The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-06-01
THE DESPISED TOAD.
POPULAR HATRED OFTHE ANIMAL Is
OF GREAT ANTIQUITY.

POPULAR HATRED OF THE ANIMAL Is
OF GREAT ANTIQUITY.
In Legendary az Well as In Superstl-
shapen Creature Plays No SmaIl
part-The Belief IN Toad Stones.
The unfortunate toad has from time
iplmemorial been an object Of distrust
and aversion, especially among the
common people. \ pleasing tale runs
that 4 gentleman. walking along a
country lane, came suddenly upon q
village boy belaboring the crushed
body of a toad with a heavy stick and
exclaiming at each blow, I'll larn e
to be toad" whereat the indignant
newcomer, sciZing the miscreant by
his collar, vigorously applied a cane
to his legs; remarking, III larn you
to De a boy" The popular hatred Of
the toad, indeed, is Of such antiquity
and is still so general as to seem in
eradicable. That the creature is not
dangerously poisonous it is hopeless
to attempt to convince the ordinary
rustic. Doubtless this belief has it's
origin in the acrid secretion which the
toad has the power Of emitting when
disturbed or annoyed unduly and
which will cause q dog that has in
cautiously picked up q toad to foam
at the mouth. Again, the uncouth ap-
pearance of the creature has had much
to do with the feeling Of rcpulsion
with which it has always been regard
ed. Squat like toad is the phrase
by which Milton describes the evil one
essayine to reach the ear Of Eve.
Superstition, in truth, has laid firm
hold On the toad's misshapcn figure.
The belief, not only in the existence OF
toad stones" but in their efficacy as
sovereign remedy for certain ills.
which is still common in parts Of the
country, is of very ancient date.
There is to be found in the heads OF
old and great toads,' says Fenton,
writing in 1860, "A stone they call
borax, or stelon. which. being used as
rings, gives forewarning Of venom
In the Londesborough collection Is
silver ring Of the fifteenth century in
which one Of these toad stones is set.
They were supposed always to bear
on their surface a figure resembling
toad, being somewhat similar trinkets,
one may imagine, to the scarab9us
Of the Egyptiag Another
early writer remarks, a toad stone
called crepandia,' touching any part
envenomed by the bite Of rat, wasp,
spider or other venomous beast, ceases
the pain and swelling thereof" 1t
was believed that when brought near
to poison the stone sweated and chang
ed color, thus conveying to its wear
ers a timely warning Of danger.
1t is to these peculiar amulcts that
is supposed to refer in
"As You Like It,
Sweet are the uses Of adversely,
Which. like the toad. ugly and venornous
Wears yet precious jewel in his head.
Is it not probable, however, that the
poet, being a poet is here allud1ng to
the eye of the toad, an object as all
who are really familiar with the ap-
pearance of this humble barachian
will agree, than which there are few
more beautiful in nature?
Perhaps the most familiar supersu-
ton In regard to toads is that still rife,
which supposes them capable of exist
Ing for an indefinite period in the inte-
rior Of rocks, stones or hermetcally
sealed cavities. Numberless "authen-
tic instances" Of this remarkable pow
er have been brought forward from
time to time. The following exam
pie from an old book is typical: In
1893 Mr. George Wilson, q mason, met
with q toad, which he wantonly i'm
INJURED in stone wall that he was
then building. In the middle Of the
wall he made q close cell Of lime and
stone, Just fit for the magnitude Of Its
body and seemingly so plastered as to
prevent the admission Of air. In 1909,
sixteen years afterward, 1t was found
necessary to open a gap in this wall
for passage Of carts, when the poor
creature was found alive In its strong
hold 1t seemed at first in very tor
3id state, but 1t soon recovered anima-
ion and activity and, as if sensible Of
he blessings OF freedom, made its way
e a collection Of stones and disappear
cd" 1t is known that toads can exist
'or a long time without food, and 1t is
generally believed that they live to
great age, and doubtless these two pc
:uliarities have had much to do with
he superstition in regard to their sup
posed penchant for hermit's life. The
'allacy, however, was completely eX-
posed by Dean Buckland, father Of
Frank Buckland, the great naturalist,
who went to the trouble Of testing the
truth Of the theory by an exhaustive
series Of experiments. 1t need only be
that none Of his victims sur
rived the incarceration.
In legendary as in superstittous lore
he toad plays no small part. 1t may
lot be generally known that the feur-
1e-lis Of France was originally in shape
/ toad Thus at least runs the tale.
Clovis, king of France, bore on his ban
1er tho device of three toads, or ''botes,"
IS they were called in old French. His
baptism gave great umbrage to the Ari-
ms. who rebelled and assembled
arge host against him under King
Candat Clovis while on his way to
meet the heretics was granted a vision,
wherein be saw in the heavens his de-
ice Of three toads miraculousiy chang
I'd into three lilies ''or" on a banner
'azur." Such a banner he caused in
'tantly to be made, calling it his "lif-
ambe." london Globe