The Coleman Frog
Tall tales are an important part of the Canadian cultural landscape, and this one's a whopper. In this episode, we'll hear the legend (or is it a lie?) about a massive 42 lb bullfrog and the man who loved it. Part 19th century advertisement, part local legend, this somewhat controversial tale asks us to think about the nature of storytelling, and the difference between fact and truth.
Sources
Hahn, Ray. “The Story of Coleman’s Frog as told by Gary and Peggy.” PostcardHistory.net. 12 July 2021. Accessed February 2022. https://postcardhistory.net/2021/07/the-story-of-colemans-frog-as-told-by-gary-and-peggy/
Hix, John. “Strange as it seems.” The Ottawa Citizen, 24 August 1931, p 11.
Mandel, Charles. “Story of the big frog is no bull, museum says.” Regina Leader-Post, 28 July 2007, p A10.
Nickell, Joe. “Canada’s Mysterious Maritimes.” Skeptical Inquirer, Volume 24, No. 1, January/February 2000
Trueman, Stuart. Tall Tales and True Tales from Down East. McClelland & Stewart, 1979.
“A Giant Frog: Batrachian Weighing Over Forty-two Pounds.” The Ottawa Citizen, 5 August 1899, p 10.
“Coleman, Frederick B.” ArchivesCANB, Authority Record. Accessed February 2022. https://search.canbarchives.ca/fred-coleman
“New Brunswick’s Big Frog.” The Ottawa Journal, Ontario,: 11 June 1959, p 6.
“Strange Diet Caused Frog to Grow to Enormous Size.” The Ottawa Citizen, Ontario, 22 July 1939, p2
“Coleman’s Giant Frog.” The Province, Vancouver BC: 31 July 1899, p. 7
“Fredericton, N. B.” (F. B. Coleman obituary). The Bangor Daily News, Bangor, ME, 20 July 1901, p 2
Christian Science Monitor News Service, “Story of Famous ‘Coleman Frog.’” The Lewiston Daily, Maine: 12 April, 1979, p. 7 https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1928&dat=19790412&id=DGEgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wmUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1439,2039525&hl=en
“New Brunswick Notes.” Forest and Stream, New York City, NY, 7 October 1899, p 289. https://www.frederictonregionmuseum.com/2011/08/29/from-forest-and-stream-october-7-1899-page-289-new-brunswick-notes/#
“This massive frog has become a legend in Fredericton, but was it real?” The Weather Network, MSN.com. 10 November, 2021. Accessed February 2022. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/video/viral/this-massive-frog-has-become-a-legend-in-fredericton-but-was-it-real/vi-AAQxDzB
