"Fool", beause of his interst in small childeren, an unusual interest for a man during this time. "Prophet", bacause of his ideas of the "spherical Law" and his "Theory of Play" with the "Gifts". The easiest way to explain the Spherical law is to think of a seed, apparently dry an dead but after contact with soil, rain and sun comes to life. It grows to a plant, flowers and finally it fades away but never really dies. From the dying plant comes new seeds which ar "dead" only for one winter and comes to life next spring. The power (Kraft) is hidden inside the seed and it is God. The seed-metaphor can also illustrate Fröbels statement: "Unity in the Manifold and Manifold in the Unity".
Fröbel was the son of a vicar in Oberweissbach in Thuringia, an he had a very sad and lonely childhood. He lost his mother during his first year and this could explain his great interest in early childhood.