Singing frogs—
Sitting by the well alone like a tiger,
Under the willow smoke tree, it moistens the heart.
Only you speak first in spring,
But no fish or tortoise dares to be quiet.
Zheng Zhenghu was a celebrity of Yingshan in the late Qing Dynasty (Yingshan belonged to Anhui in the Qing Dynasty and Hubei since 1932). He is short and ugly. When he was appointed magistrate of Tianshui County, some local officials and gentry laughed at him. He specially asked the painter to draw a frog (in the picture, the frog crouched under the Liu Yin by the river), and sent someone to write a poem for Zheng, with the purpose of mocking his short and short figure like a frog. Zheng Zhenghu knew the tricks of the official gentry, so he asked questions in public.
Singing frogs—
This little frog looks like a tiger.
The big trees by the river provide good shade.
I won't speak first next spring,
Which bug dares to be silent?