Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog While I was visiting the west coast of this great country,

on old friend wrote a letter to me, he made an interesting suggestion: You should visit old Simon Wheeler. Ask him about Leonidas W. Smiley. Wheeler wont Leonidas know he doesnt exist. But when you say the name, hell remember Jim Smiley. Wheelers got some funny stories about Jim. I found Simon Wheeler in Angels Bar in Calaveras, in the north of California, sitting in his favorite chair close to the door. He was asleep, so I had a look at him. He was a fat old with no hair on his head but a big white mustache under his nose. He had a simple, king on his face. When Wheeler woke up, I greeted him. Good afternoon, Mr. Wheeler. A friend from the east coast has sent me to you for news of his friend, Leonidas W. Smiley. Simon Wheeler smiled, stood up, and took me to table in the corner. His chair now blocked the path to the door. I sat and listened silently. No one, I zone realized, could stop Simon Wheeler in the middle of a good story. He never changed his voice as he moved smoothly from one sentence to next. Did he think the story was serious or funny? He gave his listener no sing. This was his story you can decide for yourself.

Mientras yo estaba de visita en la costa oeste de este gran pas, el viejo amigo le escribi una carta a m, me hizo una sugerencia interesante: "Usted debe visitar al viejo Simon Wheeler. Pregntele acerca de Lenidas W. Smiley. Wheeler no Lenidas sabe - que no existe. Pero cuando usted dice el nombre, que recuerde Jim Smiley. Wheeler tiene algunas historias divertidas sobre Jim ". He encontrado Simon Wheeler en el bar de ngel en Calaveras, en el norte de California, sentado en su silln favorito junto a la puerta. Estaba dormido, as que tuve un vistazo a l. l era un viejo gordo, sin pelo en la cabeza, pero un gran bigote blanco debajo de la nariz. Tena un rey sencillo, en su rostro. Cuando Wheeler se despert, lo salud. "Buenas tardes, Sr. Wheeler. Un amigo de la costa este, me ha enviado a usted por la noticia de su amigo, Lenidas W. Smiley ". Simon Wheeler, sonri, se levant y me llev a la mesa en la esquina. Su silla ya bloque el camino hacia la puerta. Me sent y escuch en silencio. Nadie, me di cuenta de la zona, podra dejar de Simon Wheeler en medio de una buena historia. l nunca ha cambiado su voz mientras se mova suavemente de una frase a la siguiente. Pensaba que la historia iba en serio o divertido? l dio a su interlocutor sin cantar. Esta fue su historia que se puede decidir por ti mismo. Lenidas W. Smiley, dice usted? Haba un hombre llamado Jim Smiley aqu en el invierno de 1849. O, tal vez fue la primavera de 1850. l era un gran trabajador y un buen conversador, pero haba algo especial en l, tambin. Jim Smiley le gustaba apostar. Siempre estaba buscando a alguien para apostar en todo: en el tiempo, en el negocio, y en todo tipo de luchas y carreras. Tuvo la buena suerte y gan casi siempre. La esposa de su jefe tena una terrible enfermedad. Estaba enferma desde hace mucho tiempo. Entonces, una maana, el jefe vino a trabajar con una buena noticia. "Cmo est tu mujer hoy en da?", Pregunt un hombre. "Ella mucho mejor hoy en da, gracias", respondi el jefe. "Espero que ella estar bien al final de esta semana."

Leonidas W. Smiley, you say? There was a man named Jim Smiley here in the winter of 1849. Or, maybe it was the spring of 1850. He was a hard worker and a good talker, but there was something special about him, too. Jim Smiley liked to bet. He was always looking for someone to bet on everything: on the weather, on the business, and on all kinds of fights and races. He had good luck and almost always won. His bosss wife had a terrible illness. She was sick for a long time. Then, one morning, the boss came to work with good news. Hows your wife today? one man asked. She much better today, thank you, answered the boss. I hope shell be well by the end of this week.

Without thinking, Smiley said, "Ill bet five dollars she's dead by Saturday."That's how he was. At one time, Smiley had a horse. just for fun, the boys around here called her the fifteen-minute racer because she always walked very slowly. She coughed all the time, and she was old and thin. But she wasn't as slow as those boys thought. For the first hall of a rase, this horse didri't sebe to moved. But at the last corner, Suilley's horse carne alive. She west crazy and ran like a wild animal to the finish lino. She won lots of money for Smiley. He also had a figliting dog, named Andrew jackson.* No one llked that dog. He was an ugly little thing. Bit he had a special trick, too. He fought with every dog that Stuiley could finad for hin. He looked weak during the fight. The other dog always bit hin and threw hin around. Then at the last minuto, he turned and got one of them other dogs back legs between his teeth. He could hold on to a back leg all fight, or all year. Andrew jackson con every fight until one sad day when the other dog in the fight didri't have any back legs! It was the result of an accident in a farmyard. Andrew jackson didri't know what to do. Wat could he get his teeth into? He lost the fight, lay down, and died. I always feel sorry when I remembra his last fight. jim Smiley loved that little dog. Smiley had other animal, too. He had fight1ng chickens and racing birds, and wild cats. Then, one day, he found his best animal: a frog. He noticed this frog when he was fishing. It was looking straight at him. Smiley took the frog home and kept it in his backyard for more than three months. He taught that frog how to jump. Daniel Webster* that was the frogs namewas the smartest frog along the west coast. Smiley was really proud of Daniel. He said, "This frog can learn anything!" Then he said, "jump!" and that frog jumped higher and farther than any frog alive. Siniley was always looking for people with frogs. He wanted to bet on Daniel Webster as often as possible.

