The Frog and the Ox

"Oh, Father," said a little frog to the big one sitting by the side of a pool, "I have seen such a terrible monster! It was as big as a mountain, with horns on its head and a long tail, and it had hooves divided in two."

"Tush, child, tush," replied the old frog. "That was only Farmer White's ox. It isn't so big either; he may be a little bit taller than I am, but I could easily make myself just as broad. Just you see."

So he blew himself out, and blew himself out, and blew himself out. "Was he as big as that?" he asked.

"Oh, much bigger than that," said the young frog.

Again, the old frog blew himself out and asked the young one if the ox was as big as that.

"Bigger, Father, bigger," was the reply.

Determined, the old frog took a deep breath and blew and blew and blew, swelling larger and larger. Finally, he proclaimed, "I'm sure the ox is not as big as—" but at that moment, he burst.

Self-conceit may lead to self-destruction.