[Culturechat] European/American attitudes changing

[Vance Roy]

BRJagor@aol.com wrote:
> 
> Vance, please explain " FROGS". I am curious. Bruce in Atlanta


The term "frog" when applied to the French is considered by most to be
derogatory. In reality, it is a compliment to their ancestors ingenuity.
Years ago, a Frenchman told me the history of this term.

When the new world was being settled, a lot of French, especially the
Huguenots, went west by passenger ship. These ships were pretty rough.
The owners were paid according to the number of people that got OFF the
ship when it arrived. They tended to "pack" the ship because the
mortality rate among the passengers could be 25%.

Drinking water was carried in wooden casks. If this water went bad,
sickness and loss of life were common. The French knew that a frog will
not live in bad water. So, a frog was placed in each water cask. When
the cask was opened, if the frog was alive, you could drink the water.
If the frog was dead, then the water was likely unsafe.

Most French will fight you if you call them frogs, but that's not the
way it should be. I think they were pretty smart.

Vance Roy
gigli.saw@dplanet.ch.