The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" is a short story by Mark Twain, first published in 1865. It tells the tale of a man named Jim Smiley, who has a knack for betting on anything and everything. He boasts about his trained frog, Dan'l Webster, who can outjump any other frog. When a challenger comes along with a frog that Smiley doesn’t know is untrained, he loses a significant bet. The story humorously explores themes of deception, regional culture, and the quirks of human nature, while showcasing Twain's knack for storytelling and rich character development.