The Frog of the North

The Frog of the North is Dead — Long Live the Frog of Tamula!

Once upon a time, an ugly beast from the North — the Frog of the North, also known as the Dragon of the North — threatened to destroy all life on Earth. At last, a young man was found who, with the wisdom he had learned from wise men and the magic ring he had stolen from the Maiden of Hell, defeated the Frog of the North. Oh, how people rejoiced when they heard the news that the evil enemy was dead!

Here, however, we have a different kind of frog — the Frog of Tamula, who dwells at the bottom of Lake Tamula.

The creator of the image, the artist Navitrolla, has written the following:

“There are many small nations around the world whose very survival is under threat. Nations that possess their own secret strengths are better able to remain true to themselves. The Võro people are protected by the mythical Frog of Tamula. It has lived in the northern part of Lake Tamula for as long as Võru County has been home to the Võro people — a small ethnic group that keeps the Võro language and spirit alive.

The frog holds a bubble on its tongue, symbolising the Võro language as the most important expression of Võro identity. This bubble would have burst long ago were it not for the frog’s protective magic. According to folklore, once a year the Frog of Tamula comes ashore to breathe fresh air and proudly speak the Võro language.

The frog’s back is covered in spiked armour, which keeps evil away. Along its tail, the spikes gradually become rounder until they turn into balls. The ball at the tip of the tail is the frog’s spawn cudgel. It serves as a reminder for the Võro people to preserve their language and spirit. May there one day be as many brave new Võros as there are tadpoles in a puddle!

Every nation must have myths, stories, and fairy tales. They keep the eye sharp and curious when looking toward the future. Only in this way can people remain brave and believe in better times.”

— Fr. R. Kreutzwald, The Frog of the North, from the collection Folk Tales of the Estonian People