 Some believe that the story of this frog was at least partly  inspired by a real amphibian. In Eastland, Texas they tell the story  of one horned toad named Old Rip. He was placed in the cornerstone  of the courthouse there in 1897. In 1928 the courthouse was  demolished and the story is that they pulled Old Rip out and he was  still alive (he did not get up and dance however). Eleven months  later, Old Rip finally "croaked" and the citizens made him a fancy  velvet