Long, long ago, in the country of Japan, there were two frogs.

One of the frogs lived in a pond near Tokio, and the other lived in a little stream near Kioto.

One fine morning in early spring, these two frogs decided that they would travel forth to see the world.

Strangely enough, though they had never heard of each other, the same thought came to each frog at the same time.

The first frog started along the road which led from Tokio to Kioto.

He found the journey difficult and the road hard to travel. So, when he had hopped to the top of a high hill halfway, he decided to stop a while and rest.

The other frog started out on the same road, but from Kioto.

It took him a long time to reach the hill where the first frog was resting.

The two frogs met at the top of the hill. They were delighted to make each other's acquaintance.

"Greetings, friend!" said the first of the two frogs. "Where are you going?"

"I have a great desire to see the world, and especially to visit Tokio. I am on my way for a visit to Tokio now," replied the second frog.

"There is no need of hurrying. Let us rest here and stretch our limbs," said the first frog.

"What a pity that we are not taller!" said the Kioto frog.

"Why?" asked the Tokio frog.

"If we were taller, we could see both towns from this hill. Then we should be able to tell whether or not it were worth while to continue our journey," said the Kioto frog.

"Oh, we can easily find that out!" replied the other.

"We can stand on our hind legs and take hold of one another. Then each can look at the town toward which he is traveling," he added.

"A fine idea! Let us try it at once."

The two frogs stood upon their hind legs, holding each other tightly to keep from falling.

The Tokio frog turned toward Kioto, and the Kioto frog turned toward Tokio.

The foolish frogs forgot that their eyes were on the backs of their heads.

Although their noses pointed toward the places to which they wished to go, their eyes beheld the towns from which they had just come.

"Indeed, I shall travel no further!" the first frog exclaimed.

"Kioto is exactly like Tokio. I shall go home at once," he added.

"Tokio is only a copy of Kioto," said the other frog.

"It is not worth while to take the trouble to journey there!" he added disdainfully.

The two frogs bade each other a polite farewell, and each returned to his own home town.

To the end of their lives, the two frogs believed that Tokio and Kioto were really exactly alike.

Neither of the frogs ever again tried to see the world.