Frogs

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We have abundant frogs in Alabama. On summer evenings, I love sitting on the deck, listening to them sing.  The tree frogs have a constant chorus, with other frogs and toads calling out occasionally, probably seeking a sweetheart.   Ribbit, ribbit….or maybe they are saying “Wade in deep, Wade in deep.” 

Above is an image of one of the gigs my brother used in search of delectable frog legs. It has survived more than half a century; the long pole attached to it did not.

My brother and his friends were champion frog giggers. They would go every night if the weather allowed, and usually came home somewhere between nine and midnight with a sack full. They would butcher the frogs, taking only the legs.  Mama would fry the legs up for them, although it was past her bedtime and she had served a normal supper and cleaned up after it hours ago.  My brother and his friends would devour the frog legs as quickly as she could get them from the frying pan to the table.  There were never any leftovers.

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If you can’t remember playing with tadpoles in the spring, you probably ain’t from around here.  What fun it was to dip a bucket in the pond to catch tadpoles to play with! We watched them grow and we learned a lot, whether we wanted to or not, but it was years later before we heard the word "amphibian".

Frogs live everywhere on the planet except the extreme polar regions, so basically everyone is familiar with them.  They show up in ancient tradition in numerous ways.

* Many native cultures place small frog coins in their purses because they believe that it prevents loss of money.

*In some societies swallowing live frogs is believed to cure tuberculosis and whooping cough. (Maybe that's where “I’ve got a frog in my throat” came from.)

* British legend says carrying a dried frog in a pouch around your neck prevents epileptic seizures. Pretty sure it would prevent friendship.

* Some cultures believe that a frog coming into your home might be carrying a curse, while others claim it brings good luck.

*The early Aztecs viewed the toad as the earth mother goddess, who governed the cycle of death and rebirth. 

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Closer to home, we were told that playing with frogs would cause warts. A favorite game for stinky little boys was to chase girls with a frog, threatening to throw it on them. Some dreamy girls have actually kissed a frog, hoping for a handsome prince. Anybody?