Hop-Toad and Esmeralda were drawn from Poe's short story "Hop-Frog". That story was inspired by an actual incident in 1393, where French King Charles VI and 5 of his lords dressed and chained themselves as "wild men" at a masquerade, and their costumes caught fire from a stray spark. 4 of the lords died, and the incident became known as the Bal de Ardents (Ball of the Burning Men).
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