Hugh Dickinson

Crump interprets the stories, rather than simply recounting them. Her background as a research biologist, and her fi eld experience with native peoples, give her a broad perspective on the topic. She weaves a deft blend of summary and commentary, and often returns to emergent themes. Why do particular species appear in leading roles? Why do snakes and toads so often end up both as hero and villain? What was the social function of these stories? It’s tempting to dismiss folklore and fable as entertainment, with no serious message for biologists or conservationists. Fun to read, and a boundless source of anecdotes to enliven your lectures or research seminars. But in a thoughtful introduction to the book, Crump makes a telling point. Most human beings in the world ‘know’ about reptiles and amphibians through myth, not science. Even in developed countries, the general public is woefully ignorant of reptiles and amphibians (and of evolution, and ecology, and physics, and chemistry, and...). Indeed, many of Crump’s fables come from Louisiana or Essex, not Islamabad or Palembang. Of the teeming millions of humans on the planet, few have access to a scientifi c education. And even of those that do, folk beliefs often trump schoolbooks as a source of trusted information (and I use the word ‘trump’ advisedly). Crump argues that we ignore that perspective at our peril. If we want to change views of reptiles and amphibians we need to start out by acknowledging and understanding people’s current belief systems. Because views of reptiles and amphibians are shaped by myth and fable, we need to comprehend those stories before we can change those attitudes. It’s a compelling argument to drag academics out of the ivory tower into the tribal gathering, to show us a perspective on our beloved study animals that differs from our own, and is vastly more widespread. Crump is no soapbox orator — she writes gently but persuasively. She asks a scientifi cally-informed readership to open their minds to another way of thinking. And in the process, she gives us some cracking yarns.