“Ah, Dido!” cried the man, “we are going to a circus. You are going to do some tricks there. We shall have a good time, and I will get money to buy buns for you. After the circus we will go out in the nice country, where the trees grow as they do on the mountain where I caught you.”
Dido did not know what a circus was, but he soon found out.
In New York City is a place called Madison Square Garden. It is a big building, and on top of the tower, where the pigeons live, is a statue of a golden lady, with a bow and arrow. The lady is named Diana, and, many, many years ago, she used to hunt wild animals in the woods of her country. Perhaps that is why they have the circus in Madison Square Garden.
A circus there is not like one in a tent. All the animals and all the performers are in one big building. The animals are mostly down in the basement, as they call it.
And it was there that Dido was taken by his keeper. The dancing bear rode in a big express wagon, just as he had ridden down the mountain after he had been caught in the trap-cage. Only this time Dido was not afraid, as his kind keeper was with him to pat him on the head and give him sweet buns.
Dido was taken into Madison Square Garden, and as soon as he got inside he smelled the smell of many wild animals. He was not afraid, for he was used to that smell. He could tell there were other bears in the circus, and he saw them in cages, but none of them were let go about as was he.
And Dido saw camels, lions, tigers, monkeys, ponies, horses, and many other animals.
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.”