The Noisy Frog

In a peaceful pond nestled between tall green reeds, there lived a humble tortoise named Taro and a loud, boastful frog named Felix. The pond was home to many creatures—fish, dragonflies, and birds—but none were as loud as Felix.

Felix loved to talk. He croaked from sunrise to sunset, boasting about his strength, his speed, and his wisdom. He would puff up his chest and declare, "I am the fastest swimmer in the pond! No one can jump as high as I can! My voice is the most beautiful sound in the world!"

The other animals grew tired of his endless chatter. The fish would swim away when he started boasting, the dragonflies would flutter off to quieter parts of the pond, and even the birds would fly to higher branches to escape his noise. But Felix didn’t notice—he was too busy admiring his own voice.

Taro, the tortoise, was the complete opposite. He was slow in movement and even slower to speak. When he did talk, his words were thoughtful and kind. He listened more than he spoke, and when he gave advice, it was always wise. The other animals respected him for his patience and humility.

One day, Felix saw Taro resting on a rock near the water’s edge.

"Hey, slowpoke!" Felix croaked loudly. "Why are you always so quiet? Don’t you have anything interesting to say? Or are you just too dull to speak?"

Taro blinked slowly and smiled. "I speak when I have something meaningful to say, Felix. Words are like seeds—only the good ones grow into something valuable."

Felix laughed. "Nonsense! The more you talk, the more important you are! Watch this!" He leaped onto a lily pad and began croaking even louder, singing a song about how amazing he was.

Taro sighed and continued sunbathing.

The Storm Comes
That evening, dark clouds rolled over the pond. The wind howled, and the water churned violently. A great storm was coming.

The fish dove deep into the water, the birds took shelter in the trees, and the dragonflies hid under broad leaves. Taro, sensing danger, tucked himself safely into his strong shell.

But Felix, still full of himself, sat on his lily pad and croaked, "Ha! A little rain doesn’t scare me! I am Felix the Great! I can shout louder than any storm!"

The rain poured harder. The wind grew stronger. The waves crashed over Felix’s lily pad, tossing him into the rough water.

"Help! Help!" Felix cried as he struggled to stay afloat. His loud voice was useless against the storm—no one could hear him over the thunder and rain.

The Rescue
Taro, safe in his shell, heard Felix’s desperate cries. Slowly but surely, he crawled toward the struggling frog. With great effort, he pushed a large floating log toward Felix.

"Grab hold!" Taro called.

Felix clung to the log, gasping for breath. The waves carried them to the shore, where they waited until the storm passed.

The Lesson Learned
When the sky cleared, Felix sat quietly, his usual boastfulness gone.

"Taro," he said softly, "you saved my life. And yet, I always mocked you for being slow and quiet."

Taro nodded. "Words are powerful, Felix. But only if they carry meaning. Empty words—no matter how loud—bring no value. True strength lies in actions, not noise."

Felix hung his head in shame. "I see now. I wasted so much time bragging when I should have been listening and learning."

From that day on, Felix changed. He still croaked, but now his words were kinder. He listened more and boasted less. The other animals noticed and welcomed him with respect.

Moral of the Story
Empty words bring no value. True wisdom lies in speaking with purpose and acting with kindness.

The pond became peaceful again—not because Felix was silent, but because his words finally had meaning. And Taro, the humble tortoise, continued to teach through his quiet strength, proving that actions always speak louder than words.

The End.