"Yes, though I don't know exactly what a circus is," said Don.
"Well, this is the start of it," Tum Tum said. "These are our winter quarters. Soon we shall start out on the road, and live in a tent. Then I shall do my tricks, the children and the people will laugh and shout, and give me popcorn balls and peanuts. Oh, yum-yum!" and Tum Tum smacked his lips because he thought of the good things he was going to have to eat a little later on.
"Can you do tricks?" asked Don.
"Indeed I can, a great many," the elephant said. "I can stand on my hind feet—so!" and up he rose in the air, until his little short tail dangled on the ground.
"Anything else?" asked Don. "That's a good trick. Let me see you do another."
"Look!" cried Tum Tum, and this time he stood on his front legs, and raised his hind ones in the air.
"That's harder to do," said the jolly elephant.
"I should think so," agreed Don. "I'm going to try it myself." Don did try, but when he wanted to stand on his front legs, he fell over and bumped his nose. And when he tried to stand on his hind legs, he fell over backward and bumped his head.
"I—I guess I can't do it," he said to Tum Tum.
"It needs much practice to do it well," spoke the jolly elephant.