Dido’s master led him down where the animals were kept, and chained him to a post, with some water near by for him to drink, and some bread and buns to eat.
“I am going away for a little while, Dido,” the man said. “But I will soon be back. Then we will go up in the circus ring and you will do your tricks for the boys and girls. Be a good bear while I am away.”
Dido ate a bun, drank some water, and looked about him. Over in one corner the dancing bear saw a queer animal, who seemed to have two tails.
“I beg your pardon, but who are you?” asked Dido, in the sort of talk that all animals understand.
“Who am I?” asked the big animal who seemed to have two tails. “Why I am Tum Tum, the jolly elephant.”
“Tum Tum, eh?” exclaimed Dido. “That is a nice name, but you are a funny chap, with two tails.”
“Ah, that is where you make a mistake,” said Tum Tum, as he chewed a mouthful of hay. “I have only one tail. The other is my trunk that I lift things with. It is really only a long nose, for I breathe through it, but folks call it a trunk.”
“Ah, I see,” spoke Dido. “I am sorry I thought you had two tails.”
“Oh, that’s all right,” went on jolly Tum Tum. “Don thought the same thing when he first saw me.”