A frog in Bingle Bog croaked his song at the base of a sumac tree. The other creatures hated his voice, but there was nothing they could do because no matter how they expressed their dislike, the frog just kept on singing.
One day a nightingale perched on the tree and sang a beautiful song. The creatures of the bog, including the frog, were delighted. They encouraged her with their applause to continue singing until the break of day.
The next night the frog approaches the nightingale and says that he owns the tree and has been singing there for a long time. She asks his opinion of her singing, and he tells her that it isn't bad,but it lacks strength. She is impressed with his criticism and tells him that it may not be the best, but it is her song.
The frog then tells her that he can train her and make her great. She is thrilled that she has someone with so much knowledge and experience to guide her. However, the frog tells her that she will have to pay him for his services. That night she sings, and the frog charges admission to the other creatures of the bog to listen to her.
The next morning it was raining, but the frog insisted the nightingale practice anyway. He practiced with her for six hours and when he finished, she was exhausted and her voice was hoarse. However, her voice came back overnight, and the adoring crowd of creatures returned.
Even though he was making money off her songs by charging admission, the frog would scold her and tell her she needed to practice until her voice became strong because he was also charging her for his advice.
She wore herself out with the effort, and soon her song was no longer beautiful, and the creatures stayed away. She became very sad because she had grown to enjoy the applause and adoration of the other creatures. She didn't enjoy singing alone anymore.
The frog got angry and told her she wasn't trying hard enough. She was terrified of failing, and so she tried one last time with all her heart to sing with strength. She puffed up, burst a blood vessel, and died.
The frog told the others that he tried to help her,but she was stupid and too easily influenced by others. She should have known that your song must be personal and your own. Then he took his position back at the base of the sumac tree and croaked out his song with all his strength, once again the only voice in the bog.
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