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Wearing the latest bold statement pieces in a fetching shade of green the duckweed made for a very chic accessory to the back of this wee tiny toad! Giving me rather snootily his best side, the final finishing flourish was a discreet leaf, extravagantly planted on the nose.

Having rescued the little chap from being trodden on I thought I'd better put it by the pond..... where it shot under a lily leaf and came out in trepidation. Being the size of a little finger nail I thought it would soon find a hide-hole under the rockery. They are unable, unlike frogs, to leap out of danger being slow and clumsy so their only defence is to secrete a bitter poison, bufotoxin, from the parotoid glands which you can see here on the top of it's neck. I did pick up an adult toad on the road to help it cross and the stinging sensation on my hands lasted for ages even after washing. The skin otherwise is dry and warty.

In days gone by the finding of a toad round the house meant evidence of witches - being also an ill omen!

The Witches spell:

Round the cauldron go;
In the poison'd entrails throw -
Toad, that under cold stone,
Days and nights has thirty-one;
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i'the charmed pot! Macbeth.

Well he's too small to go in our pot of curry!

Have a great weekend everyone! :)