Daniel Webster was America’s most famous orator, statesman and congressman of the early 1800s. As a lawyer, he argued more than 200 cases before the United States Supreme Court. Old Dan’l’s oratory was so strong that it would last for hours and leave those in the courtroom in tears. “When he stood up to speak, stars and stripes came right out of the sky, the trout would jump out of the streams and into his pockets, and the chickens were all white meat, down through the drumsticks.”
A Closer Look at National Frog Jumping Day
Dan’l Webster was the name of Jim Smiley’s prized jumping frog
Every third week in May since 1893, people have celebrated National Jumping Frog Day. After qualifying rounds, the top 50 jumping frogs are entered in the grandly named International Frog Jump Finals. The current record has stood for 40 years. The record holder is a frog named Rosie the Ribeter. She jumped 21 feet from takeoff to landing, more than the length of three Shaquille O’Neals laid head to very big foot (size 23).
It all started with Mark Twain’s short story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
Interestingliterature.com says the first story Twain ever wrote is a combination of tall tale and practical joke.
Twain tells the story of a frog jumping competition through the eyes of one of the contestants
Jim Smiley was such a fanatical bettor that he trained a frog for three months straight, teaching it to jump higher and farther. If you’ve never read the story, you can read the original Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog free with no strings at PBS.org.
Smiley would bet on anything
He would make bets with anybody about anything. If he saw two birds sitting on a wire, he’d bet which one would fly off first. He once bet that the preacher’s wife wouldn’t recover from an illness – and won. If a guy wouldn’t take the bet, Jim would take the other side.
Smiley built a small box of wooden lattice so anyone could see what was inside
One day as Smiley was sitting around camp, a stranger walked up and asked him why he went around with a frog in a box. Smiley told him his frog could outjump any frog in Calaveras County and he’d back his claim with a bet. The stranger said he had no frog, but if he did, he’d take that bet. Anything for the action, Smiley said he’d go to the creek and fetch him one. While he was gone, the stranger opened Dan’t Webster’s mouth and poured buckshot down his gullet.
The stranger won the bet when Dan’l was unable to leave the ground, stuffed as he was with several pounds of lead.
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Bonus
Celebrate this memorable occasion #FrogJumpingDay with friends by making your own jumping frogs from paper and holding a contest of your own. Click here for instructions on how to make them.
