Mbe and the Talking Frog

Mbe the Tortoise was walking by a swamp when he heard a voice say, "The world is a strange place." Mbe looked around and saw only a Frog. "Was that you?" Mbe asked. "Yes," said the Frog. "I was just thinking." Mbe was astounded. He grabbed the Frog and ran to the king. "I have a frog that can speak!" he announced. The king, who was having a boring day, was intrigued. "Make it speak," he commanded. Mbe put the Frog down and said, "Speak, Frog! Tell the king what you told me." But the Frog said nothing. It just croaked. Mbe begged and pleaded, but the Frog remained silent. The king, feeling he had been made a fool, grew angry. "You have wasted my time with your lies!" he shouted, and he ordered his guards to beat Mbe. After the beating, Mbe sadly picked up the Frog to go home. As he limped out of the palace gates, the Frog looked up at him and said, "See? I told you the world was a strange place."