The frog prince (or princess) tale occurs in many cultures across Europe, Asia, and beyond.
For many first peoples of the Americas, a frog woman guards the fresh waters. In ancient Egypt, the frog goddess Heket breathed life into humans. There is some evidence that Baubo of ancient Greece, as well as the Sheela na Gigs of Ireland and the British isles, are descended from an ancient frog goddess, symbol of birth, death, and rebirth. In the burning times, the christian church associated toads with evil witchcraft. As recently as the nineteenth century, women in Europe offered frog votives for the birth of a healthy baby.
To understand these myths, we need to understand the nature of frogs. ASWM member Susan Swope has created a multi-media online course in Frog Mysteries, exploring the natural history (and current plight) of frogs and toads, their myths, and frog goddesses. frogmysteries.wikispaces.com
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