(Editor’s Note: Signal the Frog is the official mascot of geocaching.com.

Jeremy Irish, founder of the geocaching website, explains the actual origin of Signal: “We decided a while back to determine a mascot that represents GPS technology. This mascot would combine nature with technology, since that's the point to get across - No longer do you need to sit shackled to a computer monitor to combine interests in pc gaming and the outdoors."

"The frog was the creature of choice. Almost anywhere on the planet you can find a frog of one form or another. It is universally known, and in many cultures represents genesis, transformation, fertility, and rain, (for those familiar with Seattle.) The antenna represents a merging of technology with nature, which is what geocaching is all about. The color green is also the color of technology, and Seattle is called the Emerald City because of the beautiful evergreens in our area.”)

Cast of Characters: Jeremy Irish is the CEO of Groundspeak, Inc., owner of geocaching.com website. Elias Alvord and Bryan Roth are his partners. Hydee is an employee of great import.

Chapter One: A Frog Is Born.

Once upon a time in a land not so far away, a wee tadpole swam in a tepid pool alongside a game-trail in a vast forest. She was the 23rd of 189 offspring sired by Frankie Frog and his wife Frieda.

Frankie Frog, the typical amphibious deadbeat dad, promptly left Frieda after learning of her “condition”. He would hop over 20 miles and die in the street of a nameless subdivision. There he would be continually flattened and baked in the hot summer sun until he achieved sail-frog status. The neighborhood children would giggle with delight as they glided Frankie’s stiff and crispy carcass like it was a Frisbee. Frieda wouldn’t fare much better alone in the forest, choking to death on the tail of one of her own babies.

Now the forest was pristine and virtually untouched by the heavy hand of humans, although nearby was a green rectangular box.Now the forest was pristine and virtually untouched by the heavy hand of humans, although nearby was a green rectangular box. The little tadpole grew and swam stupidly in circles, bumping into her brothers and sisters.

“Oh this is the life!” she exclaimed, “I love my little pool!”

One morning she awoke to find she had legs. Short stubby little legs they were, but legs nonetheless. “What the heck are these things?” she asked.

Her brother swam up and answered, “Remember when momma was still alive, just before she choked to death on #121? She told us we would grow four legs and hop just like she does.”

Tadpole 23’s tiny legs grew over the weeks until she finally hopped out of the pool, which by now had grown rancid with the feces of dozens of other tadpoles and one huge steamer left by a passing elk. Now a full grown but naive little frog, she flitted away the days listening for insects, hopping around the damp forest, and sleeping in the shade of the green box.

“Oh this is the life!” she exclaimed, “I love my forest life!”

Chapter Two: Trouble In Paradise.

One misty morning the little frog heard the sound of something crashing through the tree branches. She heard voices saying things like, “I’ve lost the signal lock,” and “I’ve got a stick in my eye!”

The little frog was frightened and cowered down amongst the leaves. The surly voices came closer, and suddenly an intense beam of sunlight blinded the little frog as the forest’s lower canopy was hacked away. Looking up she saw a strange animal walking upright on its two hind legs.

“Get away from me!” she croaked, as a cold hand lifted her high into the air and causing her to lose control of her bladder.

The beast cursed and dropped her unceremoniously into the pocket of his chartreuse North Face raincoat. Jeremy patted the pocket of his jacket and carried the little frog back to his home in Seattle. Once safely inside his hovel, he pulled the bewildered frog from the pocket and picked the hairs and lint from her trembling body. “I shall call you Signal,” he proclaimed, “and you shall be the mascot for geocaching.”

Signal clenched her little frog lips and urinated angrily on the hand of her captor. The beast roared in displeasure and dropped her. Signal was terrified as she fell, landing with a soft thud in a puddle of water.

Signal blinked and looked around at her new surroundings.Signal blinked and looked around at her new surroundings. The ground was covered with brightly colored gravel and the plants didn’t have the same smell or feel they had in her forest home. There also seemed to be an invisible force that kept her confined to a very small area. She cried herself to sleep on the first night in her new prison. “I hate this place!” she croaked loudly.

The next morning, Jeremy opened the sky and thrust his filthy hand under her belly, lifting her to the heavens. Signal saw his two giant eyes and open mouth. She squirmed violently believing she was about to be eaten. The brow above one of the eyes raised and his booming voice screamed, “You’re OK, I will not eat you. I’ll only taste you a little.”

“Put that frog back in the tank!” This was another voice of a slightly higher pitch than Jeremy’s. Signal was thrust back into her small world, but not before relieving herself on the hand again. That night she cried herself to sleep as she had the night before, this time swearing a vow to exact some form of revenge on the beast.