Chapter 1 – “The Humble Origins of the Not-So-Humble Cane Toad”

Once upon a time, in the lush jungles of South America, lived an amphibian of modest proportions but grand ambitions. His name was Trevor the Toad, and oh boy, did he have dreams. Dreams that extended far beyond the puddle he was born in.

As Trevor sat on his lily pad, contemplating the meaning of life, he pondered, “Is this it? A life of eating insects and dodging predators?”

Now, don’t get me wrong, Trevor was no ordinary toad. He had heard stories from his grandfather, Old Timmy Toad, about a far-off land where cane toads were not just insects’ worst nightmares but an entire continent’s. A place where a toad could aspire to be more than just a toad—a legend. The stories sounded almost mythical – tales of Australia, a land down under where toads were not mere pond dwellers but the stars of their very own ecological drama. Trevor was entranced.

With a determined glint in his bulbous eyes, Trevor declared, “I shall go to Australia. I shall become more than just another wart in the crowd!”

And so, Trevor embarked on a journey to be a part of the cane toad’s legacy in Australia. Unbeknownst to him, the cane toads were brought there intentionally in the 1930s to control the population of cane beetles. Yet, instead of doing their jobs, they decided the Australian wildlife was a buffet laid out in their honor. Trevor couldn’t wait to join the feast.