LITMIR.BIZ

      INTRODUCTION

      Just as a fish is unaware of the water in which it swims, we humans

      are often unaware of how much we are influenced by the popular

      ideas of the world in which we live. I hope these eight illustrated

      fables provide you with fresh insights and plenty of chuckles. But

      more than that, I hope their timeless truths enrich your life.

      This book is written at approximately a second to third grade

      reading level according to national standards. Higher level words

      and expressions are defined in the glossary on pages 64 and 65.

      Questions to stimulate further reflection and discussion for all

      ages can be found in the “Burrowing Deeper” study guide.

      Enjoy!

      Michael James Dowling

      1

      3

      It was a rainy day—too rainy for even a frog to go out to play.

      “I’ll stay inside and write a story,” thought Frog.

      He took a pen and a piece of paper and started to write.

      “Once upon a time…”

      F

      R

      O

      G

      ’

      S

      R

      A

      I

      N

      Y

      D

      A

      Y

      S

      T

      O

      R

      Y

      4

      Suddenly, Frog saw something strange…very strange.

      The letters were marching toward the edge of the page!

      “Stop!” shouted Frog.

      “I’m using you to write a story.”

      O

      rolled out front and looked up at Frog.

      “That’s just the problem. We’re sick and tired of being used.

      To you, we’re merely tools to be bossed around.

      ‘Stay here and make this word! Go there and make that word!’”

      “Yeah,” said

      t

      ,

      leaning forward in a gruff italic

      stance.

      “I’m tired of being told what to do.

      I want to do my own thing.”

      “And I want to feel important for a change,” said

      n

      .

      “But you are important,” answered Frog.

      “Without you, I can’t write words.

      We’ll have no stories to make us laugh and cry.”

      5

      “That proves our point,” said

      m

      .

      “The only thing you care about is the stories.

      You never say, ‘What a wonderful

      m

      !’”

      “Yeah!” said

      u

      . “The stories get the glory

      and we letters get the low self-esteem.”

      “And another thing,” said

      a

      , “why am I lowercase

      when

      O

      is uppercase? We should all be equal.”

      yelled the letters,

      marching again toward the edge of the page.

      “

      A

      n

      d

      w

      e

      s

      h

      o

      u

      l

      d

      a

      l

      l

      b

      e

      r

      i

      c

      h

      ,

      ”

      a

      d

      d

      e

      d

      p

      .

      “

      R

      I

      C

      H

      !

      R

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