A toad and a grasshopper were the best of friends. Though they were together all the time, they never ate at each other’s places. One day, the toad invited the grasshopper over to his place. “I would like you to come to my place for dinner tomorrow night. My wife and I will cook a special meal for you,” the toad said.

So, the following day, the grasshopper arrived at the toad’s place in the evening. It was dinner time and before they sat for dinner, the toad requested the grasshopper to wash his forelegs as he did. The grasshopper too rubbed his forelegs together to wash them but it made a very loud noise.

“Your legs are making too much noise. I cannot eat in such noise,” the toad said. The grasshopper tried his best to eat without making any noise, but he failed. Every time he took a bite, it made some noise. Throughout the dinner, the toad asked the grasshopper several times to stop chirping. The grasshopper eventually got offended. He had an idea and invited the toad for dinner very next day.

Next day, the toad arrived for dinner at the grasshopper’s place on time. The grasshopper washed his forelegs and asked the toad to do the same. The toad washed his forelegs and hopped towards the food.

“Dear friend, please wash your forelegs again. They became dirty again as you hopped towards the food.”

The toad was a little offended but he followed the order of his friend. This time he came back after washing his forelegs and was about to take some food from the platter when the grasshopper stopped him rudely.

“Please do not touch the food with your dirty hands. You must clean your forelegs first,” the grasshopper said.

The frog lost his temper. He said, “Why are you behaving like this? If you don’t want me to eat with you, you might as well tell me that. It’s understood that I have to reach the food table by hopping with my forearms. They will get a little dirty. I cannot help it. You are making me feel terrible.”

The grasshopper replied, “I felt the same way yesterday. You asked me to not make any noise with my forelegs when you know that it will make some noise if I rub my forelegs together. Even I cannot help it.”

Since then, their friendship was destroyed and they never became friends again.

Moral of the story : We must accept both the good and the bad things about people we are friends with.