Attempt > Volume 3

THE ATTEMPT. 79
I suppose, continiie to do so. I speak of the Stag; and I thiak, amongst all the
animals, there was not one calculated to fill the office of leader in the enterprise
better than he has done. Is not the Stag a courageous animal 1 Has it not wisdom
and strength ?" And the Frog looked at me enquiringly.
" Undoubtedly so," I answered (though I felt compunction of conscience at
making such a confident answer, because my information with regard to natural
history is not great); " and those qualities you have mentioned," I added, " are the
best that a leader can have."
" Yes," said the Frog, " courage to meet difficulties, wisdom to overcome them,
strength for everything." The little creature said these words in a very low voice,
as if speaking to itself, and seemed inclined to muse upon the attributes of the Stag.
1 roused it from its reverie by asking about the other animals.
" Oh, to be sure," said the Frog, " I had almost forgotten the Horse, it has been
a sharer of the Stag's labours from the beginning, I believe; and the services of an
animal possessing so much intellect, strength, and activity, are, as you may well
suppose, very acceptable. As for the rest," continued the Frog, " I can only make
special mention of one;" here the Frog paused, and then indulged in its croaking
laughter for some time. " Pray excuse me," it said at last, " well, I am going to tell
you about the one who first acquainted me with the fact that there was such a
palace as the Palace of Attemptation; I allude to my friend the Bull-dog."
" Your friend !" I exclaimed, " why Froggie, I should suppose your nature and
that of the bull-dog's to be very dissimilar."
" I am not surprised that you should think so," said the Frog, " and no doubt,
as regards some things, we are dissimilar; yet, whether it is that I am very unlike
other Frogs, or that the Bull-dog does not resemble other bull-dogs, I know not,
but this is a fact, and one which I wish to imj^ress on your mind, I love the Bull-dog,
and the Bull-dog loves me. One day this friend came to me, and described in glowing
language the Palace of Attemptation; and then he actually asked me—poor little
me !—to assist the noble cause with my labours; but I refused."
" You refused ! indeed, Froggie ; you ought to have felt much flattered by such
a proposal."
" Perhaps, I did," said the Frog;—" but I shrank from the toil it would entail.
I had other reasons also, and therefore, as I said before, I refused. The Bull-dog,
however, would not accept my answer. As regards determination, he certainly re¬
sembles the rest of his species. He coaxed, entreated and commanded (for sometimes
he is very tyrannical) to such a degree that he almost won from me a reluctant con-