A circus came to town down in Kentucky. The tents were set up and the
cages put in, and the people gathered about to look. "There, ladies and
gentlemen," shouted the barker, "is the Royal Lion, the king of beasts.
He can whip any other animal in the world."
"He kin, kin he?" queried a gawky Kentuckian. "I'll bet you five dollars
I have an animal at home that'll lick him the very first round."
"Can't take your bet," said the barker. "Too little money. Couldn't
think of letting him fight for five dollars, but I'll take a bet of
twenty-five dollars."
"I ain't got that much," said Kentuck, "but I'll borrow it of my
friends, an' we'll have a fight."
The bystanders made up the money, and the stakes were duly put up.
Kentuck went to his home, and by and by returned with a bag over his
shoulder.
"What you got in that bag?" asked the showman.
"A snolligoster," answered Kentuck.
"A snolligoster? What's that? Let's see it."
"No, you don't," answered Kentuck. "You open the top of your cage and
I'll put my animile in, the money's put up, you know."
So the cage was opened and Kentuck climbed up to the hole in the top
and, opening his bag, shook out of it a big snapping turtle. The turtle
stood on the defensive. The lion came up to smell him. He took only one
smell, gave a yell of pain and retired to his corner to howl the snapper
loose if he could.
"Take him off," yelled the showman.
"Take him off yerself, if ye want to," said Kentuck. "The fightin's just
commenced. First blood for my snolligoster."