The Pollywogs Five
by Pinkerton Little
The Pollywogs Five Most human suffering is avoidable. The way out is shown here as five pollywogs escape troubled waters by seeing clear to the bottom. The story uses the words of martial tradition of Karate Do (The Way of the Empty Hand), as taught by Vito Dominic Cataldo (Master Deac), the tradition’s Sixth Master.
In a shallow brook beneath a spreading willow lived five pollywogs. On fine days they stayed at home and swam about carefree.
One day the sky grew dark and hard rain pelted above them. The swollen brook swept the pollywogs out of their home and far downstream. They wagged their tails to no avail, and they were much afraid.
When the rain ended, the water calmed. The five journeyed back to the shelter of home.
On return they found Counselor Frog - an elder frog of stately appearance, waiting on the bank. There he sat, gazed in the water and saw clear to the bottom.
The five approached: “Help us please,” said one. “Wild water carried us away and we could do nothing about it.”
Counselor Frog answered: “The solid earth is just below you.”
This confused the pollywogs. “He talks in riddles,” they agreed, and soon forgot his words.
Time passed pleasantly until one day a heat spell came. The sun shone fiercely, heating them so, the five could hardly stand it.
Counselor Frog appeared again, gazed in the water and saw clear to the bottom. The pollywogs complained of the heat and
how they could do nothing about it.
“The cool earth is just below you,” came the answer. Again this seemed a mystery. “He talks in riddles,” they agreed, and soon forgot his words.
Another day a wild wind blew, tossing the five into the air and splashing them down again.
Counselor Frog sat gazing. “Help us, please” they said. “The water tossed and dizzied us, and we could do nothing about it.”
His answer like an echo came: “The solid earth is just below you.” As before, the words were soon forgotten.
Time passed and the pollywogs grew as pollywogs do. They sprouted little legs and lost their tails. Then the frog again appeared. Today the five would see the truth.
Seeing him, his words came back.
“What did he say?” asked one.
“Something about the earth,” said another.
“The solid earth!” said a third.
“It’s below us!” added a fourth.
“The solid earth is just below us!” exclaimed the fifth.
At last they understood, and together they swam to the bank and hopped out.
Today if you pass the brook, you'll see them. All in a row they sit, the pollywogs five and Counselor Frog. All in a row they sit and gaze in the water and see clear to the bottom.
o - o - o
