Green and yellow frogs at the irrigation source

Overview

Above a mountain village, two large frogs occupy the crevice supplying its irrigation pond. Shelton’s narrator assigns them to the lower regions. They obstruct the flow unless a person is sacrificed each year, and the obligation passes among families until it reaches the king’s household. The king offers himself, but his son insists on going. A childhood friend accompanies the prince and offers to take his place.

The travelers find one green frog and one yellow frog talking together. The yellow one explains that killing them would free the water and enable the victors to bring up gold and jewels. It assumes that the humans cannot understand frog speech, but the prince can: this telling attributes animal-language knowledge to kings and their sons. The two companions kill and eat the frogs, and the water flows freely again.

They leave the country rather than return to villagers who might mistake them for ghosts. Their new wealth-producing ability is demonstrated at a wine shop and later at a royal selection, where the prince produces gold and his friend jewels. The text does not identify which man ate which coloured frog, name either frog or describe their return from death. Their demand for a victim belongs to the story; the account alone does not establish an actual historical sacrificial practice. The later bird-clad divine visitor is a separate being.

Origins & earliest records

Tibetan narrated traditions mediated by the Shelton collection

Records & interpretation

Complete tale and ending directly read in the historical English witness.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Tibetan Folk Tales

   A. L. Shelton, translator; Flora Beal Shelton, editor · 1925

   XXIII, Story of the Prince’s Friend, pp.94–102

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

Primary records and illustrations

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Historical translated folktaleShelton, Tibetan Folk Tales (1925), XXIII, Story of the Prince’s Friend, pp.94–102Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.