Grandfather Frog snapped up a foolish green fly and settled
himself on his big lily pad, while all the Merry Little Breezes
gathered round to listen.

"Once on a time," began Grandfather Frog, "the Frogs ruled the
world, which was mostly water. There was very little dry land--
oh, very little indeed! There were no boys to throw stones and no
hungry Mink to gobble up foolish Frog-babies who were taking a
sun bath!"

Billy Mink, who had joined the Merry Little Breezes and was
listening, squirmed uneasily and looked away guiltily.

"In those days all the Frogs had tails, long handsome tails of
which they were very, very proud indeed," continued Grandfather
Frog. "The King of all the Frogs was twice as big as any other
Frog, and his tail was three times as long. He was very proud,
oh, very proud indeed of his long tail. He used to sit and admire
it until he thought that there never had been and never could be
another such tail. He used to wave it back and forth in the
water, and every time he waved it all the other Frogs would cry
'Ah!' and 'Oh!' Every day the King grew more vain. He did nothing
at all but eat and sleep and admire his tail.

"Now all the other Frogs did just as the King did, so pretty soon
none of the Frogs were doing anything but sitting about eating,
sleeping and admiring their own tails and the King's.

"Now you all know that people who do nothing worth while in this
world are of no use and there is little room for them. So when