frog. “Now we can all swim at our best and see who the strongest swimmer really is.” The frogs all raced and could feel the waters pushing them off their courses as they tried to cross the rushing creek, such that each of them had to swim extra well just to make sure they didn’t lose the race or get pushed further down the creek. This time, the second frog won.

Now, the first frog said, “That’s just luck! I’m still the best swimmer.” The second frog replied, “Well, why don’t you prove it?” After the two frogs argued back and forth, the third frog said, “Well, why don’t we find stronger waters and then we can be sure who the best swimmer really is?” By then, other creatures started gathering along the banks of the creek to watch the competition and see who would win. After overhearing the frogs quarreling over who was the best swimmer, a hare in the crowd told them there was an even bigger body of water, a rushing river, just a few minutes of hopping away. But then a tortoise appeared and said, “Oh, but that’s dangerous! None of the frogs,” he said, “will be able to cross the rushing river. For, while it looks peaceful on the surface,” said the tortoise, “the currents and quality of water are much stronger than you can imagine.”

But the frogs were excited, and the two winners wanted to show everyone which among them was really the best swimmer. So, the crowd of creatures went together, the hare and the tortoise and the badgers and the swans. All followed the frogs to the new waters. So, they went from a pool to a pond to a creek to a river.

Finally, they arrived. But while the waters seemed calm on the surface, the frogs could see little streaks of white water and currents stronger than the ones in the pool or the pond or the creek. Then, just as the two frogs were getting ready to jump into the river and race across, a big pink salmon appeared and said, “Careful, the waters of this river are the strongest in the land. Few creatures other than I can make it across the rushing river safely.”

After hearing the salmon, the second frog got a little scared and decided that it was better not to race again. He said to the first frog, “You win. We don’t have to race again.” But the first frog was confident and wanted everyone to see that he was really the best swimmer and could do what all the other creatures were afraid of. So, the tortoise spoke up and said, “Careful, one should be very careful of the quality of water beneath the peaceful surface. This is no pond or pool or creek,” said the tortoise, “this is a rushing river.”

“Just watch me,” said the first frog, and then he jumped into the waters as the frogs, the hare, the tortoise and all the other creatures watched from the shores. After not more than a minute, the waters became livelier, quickly pulling the frog from his course, and sending him down the river.

They never saw that frog again.

David Gosselin is a poet, researcher, and translator in Montreal, Canada. He is the Editor-in-Chief of The Chain​ed Muse.

Stay tuned for the next instalment in our civilizational story series, a dialogue featuring Daedalus and Icarus.

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