The croaking frogs of the amphibian world have long been known for their musical voices. From the chorus frogs in the local pond, to everyone’s favorite green frog singing about rainbows, and that froggish prince who ribbeted through the Jazz Age. Ocarina of Time is no exception, hosting not one, not two, but five singing frogs and all their songs. And while they may not be the lovable Kermit the Frog, they may just be the most fabulous of them all.
Hidden in the waters of Zora’s River, give frogs wait… watching as they listen for their next musical melody to croak into the night. The Fabulous Five Froggish Tenors don’t think to search for inspiration themselves nor compose a melody of their own making. They simply sit below the surface of the water, eyeing any creature that walks by that might happen to carry a tune. Fortunately for them, a young adventurer walks along the river with a musical instrument in hand and a pocket full of lively tunes. Surely the young boy would take a break from saving the world to give them a song or two or five.
The Fabulous Five Froggish Tenors are the center of an ongoing minigame in the child section of Ocarina of Time. They are hidden from sight until Link steps onto the log where Navi points out that frogs look at him from under the water. Pull out the Ocarina and the Froggish Tenors appear, unblinking and unsettling. Play a note and one of the frogs will match the pitch and start to dance, giving Link the power to compose the frogs to his liking… almost.
The aim of the minigame is to play six songs: Song of Time, Zelda’s Lullaby, Saria’s Song, Sun’s Song and Epona’s Song. After each song is played, the frogs will thank Link for playing a fine melody for them to practice, and gift him a purple rupee. One of the frogs will also grow in size depending on which song was played. For the player, they act as indicators of how many more songs still need to be played, but it does make the mind wonder what magic lies in these songs for the frogs to almost double their size in an instant.
Once all frogs are grown in size, one may think that the game is over but there is still one more song to play. One that the frogs enjoy more than any other. And no, it’s not the Serenade of Water. These Fabulous Five Froggish Tenors adore the Song of Storms and the rain that pours down upon them. The song makes them start to sing. “Siiiiingin’ in the raaaaaain. Oh what a feeling!” Water is at their heart and a song that brings water down from the skies is a joyous tune. For their gratitude, they give Link a Piece of Heart.
But wait, there’s more. You didn’t really think the Fabulous Five Froggish Tenors wouldn’t be back for an encore? Now that they are all huge and singin’ in the rain, they have yet another game to play. Did you remember which frog matched what notes? The frogs lead Link through a game of Simon Says. Make not a single mistake and the frogs will give Link yet another Piece of Heart. They’ll be happy and content and thank Link for sharing his music with them.
The Fabulous Five Froggish Tenors can only be visited as a child. Seven years later and they have vanished. Perhaps they were driven from their home by the monsters that crawl around Hyrule, or struggled to find a song in the darkness to croak to, or maybe, without Link, they didn’t know how to reach the bugs right above them that used to keep them full day by day. Whatever the reason might be, the frogs remain a part of Link’s childhood. For it is in our childhood that many of us found joy in the concept of a singing and dancing frog, and Link got to perform for the most fabulous five frogs of them all.
