and assumed himself to be a nightingale of a thousand melodies.

At that time the Mouse was engaged in chanting in a corner of his cell.
Directly he heard the uproarious yelling of the Frog he was astounded,
and came out with the intention of taking a look at the reciter; and
while occupied with listening to him, kept smiting his hands together
and shaking his head. These gestures, which seemed to display
approbation, pleased the Frog and he made advances toward acquaintance
with him. In short, being mutually pleased with each other, they
became inseparable companions, and used to narrate to each other
entertaining stories and tales.

One day the Mouse said to the Frog: "I am oftentimes desirous of
disclosing to thee a secret and recounting to thee a grief which I have
at heart, and at that moment thou art abiding under the water. However
much I shout thou nearest me not, owing to the noise of the water, and
in spite of my crying to thee, the sound cannot reach thee, because of
the clamour of the other frogs. We must devise some means by which
thou mayest know when I come to the brink of the water, and thus mayest
be informed of my arrival without my shouting to thee."

The Frog said: "Thou speakest the truth. I, too, have often pondered
uneasily, thinking, should my friend come to the brink of the water,
how shall I, at the bottom of this fountain, learn his arrival? And it
sometimes happens that I, too, come to the mouth of thy hole, and thou
hast gone out from another side, and I have to wait long. I had
intended to have touched somewhat on this subject before, but now the
arrangement of it rests with thee."

The Mouse replied: "I have got hold of the thread of a plan, and it