Chapter VIII

Such a fine circus! Jack and Bob went, but [Jimmy Crow] was left at home. The [two boys] bought [a bag of peanuts] and fed the [elephant] and [monkeys]. Jack put his [hand] full of nuts between the bars, and a little brown [monkey] pulled his [fingers] open and picked out the [peanuts].

Then they saw the grand parade in the big [tent]--the [elephant], the [camel], the [giraffe], the [zebra], the [cages] with [lions], and [tigers], the [hippopotamus] and the [bear]. Then a pretty [lady] rode a white [horse], standing up on the [saddle] and waving a [flag]. Other horses ran races, and jumped, and walked upright. The funny [clown] tried to ride a little [donkey], and kept tumbling off.

At the last, all the animals marched round again, and a funny thing happened. A big black [crow] came flying into the [tent] and lighted right on the [elephant]'s back. He spread his [wings], and danced up and down in time to the [marching band]. The people thought he was part of the circus, and clapped their [hands] and laughed, but [Jack] ran out into the ring, crying, "Oh, he's mine, he's mine! Please let me have him!"

The [clown] got a [ladder] and climbed up the elephant, but [Jimmy Crow] kept out of his reach, and everybody laughed. So he came tumbling down again, and told Jack to try it. [Jack] climbed up and crept along to the elephant's head--and then Jimmy flew up on his shoulder, and the [audience] clapped louder still. When Jack came down, the [clown] fished a penny out of his pocket, and offered to buy Jimmy Crow. "No, sir!" said [Jack]. "Not for a hundred dollars! I'd rather have my crow than this whole circus." [Edith Francis Foster]

[A WHOLE BUNCH OF CRACKERS!]

JIMMY CROW.