Tradition: Austrian Mythology
Alternative Names: The Seefeld Toad
Category: Frog
The Myth
A mysterious toad once jumped onto the cart of a carriage driver from Innsbruck as he travelled through Leithen. No matter how often the driver tried to shoo the creature away, it kept returning to sit beside him. Unable to rid himself of the persistent passenger, he continued his journey with the toad accompanying him.
When the driver finally stopped in the church square of Seefeld, the toad suddenly disappeared, and a beautiful young woman appeared beside him. She explained that during her lifetime she had promised to make a pilgrimage to Seefeld but had failed to fulfil her vow. After her death, she was forced to undertake the journey in the form of a toad, crawling along the road until she could reach the sacred destination.
The woman explained that she had finally been freed from her punishment because a kind person had carried her along the way. Grateful to the driver for helping her complete the pilgrimage, she thanked him and disappeared into the church. She was never seen again.
Sources
“Die Kröte.” SAGEN.at – Tiroler Sagen (Seefeld). Reproduced by SAGEN.at. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/oesterreich/tirol/seefeld/kroete.htm