16.5.21 - Frogs and toads

 


Toads have long been associated with magic, as witches’ familiars and as a source both of poison as folk healing.
Shakespeare seems to allude to elements from this trial in his play Macbeth, mentioning toads and frogs as elements of  the concoctions brewed by his witches in Act IV and seemingly referencing the events in an aside uttered by a witch regarding sending a storm against an enemy’s ship. 
Toad’s venom, according to medieval folklore, could be neutralized by the toadstone, a particular mineral also assigned powers against stomach and kidney ailments. 
The use of toad bones in a midnight ritual performed by English “Toadmen” in order to gain mastery of horses to be trained is also discussed as is the discovery of miniature frog coffins, stashed in Finish churches, in a folk-magic practice similar to the British and American use of “witch bottles.”
https://www.boneandsickle.com/2020/06/21/toad-magic/


Here is my version of the frog from the top right image which seems to be in a bizarre stand-off with a big snail.
I used a light green fabric from an old bed sheet with hessian as the backing, black thread, different embroidery threads and beads for the eyes and on the body. This is another example of medieval animal illustrations with strange facial expressions, and I think that's why I chose it out of all the frog images I found.
 I really like the colours in the piece I made and the embroidery thread details, I think it is really charming and unique.

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