Eye of Newt and Toe of Frog, Adder's Fork and Lizard's Leg

Marty Crump is an adjunct professor of biology at Utah State and Northern Arizona Universities. She has been a herpetologist for more than fifty years, working with tropical amphibians to study parental care, reproduction, territoriality, cannibalism, and tadpole ecology. For at least that long, she has been intrigued with the folklore of amphibians and reptiles. She is the author or coauthor of fourteen books, including In Search of the Golden Frog, Headless Males Make Great Lovers, Sexy Orchids Make Lousy Lovers, A Year with Nature, and Frog Day, all also published by the University of Chicago Press. Most recently, she is the editor of Lost Frogs and Hot Snakes: Herpetologists’ Tales from the Field.

“Crump looks back on the ways in which humans around the world have historically understood reptiles, using as a framework James Serpell’s model: that human perceptions of a species are based upon emotional reactions to it combined with a sense of whether it is beneficial or harmful. To address the emotional factors, she moves through ancient, aboriginal, and modern cultures, thematically sorting myths and stories into themes, including water and creation; good and evil; and transformation, resurrection, and renewal. As she examines utility, Crump surveys traditional Chinese medicine (which often uses animal parts), Western pharmaceuticals, folk magic, and culinary uses for amphibians. She concludes with musings on the ethics of whether researchers should try to debunk myths in the hope of saving particular species, making more explicit her message that fear of these species means the world risks losing them.”

• 1 Talk to the Animals2 In the Beginning: Creation Myths3 Snakes: “Good” or “Evil”?4 Songs and Thunderbolts: Frogs, Snakes, and Rain5 A Second Chance: Frogs, Snakes, and Rebirth6 Of Love, Morals, and Death: Amphibians and Reptiles in Folktales7 The Lighter Side: Trickster Tales and “How” and “Why” Stories8 Tailless Wonders, Naked Serpents, and Fire Lizards: Perception of Amphibians through Folk Beliefs9 Marshmallow-Eaters, Methuselahs, Spiny-Backs, Were-Lizards, and Protectors: Perception of Reptiles through Folk Beliefs10 Move Aside, Viagra: Reptile Sexual Power11 Pick Your Poison—Blood, Venom, Skin, or Bones: Folk Medicines12 Like a Hell-Broth, Boil and Bubble: Witchcraft and Magic13 “How ’bout Them Toad Suckers”: Other Ways We Use Amphibians and Reptiles14 Singing Tuatara from Their HolesAcknowledgmentsReferencesIllustration CreditsIndex