The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-02-01
TOADS IN HISTORY.
Legends, Traditions and Proverbs About
tho Hopping Creature.

Legends, Traditions and Proverbs About
the Hopping Creature.
The old Persians made the toad the
symbol and pet of Ahriman, the foe of
light, and declared that his Charleston,
or attendant demons, took that form
when they prosecuted Ormuzd, says
The st. James Gazette. Among the Ty-
rolese it is type of envy, whence the
problem, "Envious as a toad" In
the Middle Ages, among artists and in
many church legends, it appears as
greed or avarice; there is even to this
day, In some mysterious place on the
right bank Of the Rhine, between Lau-
fe,nbsrg f.,,,i an and Binzgan, pile ef eoal.aa'
Goals they seem to. the world; but the
pile is all pure gold, and the toad is a
devil who guards it, and he who
knows how can pronounce q spell
which shall ban the grim guardian.
And there is story told by Monzel
C'Christliche Symbolilk, volume one,
page 50O that long ago there lived in
Cologne a wicked miser, who, when
old, repented and wished to leave his
money to the poor. But when he
opened his great iron chest he found
that every coin in it had turned to q
horrible toad with sharp teeth. This
story being told to his confessor, the
priest saw in it tho divine retribution.
and told him that God would have
none OF his money-nay, that it would
go hard with him to save his soul.
And he, being willing to do anything
to be free from sin, was locked up in
the chest, with the toads, and lol the
next day. when it was opened the
creatures had eaten him up. Only his
clean picked bones remained.
But in the Tyrol it is believed that
the toads ara thsnsalves--Poo-, ,inrrorp,
undergoing penace as Heetschen or
Hoppinen-as they are locally called
for deeds done in human form.
Therefore they arc regarded with pity
and sympathy by ali good Christians.
And it is well known that in the Church
of st. Michael, in Schwatz, on the even
ing before the great festivals, but when
no one Is present, the immense toad
comes crawling before the altar, where
1T kncels and prays, weeping bitterly.
The general belief is that toads are, for
the most part, people who made vows
to 60 on pilgrimages and died with the
VOWS unfultilled. So the poor creatures
go hopping astray, bewildered and per-
picked, striving to find their way to
shrines which have perchance long
since ceased to exist.
Once there was q toad who took
seven years TO go from LETTERS 10 LTeis-
seilstein; and when the creature
reached the church it suddenly
changed to resplendont white dove,
which, flying up to heaven, vanished
before the eyes of n largo company
there assembled, who bore witness to
the miracle. And one day, as a wag-
oner was going from Innsbruck to
Secfeld, as he paused by the wayside
toad came hopping up and seemed de-
sirous of getting into tho wagon, which
he, being a benevolent man, helped it
to do, and gave it place on the seat
beside him.
There it sat like any other respect
able passenger until they came to the
side path which led to tho church of
Seefeld, when, wonderful to relate,
the toad suddenly turned to q maiden
of angelic beauty clad in white, who.
thanking the wagoner fol uis kindness
to her when sho was but poor rep
tile, told him she had once been a
young lady who had vowed q pill
grimage to tho church of Seefeld.
But, as needless maidens often do, she
had put it off from time to time till
she died. But now, by his help, her
soul was saved. And, saying this,
She too Winged her S way Is tS tMRseiieps tRs iien
aro."
In common with the frog the toad
is an emblem of productiveness and
ral1s among creatures which are types
of erotic passion. have in my posses
sion a necklace of rudcly made silver
toads of Arab workmanship, intended
to DO worn by women who wish to be-
come mothers. Therefore the crea-
ture, in the old world as well rs in
tho new, appears as being earnestly
seeking the companionship Of men.