459- Two Frogs in a Fatty Milk Pot

Mark noticed that his daughter, Nancy, no longer studied or did any school homework. He asked for the reason of such behavior.

She said, “It’s now ten days before the examinations, and I feel I can’t succeed in any subject. So I have decided not to sit for them this year.”

Mark commented on her words, “A Christian person never despairs. We should try our best and be honest in our efforts regardless of the results.”

Nancy asked, “What’s the use of making an effort when I know that I won’t succeed?”

Mark answered, “My child, when we work, it’s with a spirit of hope. Have you not heard the saying: ‘The best thing to do when you fail is to beat fatty milk until it turns to butter?’”

His daughter asked, “And what does that mean, father?”

He answered, “Two frogs crept into a barn in one of the fields. They discovered a clay pot full of fatty milk. The two frogs began to sip out of the milk and they liked it so much that they lost their balance and fell into the pot. They kept trying to jump out but failed, as the sides were very high and slippery. They swam in the milk for a long time and still they couldn’t find their way out.

The first frog felt disappointed and a sense of despair invaded him. He just sat in the milk and was completely frustrated.

The second frog didn’t despair at any point. He began to beat the milk with his feet and with all his power. This made the milk turn into a lump of butter. Then, he stepped on top of it and easily jumped out of the pot. In this way, he escaped death.”

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: ضفدعتان في إناء لبن كامل الدسم.

You are the One Who extracted life from the grave.

You have not given us a spirit of failure.

On the contrary, You have blessed us with the spirit of power, victory, and success.

Through You we enjoy the spirit of hope.

Through You all weakness is transformed into strength.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of sound mind” (2 Tim. 1.7).

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