76. ~ Toad ~

The shape of a toad resembles that of a frog, but they are generally thicker and more awkward. They have short hind legs so they don't hop as much as they crawl. The texture of their skin is warty. These warts can produce a milky substance. It has been reported they can live to be forty years old - hence the phrase "an old toad!" They mainly eat insects and slugs. You can locate them in shadey spots. Adult toads live more on land then in the water. Toads will lay long jelly chains of eggs in a pond or lake. Their babies are called tadpoles, and soon after their birth they lose their tail and gills. Toads aren't very pretty to look at. Many toads smell bad. The being said, the toad's greatest feature is its beautiful big eyes. During the winter the toads live in a dormant state. The male toads have a darker throat. When raining, the males will make a trilling call. Male and females have an inflatable sac in their throat which produces strange sounds. Toads are amphibians, meaning they can live in and out of the water.

Medicine:

Toads teach us to see people from the inside out. To be aware of one's inner beauty and to not get bogged down by outer appearances. Toads teach us that beauty is always in the eye of the beholder. The toad tells us we may have a chain of events to go through before we achieve our ultimate goal. Toad medicine predicts we may experience an ugly and awkward moment, or dreaded situtation. Therefore, the toad teaches us to keep our eye's open, and to keep moving forward with caution in order to avoid a slimy situation.