COMMON TOAD. 141 



sided in a hole beneath the steps of the house 

 door, fronting the garden ; and might probably 

 have survived many years longer, had it not been 

 severely wounded by a raven, which seized it be- 

 fore it could take refuge in its hole, and notwith- 

 standing it was liberated from its captor, it never 

 again enjoyed its usual health, though it con- 

 tinued to live above a year after the accident 

 happened. 



The Toad was formerly supposed to be a great 

 enemy to the Spider; or rather the Spider to the 

 Toad. On this subject a tale is told by Erasmus, 

 so completely absurd, so curiously ridiculous, that 

 it may well serve as a standard proof of the gene- 

 ral ignorance which prevailed at that less enlight- 

 ened period. 



" Monachus quidam, &c. &c." Erasm. de Ami- 

 citia. 



The tale is thus translated by Topsel : 



" There was a Monk, who had in his chamber 

 divers bundles of green rushes, wherewithal he 

 strowed his chamber at his pleasure : it happened 

 on a day after dinner, that he fell asleep upon one 

 of those bundles of rushes, with his face upward, 

 and while he there slept, a great Toad came and 

 sate upon his lips, bestriding him in such a manner 

 as his whole mouth was covered. Now when his 

 fellows saw it they were at their wit's end*, for to 

 pull away the Toad was an unavoidable death, but 



* And that, seemingly, no very long tether ! to use an expression 

 of the facetious Dr. Baynard. 



