Frogs have many different meanings in mythology from good luck, to bad luck, good fortune to misfortune. Since frogs are not always understood by the average person, they are the basis for many urban legends and myths. I have heard many of them myself as a child, including “toads can give you warts” and “kissing a frog will turn it into a Prince.” But many of these myths are just not true.
In mythology, frogs typically symbolize prosperity, good luck, purity, fertility, transformation, and potential. Frogs may also symbolize renewal, growth, rain, natural cycles, healing or plague depending on context, use, religion, and culture. Frogs can also symbolise bad luck, notably in urban legends.
In this article I am going to decipher what frogs mean in ancient and modern mythology, from what they represent for ancient civilisations to what they represent today.
Since these are topics that require more depth than this one page can hold, be sure to check out the articles that I refer to on our blog under each section for much more information on each subject.
Are Frogs Good Luck?
Frogs are believed to be good luck and are associated with many positive cultural practices, superstitions, and mythology over the years. Frogs are said to attract good fortune, prosperity, fertility, healing, and growth based on their natural traits, abilities, and behaviors.
Frogs are generally viewed as representing good luck symbolizing money, good relationships, careers, wellbeing, and health. In many cultures and beliefs, frogs predominantly embody luck with regards to prosperity, fortune, healing, health, growth, development, fertility, and potential.
Frogs represent good luck in many cultures including:
- Prosperity and Fortune
- Healing and Health
- Growth and Development
- Fertility and Potential
Learn more about why frogs are considered good luck on our blog
Are Frogs Bad Luck?
Frogs are considered bad luck in a few cultures and religions including Christianity. Frogs are sometimes associated with the 2nd Plague of Egypt, and many people are afraid of toads due to the false belief their skin can transmit warts.
Frogs are still associated with bad luck in the Plague of Frogs, which is said to have occurred in Ancient Egypt as documented in Exodus 8:1-41. It is said that the frog plague consisted of frogs escaping the Nile and invading all of Egypt, including peopleās homes.
Outside of cultural reasons, frogs may be considered bad luck due to invasive species, various poison levels, skin secretions, toxicity towards pets, and their entering homes and private property. However, the cases where frogs are a problem predominantly concern improper approaches or misinterpretations from humans.
Learn more about why frogs may be considered bad on our blog
This brings me to a few myths and urban legends about frogs and toads.
What Are Some Frog Myths?
There are many frog and toad myths that have given these innocent creatures a bad reputation. I can still hear my grandmother yelling at me when I was a kid to put down my pet toad in the yard because it could give me warts. She had heard that from her ancestors and tried to pass on the message to me. Turns out it is not true, and there are better reasons to not touch frogs or toads.
Here are some common frog myths and the truth about them:
- “Frog Urine Can Give You Warts” – This is not true. Generally, frogs urinate when they are stressed, afraid, or want to fend off a predator. Frog urine cannot give you warts since this is a viral infection frogs do not carry. However, frogs may carry salmonella so wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap before and after handling a frog.
- “Toads Can Give You Warts” – This is not true. Touching a frog or a toadās skin, or their urine cannot give you warts since the virus that causes warts, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is not carried by frogs. If you have warts you did not get them from a frog and should seek medical attention to tend to them.
- “Slowly Boil a Frog, It Wonāt Notice” – This is not true. A frog will try to escape a pot of cold or temperate water, and will die if placed in boiling water. In reality, this tale is a metaphor showing human ignorance to dangerous situations around them (CTNF).
Learn more about frog myths in this guide on our blog
What Does it Mean When Frogs Fall From The Sky?
Frogs have been documented “raining” from the sky in multiple places around the world. Frogs generally weigh only a few ounces, and they sometimes get swept up by waterspouts, strong winds, and other harsh weather conditions, and then fall from the sky once the pressure drops, frequently accompanied by rain.
This occurence has lead to many urban legends and superstitions about frogs, but this simply is a natural phenomenon due to weather patterns and the frog’s light weight. Frogs have fallen from the sky due to strong weather patterns in London, Paris, Calgary, and Kansas among others.
Learn more about frogs falling from the sky on our blog
Common Questions About Frog Mythology
Who is the God of frogs? The God of frogs is Heket who is represented in Egyptian mythology as a goddess with a frog head and human body. Heket was said to protect women during childbirth and it was believed she brought balance, fertility, and order to the world.
What does seeing a frog mean spiritually? Spiritually, frogs typically symbolize prosperity, good luck, purity, fertility, transformation, potential, renewal, growth, rain, natural cycles, and healing depending on culture and context.
Are frogs a good omen? Frogs are considered good omen in many cultures including Egyptian, Greek, Irish, Chinese, and Japanese cultures. Many cultures believe frogs are a symbol of fertility, prosperity, and transformation.
What do frogs mean biblically? Frogs symbolized fertility for the ancient Egyptians, yet the Frogs Plague is said to have occurred in Ancient Egypt around and is documented in the Bible in Exodus 8:1-4 as the 2nd of 10 plagues.
