Sep 12, 2023
the frog that exploded
in an illustrated collection of fables ("der edelstein"), swabia, ca. 1415
source: Heidelberg, UB, Cod. Pal. germ. 794, fol. 26r
Once on a time, a Frog espied an Ox in a meadow, and moved with envy at his vast bulk, puffed out her wrinkled skin, and then asked her young ones whether she was bigger than the Ox. They said: “No.” Again, with still greater efforts, she distended her skin, and in like manner enquired which was the bigger. They said: “The Ox.” At last — while, full of indignation, she tried, with all her might, to puff herself out — she burst her body on the spot.
