FrogsFrenchmen, properly Parisians. So called from their ancient heraldic device, which was three frogs or three toads. “ Qu'en disent les grenouilles? ”—What will the frogs (people of Paris) say?—was in 1791 a common court phrase at Versailles. There was a point in the pleasantry when Paris was a quagmire, called Lutetia (mud-land) because, like frogs or toads, they lived in mud, but now it is quite an anomaly. (See Crapaud.)
As when those hinds that were transformed to frogs Railed at Latona's twin-born progeny.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Frogs from Infoplease:
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