Why the Snake and Frog are Enemies

The Snake and the Frog were once the best of friends and lived near a river. A terrible drought came and the river began to dry up. The Snake's children were dying of thirst. "Please, friend Frog," the Snake begged, "your skin holds moisture. Let my children drink the water from your back to survive." The kind Frog agreed, and the young snakes were saved. The rains eventually returned, and the river was full again. Sometime later, the Frog's children were playing and were swept away by a strong current. "Friend Snake!" the Frog cried. "You are a powerful swimmer! Please, help me save my children!" But the Snake, now comfortable and well-fed, was arrogant. "My children are nobles of the river," he hissed. "They do not concern themselves with the tadpoles of a common frog." He refused to help, and the Frog's children were lost. The Frog, heartbroken and full of rage at this betrayal, went to the Orisha of justice. The Orisha, hearing of the Snake's ingratitude, placed a curse on him: "Because you refused to help the one who saved your own, your kind will forever hunt the frog, but you will never be satisfied, and the frog's croak will forever be a sound of accusation in your ears."