There are people and even creatures out there that specialise in causing pain. No pain, no gain; so the saying goes. Sometimes, we need to go through the growing pains that will allow us to mature. At other times, the pain that we are experiencing is just toxic. End of story.
Toads, as well as frogs, have for a long time symbolised pain as they are poisonous creatures whose toxins can hurt those around them if they get too close. These toxins are a part of the ancient evolutionary self-defence mechanism that once kept a creature safe from harm.
The mechanism itself is simple. When you come into contact with this poison, it causes a lot of pain. These two amphibians evolved this ability to keep them safe from being eaten by larger animals and hungry humans.
Since the toad is a creature that symbolises evolutionary abilities, it is a reminder that sometimes we need to completely let go of what we had before so that we can develop new talents and traits.
Our power of intuition is real and it is strong. We must trust what our sixth sense conveys about a particular situation or person in our life. The toad can, indeed, motivate us to explore the different adventures that our life has to offer. It can enable us to act and learn from the insights that we gleam from the adventures we are on.
In nature, frogs and toads are easily heard but they are hardly ever seen. They know how to conceal themselves. They are masters at adapting themselves to the environment. As such, they symbolise camouflage, mystery and even hidden secrets. These characteristics are necessary for their survival.
Toads have had a long connection to witchcraft. They appear as an ingredient in many spells as well as in stories where people are transformed into the repulsive toad. Since they feature strongly in black magic and folklore surrounding evil, there are many superstitions surrounding frogs and toads.
The toad and the frog are reminding us to remain honest and ethical in one’s dealings with others. Dishonest behaviour will eventually come back around to haunt us in the future.
A statue of the three-legged toad is common and recurring motif in Chinese decorative art. The icon is usually made of metal or a semi-precious stone. The three-legged toad usually has a coin in its mouth and is seated on top of a bed of coins or gold ingots.
The legendary three-legged toad is thought to have possessed the capability to actually produce gold and silver coins from its mouth. A Chinese fable explains that lunar eclipses are a result of the three-legged toad swallowing the moon. Another story goes that the wife of one of the eight immortals was transformed into a toad as a result of stealing the elixir of immortality from her spouse. In addition to wealth, the toad also represents longevity and wisdom.
This toad is believed to live on the moon with the God of Wealth.
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