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One of the horses was going to drink in the little pond when he heard a voice coming from the water. He recognize a toad that was calling out to him : - I was born into a muddy water, what can you do for me ? The horse was first quite surprised, then he pulled himself together and got into conversation with the toad : - What could I do for you ? Why do you think I could help you ? What are you expecting from me ? - I was born into a muddy water, can you understand ? You, you are considered as a noble animal, you live with human beings and you are told to be as fast as the wind ... Look at me, I'm just a mucky minute beast, living in mud or water, just able to jump around ... Can you understand my pain ? - I'm sorry to misunderstand you. How could you think that horses are blessed by nature - or by human beings ? We live in the air and not in water, that's right, but is the air better than the water ? Don't think that mankind loves us more than you, yes they often pursue you, but if they take care of us, they do it in the aim to send us to the slaughterhouse one day ! - I can't understand this. You have such an athletic body ! You can jump over any fence and run so far away that anyone could never catch you and take you to the butcher. But why don't you do so ? You are for me the symbol of freedom, while I'm just a prisoner into muddy water ... - Why don't we flee away instead of letting them lead us to the abattoir ? I didn't think of this before ... We're just domestic animals and something inside of us makes us let human beings do all they want with us ... Don't you know, tiny toad, you're a wild animal, and so you're for us the symbol of freedom, because you're not subject to mankind ... - Would you really think that my muddy water could make me free, could means freedom ? -Yes I think so. Don't worry, little one, your fate isn't as bad as you could think, and maybe your water isn't so muddy as you feel. Wait for the rain to wash you and all around you, then your water will be pure and you will understand that toads are as noble animals as horses. Any human being will never be allowed to decree that one animal is better than an other. Don't worry, little toad, toads and horses are in the same water.
25/06/07 Isabelle Coquinot