One day the circus was showing near a large city, and great crowds of people came out to see it. There were boys and girls—more than Tum Tum had ever seen before. The big tent was full.
Tum Tum did all his tricks as best he could. He stood on his head, and on his hind legs. He sat up at the table, and made believe eat a meal. In this trick Mappo, the merry monkey, had a part, for he sat up with Tum Tum, and they both ate.
When the circus was almost over, and Tum Tum had played soldier, and marched out of the ring carrying Mappo on his back, while Mappo waved a flag, the little monkey, who could see out of the top of the tent said:
"Tum Tum, we are going to have a big thunder shower. I can see the lightning and the black clouds."
"Well, it will not hurt us," said Tum Tum. "We often used to have thunder storms in the jungle, and here we are under a tent."
Then, suddenly the storm came. It grew very black, and the thunder and lightning frightened the big crowds in the circus tent. It rained very hard, too, so that some of the tent ropes were made loose and slipped.
"Run out, quick!" suddenly called a man. "The tent is going to fall on us! Run, everybody!"
"No! Sit still! Keep your seats!" the circus men cried, but the crowd was frightened and ran.
Just then, one of the big poles of the tent began to fall.
"That pole must not fall!" cried Tum Tum's keeper. "But how can I hold it up? I am not strong enough."