Two Frogs; A Japanese Folk Tale

This story is taken from The Violet Fairy Book, published in 1901 and edited by Andrew Lang.

One beautiful day in the country of Japan, two frogs lived their lives at such a great distance apart that they had never even heard of one another. One had made his home in a ditch near the town of Osaka, on the coast of the sea, while the other dwelt in a clear little stream which ran through the city of Kyoto.  Strangely, however, the idea came into both their heads at once that they should like to see a little of the world. The frog who lived in Kyoto wanted to visit Osaka, and the frog who lived at Osaka wished to go to Kyoto, where the great Mikado had his palace.

So one beautiful spring morning, they both set out along the road that led from Kyoto to Osaka, one from one end and the other from the other. The journey was more tiring than they'd expected, for they did not know much about traveling. Halfway between the two towns there arose a mountain which had to be climbed. It took them a long time and a great many hops to reach the top, but there they were at last, and what was the surprise of each to see another frog before him!

They looked at each other for a moment without speaking, and then fell into conversation, explaining the cause of their meeting so far from their homes. It was delightful to find that they both felt the same wish- to learn a little more of their native country! And as there was no sort of hurry, they stretched themselves out in a cool, damp place and agreed that they'd have a good rest together before they parted to find their own destinations.

 "What a pity we are not bigger," mused the Osaka frog, "for then we could see both towns from here and tell if it is worth our while to travel on."

"Oh, that is easily managed," returned the Kyoto frog. "We have only got to stand up on our hind legs, and hold onto each other for support. Then we can each look at the town he is traveling to."

This idea pleased the Osaka frog so much that he at once jumped up and put his front paws on the shoulder of his new friend, who had also risen in haste. There they both stood, stretching themselves as high as they could stretch, and holding each other tightly so that they might not fall down. The Kyoto frog turned his nose towards Osaka, and the Osaka frog turned his nose towards Kyoto; but the foolish things forgot that when they stood up their great eyes lay in the backs of their heads, and although their noses pointed towards the places to which they wanted to go, their eyes still beheld the places from which they had come.

 "Dear me!" cried the Osaka frog, "Kyoto is exactly like Osaka. It is certainly not worth such a long journey. I shall go home!"

"If I had had any idea that Osaka was only a copy of Kyoto I should never have traveled all this way," exclaimed the frog from Kyoto, and as he spoke he took his hands from his friend's shoulders. They both fell down onto the grass. They then took a polite farewell of each other, and set off for home again. And to the end of their lives they believed that Osaka and Kyoto, which are as different to look at as two towns can be, were as alike as two peas.