The Frogs Asking for a King. 51 by Townsend
THE FROGS, grieved at having no established Ruler,
sent ambassadors to Jupiter entreating for a King.
Perceiving their simplicity, he cast down a huge log into
the lake. The Frogs were terrified at the splash
occasioned by its fall and hid themselves in the depths
of the pool. But as soon as they realized that the huge
log was motionless, they swam again to the top of the
water, dismissed their fears, climbed up, and began
squatting on it in contempt. After some time they began
to think themselves ill-treated in the appointment of so
inert a Ruler, and sent a second deputation to Jupiter to
pray that he would set over them another sovereign. He
then gave them an Eel to govern them. When the Frogs
discovered his easy good nature, they sent yet a third
time to Jupiter to beg him to choose for them still
another King. Jupiter, displeased with all their
complaints, sent a Heron, who preyed upon the Frogs day
by day till there were none left to croak upon the lake.
Pe44=Ch66, Ph1.2, Cax2.1, L'Es20, Laf3.4, Kry2.1, Jacobs13, CS15, TMI J643.1, Type277,
cf.283E*
Goethe; Reineke Fuchs 5
1 Samuel 8
quotation from http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?passage=1SAM+8&language=english&version=NIV
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- 1
- When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as
judges for Israel.
- 2
- The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name
of his second was Abijah, and they served at
Beersheba.
- 3
- But his sons did not walk in his ways. They
turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted
bribes and perverted justice.
- 4
- So all the elders of Israel gathered together and
came to Samuel at Ramah.
- 5
- They said to him, "You are old, and your
sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king
to lead us, such as all the other nations
have."
- 6
- But when they said, "Give us a king to lead
us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to
the LORD.
- 7
- And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that
the people are saying to you; it is not you they
have rejected, but they have rejected me as their
king.
- 8
- As they have done from the day I brought them up
out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and
serving other gods, so they are doing to you.
- 9
- Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and
let them know what the king who will reign over
them will do."
- 10
- Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the
people who were asking him for a king.
- 11
- He said, "This is what the king who will
reign over you will do: He will take your sons
and make them serve with his chariots and horses,
and they will run in front of his chariots.
- 12
- Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands
and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his
ground and reap his harvest, and still others to
make weapons of war and equipment for his
chariots.
- 13
- He will take your daughters to be perfumers and
cooks and bakers.
- 14
- He will take the best of your fields and
vineyards and olive groves and give them to his
attendants.
- 15
- He will take a tenth of your grain and of your
vintage and give it to his officials and
attendants.
- 16
- Your menservants and maidservants and the best of
your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own
use.
- 17
- He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you
yourselves will become his slaves.
- 18
- When that day comes, you will cry out for relief
from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will
not answer you in that day."
- 19
- But the people refused to listen to Samuel.
"No!" they said. "We want a king
over us.
- 20
- Then we will be like all the other nations, with
a king to lead us and to go out before us and
fight our battles."
- 21
- When Samuel heard all that the people said, he
repeated it before the LORD.
- 22
- The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give
them a king." Then Samuel said to the men of
Israel, "Everyone go back to his town."
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