A Story About Perspective, Generosity, and the Limits of Our Worldview
Once upon a time, in a quiet, mossy well hidden behind a bamboo grove, there lived a frog. He had lived his whole life inside that circular stone wall, under the open sky that he thought touched the rim of his well. To him, that sky, and that water, and those stone walls were the whole universe for him. He swam in clear still water. He made up songs to echo off the stone walls. The well was his whole world and he loved it.
One rainy season, a great flood swept across the fields, and a River Frog, who lived in the wild, rushing river, got swept downstream. He hopped and swam until he landed—plop!—right inside the Well Frog’s home. The Well Frog was stunned. He had never seen another frog before.“You must be a sky god!” he said, eyes wide. “Or maybe a star god! Where did you come from?”
The newcomer was sleek, strong, and shimmered softly under the moonlight.“I come from the river,” he said gently. “A place where water flows endlessly and the sky stretches wider than you can imagine. And I am no god, I’m a frog, just like you.”
The Well Frog, blinked in wonder. He had never seen a frog before nor he had heard of such a place. His world was the stone well, the quiet moss, the circle of sky above. But seeing this new frog filled him with joy.
“You can stay here!” he exclaimed. “I’ll show you my favorite stone, the one that warms in the afternoon sun, and the beetles that hum at dusk.”
At first, Wallie was thrilled. A real frog, just like him! They named each other after the places they came from, Wallie for the Well Frog, and Rivu for the River Frog. Though their worlds had once been so different, the well became their shared home. They shared stories, splashed in the water, and watched stars from the edge of the well. Day and night, they laughed and explored the small, shared world they now called home.
But as Rivu spoke more of his home, Wallie realized the river was filled with countless frogs and endless sights. That made him feel small and unsure. He had always believed the well was the entire world. But he was happy to have Rivu and appreciates him.
Whenever the rain falls, it stirs something deep inside Rivu. The sound of droplets hitting the water reminds him of the river, the flood that brought him here, the endless flow, the calls of birds, the rustle of trees, the laughter of his river friends, and the thrill of exploring wide open lands. A wave of sadness washes over him, a deep homesickness he tries to hide. He knows the well is his new home now, that there's no going back. He tells himself to be happy, to adapt, but no matter how hard he tries, a part of his heart still longs for the river and everything it held.
Wallie’s chest tightened. Is it because of me? he wondered. Am I making my friend unhappy? He wanted Rivu to feel at home. He couldn’t bear seeing his friend so hollow with longing. If only there were a way to give him what he needs.. So he decided to make a scarifice for his friend, to make the River Frog feel welcome, the Well Frog offered him a quarter of the well to live in.
Rivu smiled weakly. “Thank you. I’m glad to be safe… but I miss the river. I miss the flow. The river is vast, wide like the earth. It sings, it moves, it carries the moon on its back.”
The Well Frog was quiet for a moment, and then said, “You can have half the well. No frog in history has been given so much!”
Still, the River Frog only smiled sadly, “Thank you for your offer, but I miss the turtles and the fish darting through the reeds…"
Finally, the Well Frog, feeling both generous and secretly proud, croaked grandly:“Then take the whole well! It is everything! It is the world! What more could a frog want?”
The River Frog looked up at the patch of sky above and said softly,“But friend, the river is wider than ten wells… a hundred wells… a thousand. It isn’t just a pool—it’s a path. It doesn’t stop at stone walls. It goes beyond what you can see.”
At this, the Well Frog frowned. He puffed up.
“That’s nonsense,” he snapped. “Nothing can be bigger than my well. Look up! The sky fits perfectly in it!”
He turned his back and muttered, “You must be a foolish frog, to believe in things that don’t fit inside this circle.”
Rivu wanted to say something but he didn’t know what to say or how to say.
The well was silent. The rain fell. And two frogs, each holding a different truth, gazed up at the same circle of sky.
