# Mr. Toad — The Wind in the Willows character guide

> Mr. Toad in The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Toad, the Toad, Old Toad, Toady

**First appearance:** 0001-ii-the-open-road

## Snapshot

Wealthy, impulsive squire of Toad Hall whose roaring obsession with motor cars turns every friendship into a rescue mission.

## Who they are

Toad is the riverbank's richest and most incorrigible neighbor, a host of lavish luncheons and a menace behind the wheel of anything with an engine. His friends stage an intervention when a shiny red motorcar arrives at Toad Hall, but his genius for self-justifying swagger and his wounded pride make him slippery to reform. His grandiosity is both the story's engine and its comedy: every scheme he hatches pulls the quieter animals out of their burrows and into adventure.

## In the story

### [The River Bank](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wind_in_the_willows_se/chapters/i-the-river-bank)

Seen briefly rowing a wager-boat, splashing and rolling, before disappearing.

### [Mr. Toad](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wind_in_the_willows_se/chapters/vi-mr-toad)

Defiant and deceitful; feigns repentance then escapes and steals a motorcar.

### [Toad’s Adventures](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wind_in_the_willows_se/chapters/viii-toad-s-adventures)

Imprisoned and despairing, then cheered by the gaoler's daughter; escapes disguised as a washerwoman, flees by train, and hides in a wood.

### [X: The Further Adventures of Toad](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wind_in_the_willows_se/chapters/x-the-further-adventures-of-toad)

Toad steals a motorcar, crashes it, escapes, falls into a river, sleeps in a hollow tree, and trades a horse to a gipsy for money and breakfast.

### [Like Summer Tempests Came His Tears](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wind_in_the_willows_se/chapters/xi-like-summer-tempests-came-his-tears)

Jealous of Mole's cleverness but later cheered by Badger's secret passage plan; shows contrition when scolded by Badger.

### [The Return of Ulysses](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wind_in_the_willows_se/chapters/xii-the-return-of-ulysses)

Shows initial humility at the banquet but quickly returns to vanity, writing boastful invitations and singing his own praises.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wind_in_the_willows_se/characters/toad
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wind_in_the_willows_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_wind_in_the_willows_se/characters