The Frog Shower That May Not Have Fallen

Transcript

Carribber reported that on Sunday, 25 July 1841, near St. Henri, Montreal, he saw what appeared to be a shower of frogs. After crossing a canal bridge, he found myriads of small frogs hopping across the road after a smart rain. Meadowland lay on both sides, though he noticed no nearby stream. This was Carribber’s personal account, not proof that frogs had fallen from the sky. He dismounted and gathered many in his pocket handkerchief. Later, during tea, the strangest detail returned: frogs escaped from the handkerchief and made their presence known in the room. The experience helped Carribber recognize how easily movement nearby can be mistaken for material falling from above. His lesson was simple and careful. Before assuming that an unusual shower came from the sky, consider animals already moving nearby, especially after rain, and consider whether observation has been mistaken for cause. The story does not show that every frog shower is an error. It shows that one vivid sight can look mysterious until a small, ordinary detail changes the explanation.