The Leapfrog

A Flea, a Grasshopper, and a Leap-frog once wanted to see which could jump highest; and they invited the whole world, and everybody else besides who chose to come to see the festival. Three famous jumpers were they, as everyone would say, when they all met together in the room.

A Flea, a Grasshopper, and a Leap-frog once wanted to see who could jump highest. They invited the whole world, and anyone else who wanted to come, to watch the festival. When the three gathered in the room, everyone agreed that they were famous jumpers.

“I will give my daughter to him who jumps highest,” exclaimed the King; “for it is not so amusing where there is no prize to jump for.”

“I will give my daughter to whoever jumps highest,” exclaimed the King. “Because it’s not as much fun without a prize to jump for.”

The Flea was the first to step forward. He had exquisite manners, and bowed to the company on all sides; for he had noble blood, and was, moreover, accustomed to the society of man alone; and that makes a great difference.

The Flea was the first to step forward. He had excellent manners and bowed to everyone around him. For he had noble blood and was used to spending time only with humans. And that makes a great difference.

Then came the Grasshopper. He was considerably heavier, but he was well-mannered, and wore a green uniform, which he had by right of birth; he said, moreover, that he belonged to a very ancient Egyptian family, and that in the house where he then was, he was thought much of. The fact was, he had been just brought out of the fields, and put in a pasteboard house, three stories high, all made of court-cards, with the colored side inwards; and doors and windows cut out of the body of the Queen of Hearts. “I sing so well,” said he, “that sixteen native grasshoppers who have chirped from infancy, and yet got no house built of cards to live in, grew thinner than they were before for sheer vexation when they heard me.”

Then came the Grasshopper. He was much heavier, but he had good manners. He wore a green uniform, which was his by birthright. He also said he belonged to a very ancient Egyptian family. He added that he was highly regarded in the house where he now lived. In fact, he had just been brought in from the fields and put in a three-story cardboard house. The house was made entirely of face cards, with their colored sides facing inward. Its doors and windows had been cut from the body of the Queen of Hearts. “I sing so well,” he said, “that sixteen native grasshoppers grew even thinner from sheer envy when they heard me. They had chirped since they were young, yet no one had built them a house of cards to live in.”

It was thus that the Flea and the Grasshopper gave an account of themselves, and thought they were quite good enough to marry a Princess.

That was how the Flea and the Grasshopper described themselves. They thought they were both good enough to marry a Princess.

The Leap-frog said nothing; but people gave it as their opinion, that he therefore thought the more; and when the housedog snuffed at him with his nose, he confessed the Leap-frog was of good family. The old councillor, who had had three orders given him to make him hold his tongue, asserted that the Leap-frog was a prophet; for that one could see on his back, if there would be a severe or mild winter, and that was what one could not see even on the back of the man who writes the almanac.

The Leap-frog said nothing, but people thought that meant he was thinking all the more. When the house dog sniffed him, he admitted that the Leap-frog came from a good family. The old councillor said the Leap-frog was a prophet. The councillor had been given three orders of merit to keep him quiet. He said you could tell from the Leap-frog's back whether the winter would be severe or mild. You could not tell that even from the back of the man who wrote the almanac.

“I say nothing, it is true,” exclaimed the King; “but I have my own opinion, notwithstanding.”

“It's true that I say nothing,” exclaimed the King, “but I still have my own opinion.”

Now the trial was to take place. The Flea jumped so high that nobody could see where he went to; so they all asserted he had not jumped at all; and that was dishonorable.

Now it was time for the trial. The Flea jumped so high that nobody could see where he went. So they all claimed he had not jumped at all, and that was dishonorable.

The Grasshopper jumped only half as high; but he leaped into the King's face, who said that was ill-mannered.

The Grasshopper jumped only half as high. But he leaped into the King's face, and the King said that was rude.

The Leap-frog stood still for a long time lost in thought; it was believed at last he would not jump at all.

The Leap-frog stood still for a long time, lost in thought. At last, people thought he would not jump at all.

“I only hope he is not unwell,” said the house-dog; when, pop! he made a jump all on one side into the lap of the Princess, who was sitting on a little golden stool close by.

“I only hope he isn't sick,” said the house-dog. Then, pop! He jumped sideways into the Princess's lap. She was sitting nearby on a small golden stool.

Hereupon the King said, “There is nothing above my daughter; therefore to bound up to her is the highest jump that can be made; but for this, one must possess understanding, and the Leap-frog has shown that he has understanding. He is brave and intellectual.”

Then the King said, “There is nothing above my daughter. So jumping up to her is the highest jump anyone can make. But to do that, one must have understanding, and the Leap-frog has shown that he does. He is brave and intelligent.”

And so he won the Princess.

And so he won the Princess.

“It's all the same to me,” said the Flea. “She may have the old Leap-frog, for all I care. I jumped the highest; but in this world merit seldom meets its reward. A fine exterior is what people look at now-a-days.”

“It's all the same to me,” said the Flea. “She can have the old Leap-frog, for all I care. I jumped the highest, but in this world, merit is rarely rewarded. These days, people only look at a fine appearance.”

The Flea then went into foreign service, where, it is said, he was killed.

The Flea then went to serve a foreign country, where he was reportedly killed.

The Grasshopper sat without on a green bank, and reflected on worldly things; and he said too, “Yes, a fine exterior is everything—a fine exterior is what people care about.” And then he began chirping his peculiar melancholy song, from which we have taken this history; and which may, very possibly, be all untrue, although it does stand here printed in black and white.

The Grasshopper sat outside on a green bank, thinking about worldly matters. He said, “Yes, a fine appearance is everything. A fine appearance is what people care about.” Then he began chirping his peculiar, melancholy song, from which we have taken this story. The story may very well be entirely untrue, although it is printed here in black and white.