Sin pensarlo, sonriente, dijo: "Yo apuesto a cinco dlares que ha muerto el sbado." Eso es lo que era. En un momento, Smiley tena un caballo. slo por diversin, los muchachos de por aqu la llam el piloto de quince minutos, porque siempre caminaba muy despacio. Ella tosi todo el tiempo, y ella era viejo y delgado. Pero ella no era tan lento como esos chicos se pensaba. Para la primera sala de la alcanzo, este caballo didri't sebe que se mova. Pero en la ltima curva, carne Suilley del caballo con vida. Ella al oeste loco y corri como un animal salvaje en el lino acabado. Ella gan un montn de dinero para Smiley. l tambin tena un perro figliting, llamado Andrew Jackson. * Nadie llked ese perro. Era una cosa pequea y fea. Poco tena un truco especial, tambin. l luch con todos los perros que podra Stuiley finad de hin. Pareca dbil durante la lucha. El otro perro siempre poco hin hin y lanz su alrededor. Luego, en el ltimo Minuto, se volvi y consigui uno de ellos otras patas traseras perros entre los dientes. Poda mantenerse en una pata trasera toda lucha, o todo el ao. Andrew Jackson Con cada pelea hasta que un da triste cuando el otro perro en la lucha didri't tiene patas traseras! Fue el resultado de un accidente en un corral. Andrew Jackson didri't saber qu hacer. Wat podra conseguir sus dientes en el? Perdi la lucha, se acost y se muri. Siempre me siento triste cuando me remembra su ltima pelea. Jim Smiley encantaba ese perrito. Smiley tena otro animal, tambin. Haba fight1ng pollos y aves de carreras, y los gatos salvajes. Entonces, un da, encontr a su mejor animal: una rana. Se dio cuenta de esta rana, cuando estaba pescando. Fue mirando directamente a l. Smiley se llev
la rana y la mantuvo en su patio trasero durante ms de tres meses. l ense que la rana a saltar. Daniel Webster * que fue de las ranas era el nombre de-la forma ms inteligente de rana a lo largo de la costa oeste. Smiley estaba muy orgullosa de Daniel. l dijo: "Esta rana puede aprender cualquier cosa!" Luego dijo: "Salta!" y que la rana saltaba ms alto y ms lejos que cualquier rana viva. Siniley fue siempre en busca de las personas con las ranas. Quera apostar por Daniel Webster, tan a menudo como sea posible.

Smilley kept his frog in a little box with holes along the top. Sometimes he came in here with the box, looking for a bet. One day, a stranger walked into the bar and saw the box. "What have you got in there?" the man asked. "Well, maybe it's a cat, or maybe a bird. But, no, it's only a frogs," answered Siniley. "And whats a frog in a box good for?" asked the man. "He's good for one thing," said Smiley quietly. "He can jump higher and farther than any frog in Calaveras." The stranger took the box and looked through a hole at Daniel Webster. "It looks like an ordinary frog. I don't seo anything special about it." "Maybe you don't," Smiley said. "Maybe you don't understand frogs. Or, maybe your know a lot about them. Ive got my opinion about this frog. Ill bet forty dollars that he can jump better than any frog around here." The stranger thought about this. Then he said, "I don't have a frog, so I can't take your bet." "Don't worry. Thats no problem," Smiley said. "you hold my box for a minute, and Ill find a frog for you." The stranger put his forty dollars on the table and took the box. Smiley ran out the door toward the river. The stranger sat in the bar here, thinking.Then he oponed the box and got Daniel Webster out. He helad che frogs mouth opon and poured sand into the animals stomach.

Smilley mantuvo su rana en una pequea caja con agujeros en la parte superior. A veces l vino aqu con la caja, en busca de una apuesta. Un da, un desconocido entr en el bar y vio la caja. "Qu tienes ah?" -pregunt el hombre. "Bueno, tal vez es un gato, o tal vez un pjaro. Pero no, es slo una rana," respondi Siniley. "Y lo que es una rana en una caja de bueno?" pregunt el hombre. "Es bueno para una cosa", dijo sonriente en voz baja. "l puede saltar ms alto y ms lejos que cualquier rana de Calaveras". El desconocido tom la caja y mir a travs de un agujero en Daniel Webster. "Se parece a un sapo comn y corriente. No seo nada especial en l." "Tal vez usted no lo hace", dijo sonriente. "Tal vez usted no entiende las ranas. O, tal vez tu sabes mucho acerca de ellos. Yo tengo mi opinin acerca de esta rana. Apuesto a cuarenta dlares que puede saltar mejor que cualquier rana de por aqu". El extranjero pens acerca de esto. Luego dijo: "Yo no tengo una rana, as que no puedo tomar su apuesta." "No se preocupe. Eso es ningn problema", dijo sonriente. "usted tiene mi caja durante un minuto, y voy a encontrar una rana para ti." El desconocido se puso sus cuarenta dlares sobre la mesa y tom la caja. Smiley corriendo por la puerta hacia el ro. El desconocido se sent en la barra de aqu, que thinking.Then oponed la caja y tiene a Daniel Webster. l helad che opon la boca sapos y se vierte arena en el estmago del animal.

