Simon Wheeler tells the narrator a long, boring story about a man named Jim Smiley and his gambling exploits. Jim Smiley would bet on a sickly horse that always seemed to find a burst of energy at the end of races to win. He also had a bull pup named Andrew Jackson that was unbeatable in fights until it went up against a dog with no hind legs. Smiley's prized possession was a frog named Dan'l Webster that he taught to jump and catch flies, and he made a bet with a stranger to race the frogs for money, only for the stranger to secretly weigh down Smiley's frog before the race, causing him to lose.

1. “The Notorious Jumping Frog
of Calaveras County”
By Mark Twain

2. • A friend of the narrator wrote to him and told him
to ask Simon Wheeler about Leonidas W. Smiley.
• The narrator believes his friend tricked him into
doing that because he knew that asking Wheeler
about Leonidas Smiley would remind him of Jim
Smiley and then he would tell a very long and boring
story that the narrator would not be able to escape
from.

3. • Simon Wheeler is a bald, fat, man. The narrator
finds him asleep by a stove in a bar.
• The narrator approached Wheeler and asks him
about Rev. Leonidas W. Smiley.
• Wheeler begins to tell the narrator the story of
Jim Smiley. The narrator notices that while he’s
telling the story, he never smiles or gets excited
about any of it, and he finds that strange.

4. • Jim Smiley liked to gamble—especially by placing
bets, and was usually lucky in every bet that he made.
• Smiley had a horse (a mare) that he would bet on.
The horse looked sickly, but would always end up
outrunning her competitors at the very end of the
race, making Smiley money.

5. • Smiley had a bull pup named Andrew Jackson that he
would lay bets on. The dog was pretty laid back until
you put money on him, then he would get mean.
• Andrew Jackson would fight by grabbing one of the
other dog’s hind legs and not letting go until it gave up.
• The dog won every fight it was in until it was pitted
against a dog with no hind legs.
• After he lost that fight, the dog looked at Smiley as if it
was his fault, then he wandered off, laid down, and
died.

6. • One day, Smiley catches a frog, who he names
Dan’l Webster, and teaches him how to jump on
cue and catch flies on cue.
• A stranger inquires about Smiley’s frog, and
Smiley promptly challenges him to a frog race for
40 dollars. Smiley even offers to find the other
man a frog.
• While Smiley is out catching a frog for him, the
stranger pries open Dan’l Webster’s mouth and
fills the frog with quail shot, which weighs him
down and makes him lose the race and Smiley
the money.

7. • Simon Wheeler is called away after the last story, but
tells the narrator to wait for him.
• When he gets back, the narrator seizes his
opportunity to be rid of Simon Wheeler and the
stories of Jim Smiley and leaves.