Frogs

The frog is a small hopping amphibian in the order Anura (meaning "tail-less").

Quotes

• FROG, n. A reptile with edible legs. The first mention of frogs in profane literature is in Homer's narrative of the war between them and the mice. Skeptical persons have doubted Homer's authorship of the work, but the learned, ingenious and industrious Dr. Schliemann has set the question forever at rest by uncovering the bones of the slain frogs. One of the forms of moral suasion by which Pharaoh was besought to favor the Israelities was a plague of frogs, but Pharaoh, who liked them fricasees, remarked, with truly oriental stoicism, that he could stand it as long as the frogs and the Jews could; so the programme was changed. The frog is a diligent songster, having a good voice but no ear. The libretto of his favorite opera, as written by Aristophanes, is brief, simple and effective -- "brekekex-koax"; the music is apparently by that eminent composer, Richard Wagner. Horses have a frog in each hoof -- a thoughtful provision of nature, enabling them to shine in a hurdle race.
  • Ambrose Bierce, The Cynic's Word Book (1906); republished as The Devil's Dictionary (1911). (The quote given here is from the 1911 book; the entry in the 1906 book is slightly different.)

• "It doesn't matter," WisestFrog answered. "You knew that the thoughts were beneath you and you felt small. And here in the Land of the Gods, everything is so creative that your thoughts may give results you don't expect at all. But you really have no problem. Just think big yourself bigger. Go ahead, think a big thought."
  • Jane Roberts in Emir's Education In The Proper Use of Magical Powers, p. 44-45.

• Eye of newt and toe of frog,
  • William Shakespeare, Macbeth, Act 4 sc.1.

• A frog he would a-wooing go.
  • Nursery rhyme.

• Too hard for any frog's digestion,
  To have his froghood call'd in question!
  • Christopher Smart, The Duellist.

• The voice of the frog is the glory of the marsh waters.
  • Sumerian proverb from Susa, Text online at The Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature, 3rd millennium BCE.

• I don't see no p'ints about that frog that's any better'n any other frog.
  • Mark Twain, The Celebrated Jumping Frog (1867).

• When you want to drain the marsh, you don't consult the frogs.
• [...] the old adage that, if you intend to drain a swamp you should not consult the frogs, [...]"
  • Australia. Parliamentary Debates. Vol. 52 (1909), p. 4845 (Senate 21 Oct. 1909) books.google.

• "Quand on veut dessécher un marais, on ne fait pas en voter les grenouilles!"

• Delphine de Girardin (pen name: Vicomte Charles de Launay): La croix de Berny. "La Presse", 11 juillet 1847, p. 2, 2nd column, 3rd parapraph from bottom; later in Lettres parisiennes, p.267 archive.org