It was a busy day by the lily pads, with dragonflies zipping and ducks quacking. Suddenly, a loud "Croak! Croak! Attention everyone!" echoed across the pond.

A rather plump frog, puffing out his chest, hopped onto a large, flat lily pad. "I am Doctor Frog!" he announced. "The best doctor in the whole wide world! I have amazing medicines! I can cure any sickness, any ache, any pain! No more sniffles! No more wobbly legs!"

The other animals gathered around, curious. A little rabbit twitched its nose. A squirrel paused its nut-burying. "Really?" chirped a small bird. "You can cure everything?"

"Absolutely!" boomed Doctor Frog. "Just tell me your troubles, and I shall make you well!"

Just then, a clever old fox, who had been quietly watching, stepped forward. He looked closely at Doctor Frog. The frog's skin was a bit pale, not a healthy bright green, and he had quite a few blotchy spots. He also seemed to be wheezing a little after his big speech.

The fox smiled politely. "That is wonderful news, Doctor Frog," he said, his voice smooth. "We are all very happy to have such a skilled doctor among us."

Doctor Frog puffed up even more. "Indeed!"

"But," the fox continued, tilting his head, "if you please, Doctor, before you start healing all of us, perhaps you could tell us why your own skin is so spotty? And why do you sound a little out of breath? If you can cure everyone else, surely you can make yourself perfectly healthy first?"

Doctor Frog blinked. He looked down at his own spotty legs and then at his pale tummy. He tried to say something, but only a small, weak "croak" came out. He suddenly didn't look so confident.

The other animals looked at Doctor Frog, then at the fox, and then back at Doctor Frog. They started to whisper. The rabbit giggled, and the squirrel chattered.

Feeling quite embarrassed, the frog who called himself a doctor quietly hopped off his lily pad and slipped into the water with a small plop.

The animals learned that day that it's important to be able to do what you claim you can do, especially if you're offering to help others. And sometimes, the best medicine is a little bit of honesty.

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