Here I stay, and you must give me a frog at a time, even from your own family. If not, I will eat every one."
At this, Theodore was disturbed in spirit, and reflected: "Oh, what was I about when I brought him here? And if I deny him now, he will eat every one. Yes, the proverb is right:
Whoever fraternizes with
Too vigorous a foe,
Is eating poison, and will soon
Perceive it to be so.
"So I will give him one a day, even if it must be a friend. For they say:
Calm with a prudent, petty bribe
A foe who may desire
To seize your all. So calms the sea
Its fierce subaqueous fire.
And again:
'Tis wise, when all is threatened,
To give a half, and guard
The other half to win one's ends;
For total loss is hard.
And yet again:
No prudent soul would lose
Much good for little use;
Prudence implies much gain
Acquired with little pain."
So he made up his mind, and assigned a frog a day. And the snake ate this one and another, too, behind the frog-king's back. Ah, it is too true:
