Jason Phu

The Frog’s First Song

First, the world is dark. A little bit muddled and confused, the sound of dripping water only, a few bubbles. In that darkness and quiet, everyone is alone.

This is the world in the well.

The first sound after so very long in quiet comes as a revelation, even to the frog who makes it. It’s a small sound, but it is the first. Just a little croak, just a little gurgle. From throat outwards, it swells and becomes louder. The frog with the first voice was surprised when it first heard its own self make the song. This was the sound that gave the darkness shape, for the other frogs who heard it suddenly realised they were not alone.

Soon, another frog tries this new possibility, a little bit scared, a little bit excited. Another voice to join the first song.

Now the first frog knows they are not alone in the world, but there is still more to come. For the well is filling with sounds from all over. Two voices, then three, then four, now many more, bringing the world into shape. The voices find a rhythm, find a way to be together.

All the frogs are full of joy, for they now know that there is more to this darkness. There is each other, and now there is song. The song is creation, and with it the frogs feel brave. They begin to dance a little, then hop a little, singing and hopping and learning the shape of the world.

As they sing and hop with their happiness, the frogs spread the song up and down the well, carrying that joy in all directions.

They hop further than any frog has ever dared. Up and up until in blinking shock there is a light ahead. The frogs are together and journey towards the light, bringing their excited song into the new world ahead.

Smiling into the well is the perfect circle moon. The frogs sing to the moon who sings back to the frogs.

In this new light the frogs see one another for the first time. Their song gets bigger and bigger with excitement as the frogs sing their wonder into this new world.

The moon has never heard anything as beautiful as the frogs’ first song.

To thank them for sharing their joy with the world, the moon wants to give the frogs a gift in return. The moon makes a shrine for the frogs, a place for them to sit each night and sing their songs for all to hear.

This is how the frogs taught us about friendship. That even in dark times, when we come together with song or dance or story, suddenly the world is easier, and no one needs to be alone.

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Jason Phu is not the moon, but he understands that frogs still need a place to play their music. And so, he has created this shrine for the frogs to share happiness and song.