Batrachomyomachia means the battle between the frogs and the mice. It is a mock-heroic poem or 'hymn' written in the style of Homer as an allegory of human stupidity and warfare. Prigcheese, a mouse, is invited by Chubbycheeks, Queen of the frogs to visit her palace. Since they do not have a boat, Chubby suggests that Cheesy simply get up upon her back and she will ferry him to the island whereon she and her court reside. With some hesitancy, Priggy gets aboard and the pair set out across the pond. About halfway to the palace, a huge water snake rears up in front of them and Chubby dives under the water in panic, forgetting poor Priggy who tries to swim back to shore. The snake, disappointed in his meal of frog decides the mouse looks tasty and that's the end of Prigcheese. As it happens, one of Priggy's family was sauntering along the shore of the pond and witnessed the whole sad event. He runs back to the mouse city and tells everyone how Priggy was murdered through the base cowardice of the frog Queen. To exact revenge, the mice declare war on the frogs. You'll have to read the story to see how it comes out.