The Leap-Frog

The Leap-Frog

One day, a Flea, a Grasshopper, and a little Frog decided to find out which of them could jump the highest.

All three were sure they were the best jumpers in the world.

“We should hold a proper competition,” said Flea. “With an audience, judges, and applause.”

“And music,” added Grasshopper. “Without music, a great occasion cannot be truly great.”

Frog said nothing. She only blinked and watched her two rivals carefully.

The news quickly spread throughout the kingdom. Guests began arriving at the palace. Courtiers, cooks, gardeners, musicians, a watchdog, and even a few sparrows who had not been invited came and perched on the windowsill.

The king ordered a golden starting mark to be placed in the middle of the hall.

“Whoever makes the best jump,” he announced, “will receive a gold medal and a place of honor beside the princess at today’s celebration.”

The princess sat on a little golden chair and smiled.

“But I would like to say which jump I think is the best, too,” she remarked.

“Of course,” the king agreed. “This is a celebration for all of us.”

Flea stepped forward first.

She bowed low to the right, then to the left, then once more in the middle.

“I come from a very respectable family,” Flea said. “I have visited houses where some people here would not even be let in through the front door.”

The watchdog snorted.

“That’s because you come in without using the door,” he muttered.

Flea pretended not to hear.

Next came Grasshopper.

He wore a fine green “uniform,” though it was really just his own wings and back.

“My family is very ancient,” he said proudly. “And I am a musician. When I sing in the grass, the whole meadow knows who the star performer is.”

He immediately gave a long:

“Zrrrrrrrr!”

A few courtiers politely clapped.

Frog remained silent.

“And what will you tell us about yourself?” the king asked.

Frog thought for a moment and replied:

“Nothing special. I’ll just jump.”

The watchdog sniffed her and said solemnly:

“I like her. She smells of pond, reeds, and common sense.”

The old adviser nodded as gravely as if he had just heard a secret of state.

“Quiet creatures often think a great deal,” he said.

“Or they are simply quiet,” the princess added.

Everyone laughed.

At last, it was time for the contest.

Flea took her place on the golden mark.

“Watch closely!” she cried.

Boing!

She flew so high that no one could see exactly where she went.

Silence fell over the hall.

“Has she jumped already?” someone whispered.

“I didn’t see a thing,” another said.

Flea landed and declared indignantly:

“That proves I jumped the highest! I was too high for your eyes to see!”

“Perhaps,” said the king. “But it is hard to judge a jump no one saw.”

Then Grasshopper stepped up.

He stretched his legs, adjusted his imaginary collar, and winked at the audience.

“Now you’ll see real artistry.”

Boing!

Grasshopper soared beautifully, but did not quite choose the right direction. He landed right on the king’s crown.

The crown slid down over one of the king’s ears.

Everyone froze.

Grasshopper quickly jumped onto the floor.

“I wanted to make the performance more majestic,” he explained.

The king straightened his crown.

“That was a high jump,” he said, “but next time choose your landing place more carefully.”

Only Frog remained.

She walked up to the starting mark.

She stood still.

She thought.

She stood a little longer.

“Maybe she changed her mind?” Flea whispered.

“Maybe she fell asleep?” Grasshopper guessed.

The watchdog tilted his head.

“No. She’s calculating something.”

Suddenly, Frog crouched down.

Boing!

She flew not just upward, but diagonally, and landed softly on the edge of the golden chair beside the princess.

The princess laughed in surprise.

“Well done!”

The king looked at Frog, at the chair, and then at the other competitors.

“Interesting,” he said. “We agreed to choose the best jump. Flea jumped so high no one could see a thing. Grasshopper jumped beautifully but nearly took my crown. Frog did not simply try to show her strength. She thought about where she wanted to land.”

The princess nodded.

“To me, that was the most skillful jump. She didn’t only rise up—she chose exactly where to land.”

So Frog received the gold medal and the place of honor at the celebration.

Flea snorted.

“I still jumped higher.”

“Maybe,” Frog replied. “But sometimes it’s not only about how high you rise. It’s also about where you end up.”

Grasshopper thought about those words, then began playing his evening tune.

Before long, Flea had calmed down, too. She decided that next time she would ask them to put up a tall measuring tape in advance so everyone could judge her talent.

Frog sat beside the princess and enjoyed little drops of honey from a leaf.

From then on, people at court often remembered that curious contest.

Not because someone had jumped the highest.

But because the quiet little Frog reminded everyone: first think carefully about where you are going, and only then jump.

May this story leave a little light in your heart ✨