The Story of Tearful
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Read The Story of Tearful
Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Tearful, because she cried so often. She used to cry anytime and anywhere, for things big and small.
One day her mother told her that she would melt away in tears if she cried so often. “You are like the boy who cried for the moon,” she said to her, “if it had been given to him it would not have made him happy, for what possible use could the moon be to any one out of its proper place? Its the same problem with you, half the things for which you cry for, would be of no use if you got them.” Tearful did not take warning of her mother’s words and kept on crying just the same.
One morning she was crying on her way to school because she wanted to stay at home, when she noticed a frog hopping along beside her.
“Why are you following me?” she asked, looking at him through her tears.
“Because you will soon form a pond around you with your tears,” replied the frog, “and I have always wanted a pond of my own”
“I will not make any pond for you,” said Tearful, “and I don’t want you to follow me either.”
The frog continued to hop along beside her. Tearful stopped crying and began to run, but the frog hopped faster and she could not get away from him. So she began to cry again.
“Go away, you horrid green frog!” she said.
At last she was so tired that she sat on a stone by the roadside, crying.
“Now,” replied the frog, “I will soon have my own pond.”
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Tearful cried harder than ever such that she could not even see. Her tears fell so fast that she heard a splashing sound. She opened her eyes and saw water all around her.
She was on a small island in the middle of a pond. The frog hopped out of the pond, made a terrible smile and sat down beside her.
“I hope you are satisfied,” said Tearful. “You have your pond, why don’t you stay in it?”
“Alas!” replied the frog, “I have wished for something but now I realize this pond is of no use to me. Your tears are salty and hence my pond is also too salty for me to enjoy it. If only your tears were fresh I would have been a most fortunate fellow.”
“You don’t have to stay if you don’t like,” said Tearful, “just don’t find faults with my tears.” she said, beginning to cry again.
“Stop! stop!” cried the frog, hopping about excitedly; “we will have a flood if you keep on crying.”
Tearful saw the water rising around her so she stopped a minute. “What shall I do?” she asked. “I can’t swim and I will die if I stay here,” she began to cry again.
The frog hopped up and down in front of her, waving his front legs and telling her to hush. “If you would only stop crying,” he said, “I might be able to help you.”
Tearful listened, and promised she would not cry if he would get her away from the island.
“There is only one way that I know,” said the frog; “you must smile as that will dry the pond and we can escape.”
“But I do not feel like smiling,” said Tearful, and her eyes filled with tears again.
“Look out!” said the frog; “you will surely be drowned in your own tears if you cry again.”
Tearful began to laugh. “That would be funny if I drowned in my own tears?” she said.
“That is right, keep on smiling,” said the frog; “the pond is smaller already.” And he stood up on his hind legs and began to dance for joy.
Tearful laughed again. “Oh, you are so funny!” she said. “I wish I had your picture. I never saw a frog dance before.”
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“You have a slate under your arm,” said the frog. “Why don’t you draw a picture of me?” The frog picked up a stick and stuck it in the ground and leaned on it with one arm and crossing his feet, he stood very still. Tearful drew him in that position. “Do you like that?” she asked the frog when she held the slate for him to see.
He looked so surprised that Tearful laughed again. “I never thought I looked as bad as in those pictures,” replied the frog. “Let me try drawing your picture,” he said. “Now please look pleasant and smile”. Frog sat in front of Tearful and started drawing.
Tearful did as he had requested and in a few minutes, frog handed her the slate. “Where is my nose?” asked Tearful, laughing.
“Oh, I forgot the nose!” said the frog. “But don’t you think your eyes are nice and large and your mouth, too?”
“They are certainly big in this picture,” said Tearful. “I hope I do not look just like that.”
“I don’t think either of us is an artist,” replied the frog.
Tearful looked around her. “Why, where is the pond?” she asked. “It is gone.”
“I thought it would dry up if you would only smile,” said the frog; “I think both of us have learned a lesson. I shall never again wish for a pond of my own and you will never cry over little things as you look much prettier while smiling”
Tearful agreed that smiling does make her feel better. Then the frog bid her adieu as he hopped away.
