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The Toad Bridegroom
(An African Folktale)
Adapted by D. Quinitchette & R. Eschenbach
Page 1


Long ago there lived a poor fisherman in a certain African village. One day he went fishing in the lake, but found he could not catch as many fish as he usually did. And on each of the following days he found his catch of fish growing smaller and smaller. He tried new baits, and bought new hooks, but all to no avail. At last, even the water of the lake began to disappear, until it became too shallow for fishing. One afternoon, in the late summer, the bottom of the lake was exposed to view, and a big toad came out from it. The fisherman immediately thought that it must have eaten up all the fish, and angrily yelled at the toad. But the toad spoke to him gently, rolling its eyes, "Do not be angry, for one day I shall bring you good fortune. I wish to live in your house, so please let me go with you." But the fisherman was annoyed that a toad should make such a request, and hastened home without it.   


That evening the toad came to his house. His wife, who had already heard about it from her husband, received it kindly, and made a bed for it in a corner of the kitchen. Then she brought it worms and scraps to eat. The couple had no children of their own, and they decided to keep the toad as a pet. It soon grew to be as big as a young man, and they came to love it as if it was their son.


Nearby, there lived a rich man who had three daughters. One day the toad told the fisherman and his wife that it would like to marry one of the three daughters. "It is utterly absurd," they said. "How can poor people like us propose marriage to such a great family? And you are not even a human being." 

So the toad replied, "I don't care what the rank of the family is. The parents may object, yet one of the daughters may be willing to marry me. Who knows? Please go and ask, and let me know what answer you receive."


So, the fisherman's wife went and called on the lady of the rich man's house, and told her what her toad-son had asked. The lady was greatly displeased and went and told her husband. He was furious at such a ridiculous suggestion, and ordered his servant to rudely remove the toad's foster-mother from his home. So the poor woman returned home and told the toad of her rough treatment.

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