FroggyBack

May 8, 2008 1:02 PM

Is anyone familiar with ancient Native American legends of giant frogs riding people?

Well. That's about it. This is yet another one of those books I remember reading as a little kid. Giant, malevolent frogs that got on people's backs and forced them (the people) to carry them (the frogs) around piggyback. This wasn't a work of fiction -- well, I mean, it was, in the obvious sense that giant frogs probably never enslaved humanity, but the book itself was about folklore. ...Anybody?

posted by kittens for breakfast to society & culture (3 comments total)

Actually, that sounds very much like one of Sinbad's tales. Or at least I think it was Sinbad... it could have been a tale from " A Thousand and One Nights." Regardless, in the story an old man gets on the protagonist's back and forces him to carry him around. If he didn't do as he said, the old man would beat him.

I'm sure that's not what you're thinking of, but it reminded me of this nonetheless.
posted by Cochise at 2:42 PM on May 8

I remember this story as a child. I think they were horned toads that kidnapped men and forced them to race around a track, riding on their backs? I think it was a Navajo or other Southwestern tribe. Google was no help.
posted by wrnealis at 4:16 PM on May 8

Wrnealis, that sounds like it.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 6:09 AM on May 9