The Frog at the Top of Frosty Mountain

The Great Demon War Of 1933

The Author followed a tricky path through a small patch of woods that sat between the city and the highway system. The highway, as his pigeon had explained to him, was the best way to Frosty Mountain outside of the city.

"Wasn't there any other way to the highway?" The Author asked as he pushed branches out of his way. 

"There were a few." The pigeon said, landing on a rock beside the path. "But some other pigeon would have spotted us. Then you and I would be dead. Mind if I ask what you did to piss off that crocodile so much?"

"I stood up to his son. He was a real jerk."

"Jerk son or not, it was a dumb thing to do. If you had heard half the things I have about this papa croc, you would have just walked away."

"Oh yeah?" The Author asked. "What did he do that was so special?"

"He fought in the Great Demon War of 1933."

"The what now?"

"You never heard of this? Can't say I'm surprised. Mr. Bullfrog doesn't like to talk about this much. He saw a lot of things in that war."

"Mr. Bullfrog was alive in 1933!?"

"Yes, he was alive, and so was I. We had just graduated from college when the Great Depression hit, causing millions of people to lose their jobs. It wasn't so bad for us animals, seeing as we can survive just about anywhere, but humans were hit pretty bad by the economic crash. So many people lost their homes and were starving. Negative emotions amongst humans were at an all time high, and that's when a group of demons tried to invade the human world. Demons feed on negative emotions, so they decided it was the perfect time to strike."

"Humans can't see demons like we animals do. We saw what the demons were trying to do, so we decided to do something about it. It was a bloody conflict that lasted about 6 months. Many animals lost their lives, and those who survived were never the same again."

"I'm so sorry." The Author said, feeling sympathy for the pigeon for the first time since they had met.

"It's alright." The Pigeon said, continuing along the path. "I didn't see much. I was a courier pigeon, so I was above the battlefields most of the time. Mr. Bullfrog was the one who fought. He started out on the frontlines, then became a commander once the other animals saw how smart he was. If it weren't for him, I think the war would have gone on for much longer."

"Wow. Mr. Bullfrog, a war hero. Who knew? Anyway, what did that crocodile do?"

"The crocodile fought on the frontlines too."  The Pigeon explained. "But the other animals didn't see him as a hero.  He was cruel to his enemies, viscious even. He did things that a lot of animals refused to talk about."

"War brings out the worst in people." The Author commented. "I have an uncle who was with the Marines and did things he doesn't like to talk about. That doesn't make him a bad person, does it?"

"That's a hard question to answer." The pigeon said, pensive. "But it's not what the crocodile did on the battlefields that made people afraid of him. It's what he did in the shadows that turned him into the monster he is today."

"What did he do?"

"He betrayed the animals by making a deal with the demons. He wished to be more powerful in exchange for information, so he revealed the locations of animal camps and nearly cost us our victory. After the war was over, we banished him down to the sewers in an attempt to weaken him. From the looks of it though, that didn't do much against him."

"My goodness. Do you think he'll ever let what I did slide?"

"I doubt it. Once he sets his sights on you, you're as good as dead. Fighting against him would be certain death. I think the only one who could stop him now is Mr. Bullfrog."

One more reason to reach Frosty Mountain, The Author thought. The path ahead of them was getting tricker by the minute, but he had no choice but to carry on.