It had hardly been two months since a guest frog showed up and became famous across the area. This was so because he would hold a gathering and offer excellent meals every evening. That is why all young frogs in the area would keenly come to him. In those gatherings, he would give pieces of news about all other areas and narrate cock and bull stories of his travelling, thus impressing the young frogs with his knowledge.
One evening, he started addressing all the young frogs, ‘I have travelled around the world. All the areas have developed a lot. On the other hand, we are way backward due to our incompetent leader. So in order to develop, we have to elect a new leader.’
‘But who will be the new leader?’ A young frog croaked.
Before the guest frog answered, another young frog started to croak, ‘Friends, if the guest frog becomes the leader, we will surely develop, because he has travelled around the world and he is aware of all the conditions.’
Upon listening to this, all the other frogs began to agree with him. If you all say, then I am ready to take on this heavy responsibility. The guest frog rejoiced a lot in his heart.
As elderly frogs were settled on the ridge of a well at a square, an army of young frogs went past them, chanting, ‘If we have to develop, we have to change the leader.’
Upon seeing this, the eldest frog said, ‘I had a doubt earlier that this guest frog would ruin the peace and tranquillity of our area. It seems that now it is time to teach him a lesson.’
Having said this, the elderly frog, accompanied with other elderly frogs along with the support of his stick, moved towards the house of the guest frog.
[After reaching there,] The elderly frog said, ‘Why are you inciting our young frogs? What is your problem with this [existing] leader?’
Soon, all the frogs in the area also gathered there.
Looking at all of them, the guest frog croaked, ‘I have come from foreign. Everything is developed there, but look at the condition here. For us to develop, it is necessary that a competent leader should be brought in and the young frogs agree that I am that one [competent leader].’
Having heard this, the young frogs started chanting again, ‘If we have to develop, we have to elect the foreigner.’
Upon listening to this, the elderly frog croaked angrily, ‘Youngsters, we have every facility in our area. Now which development do you wish for? Listen to me carefully, if this foreigner becomes the leader, all of you will regret a lot.’
However, the youngsters were possessed by foreign development. They turned a deaf ear to the elder ones and the next day they elected the guest frog as the leader of the area.
All [young] frogs were happy for a couple of days that they would also develop soon. But gradually, the guest frog started to show his real face. He inflicted hardship on the frogs of the area without any reason and enforced unusual laws. Everyone started to regret but now it is no good crying over spilt milk.
Dear children! In order to develop, it is good to think your conditions over. But it is not necessary that the way other people have achieved development may prove to be beneficial for us as well. In fact, sometimes it happens that this new way causes harm.
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