Soon Smiley returned from the river with a big frogs. "Heres your frog," Smiley said to the stranger. "Put him next to Daniel Webster, and well stars the race. One-two-three goa!" he shouted, when the frogs were ready. Both men touched their frogs' backs. The new frog started jumping. But Daniel Webster didn't move. He couldn't moved wait all that sand incide him. He gave Smiley a sad look. The new frog won the race, and the stranger picked up the money. As he left the bar, he said, "I still don't see anything special about that frogs" Smiley looked at Daniel Webster. He was surprised and angry. What was the matter? Then he picked his frog up by the neck. "What's this? Daniel, youre so heavy!" "Smiley turned the frog over and shook him, and about three cups of sand came out of the frog. When he understood the trick, Smiley was che angriest man in California. He went outside and looked for the stranger, bus he was gone. And " "Mr Wheeler!" a boy suddenly called to the old storyteller frog the street. "You're wanted at home." "Stay here," Wheeler said to mea. "Ill be back in a second." I didn't have any reason to stay, so 1 decided to leave. But at the door, 1 mes Simon Wheeler as he returned to the bar. He started a new story immediately: "Smiley had a yellow cat with one eye and no tail. This cats name was Betsy Ross, and" But I didri't have time for another story, or any interest in one, so I didn't wait to hear about the cat. I politely said goodbye and left Calaveras.

Pronto volvi sonriente desde el ro con unas ranas grandes. "Aqu est tu rana", dijo sonriente al extranjero. "Que se ponga al lado de Daniel Webster, y vamos a estrellas de la carrera. Uno, dos, tres Goa!" -grit, cuando las ranas estaban listos. Tanto los hombres como toc la espalda de sus ranas. La nueva rana empez a saltar. Sin embargo, Daniel Webster no se movi. No poda esperar a mover toda esa arena incidir l. Dio una mirada triste Smiley. La nueva rana gan la carrera, y el desconocido tom el dinero. Al salir del bar, dijo: "Todava no veo nada especial acerca de que las ranas" Smiley mir a Daniel Webster. Estaba sorprendido y enojado. Cul era el asunto? Luego cogi la rana por el cuello. "Qu es esto? Daniel, eres tan pesado!" "Smiley volvi a la rana ms y lo sacudi, y alrededor de tres tazas de arena sali de la rana. Cuando comprendi el truco, Smiley era el hombre ms enojado che en California. Sali y mir hacia el extranjero, el autobs se haba ido. y " "El seor Wheeler!" un nio de repente llam a la rana viejo narrador de la calle. "Te llaman en su casa." "Qudate aqu", dijo Wheeler para medir. "Estar de vuelta en un segundo." Yo no tena ninguna razn para quedarse, por lo que uno decidi irse. Pero en la puerta, 1 mes Simon Wheeler, cuando regresaba a la barra. Comenz una nueva historia de inmediato: "Smiley tena un gato de color amarillo con un ojo y la ausencia de cola. El nombre de este gato fue Betsy Ross, y" Pero didri't tiene tiempo para otra historia, o cualquier inters en uno, as que no esper a or hablar del gato. Cortsmente, dijo adis y se fue de Calaveras.

Millet painting to him for eight hundred francs.* When he was "healthy," Millet never got more than five. And, the man bought my picture of his house for another hundred francs. He wanted something by a student of the great Millet. I sent the eight hundred back to Francois, and then I went to the next town. I sold one picture every day and never tried to sell two. Carl and Claude followed the same plan in other parts of France. We also talked to newspaper reporters everywhere.In six months, we sold eighty-five small pictures and made 69,000 francs. Carl made the last sale: the Angelus, for 2,200 francs. A rich businessman soon bought it again for 550,000 francs. It was time for the great Francois Millet to die. Did you read about the death of Millet? Famous people from around the world came to France to say goodbye to him. We four-always togethercarried the body in a beautiful wooden box. Only we four touched that box. It didn't weigh much. Of course, we four knew that Francois Millet wasn't inside it. Millet helped carry the box. On that day, he was a cousin of the famous dead artist. Now, we're all millionaires. If we need more money, we sell another painting. The price of a Millet is very high these days. "That`s a wonderful story," I salid when Mr. Smith finished. "it what happened to Francois Millet?" "Do you remember when I pointed to a man in the dining room this morning? That was Francos Millet," Mr. Smith salid. "I don't" 1 began. "Believe it? Yes. It's all true. A great artist was paid for his paintings duping his lifetime. He hasn't had to suffer like the little bird in Hans Andersen's story. We made sucre of that."