Elephant Crushes Person's head: The Greatest Show on Earth

Elephant Crushes Person's head: The Greatest Show on Earth

by Liv Published on February 13th, 2009, 10:24 am Rift: X

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Kids went to the circus yesterday. The greatest show on earth came to the Greensboro Coliseum. Apparently the event appeared lackluster to most the kids who were all missing their game boxes, and high definition TVs. Shan states that her and Ren were about the only ones cheering along. One little girl who came along kept begging to go home. I suppose if Mary the elephant was there to crush a few heads, the kids would have enjoyed it a bit more:

Mary was a five ton Asian elephant who performed in the Sparks World Famous Shows circus. She went into a rage, snatched Eldridge with her trunk, threw him against a drink stand and deliberately stepped on his head, crushing it.

Most accounts indicate that she calmed down afterward and didn't charge the onlookers, who began chanting, "Kill the elephant!" Apparently within minutes, a local blacksmith tried to kill Mary, firing more than two dozen rounds with little effect.The circus owner, Charlie Sparks, reluctantly decided that the only way to quickly resolve the potentially ruinous situation was to kill the elephant in public.

The elephant was hanged by the neck from a rail-car-mounted industrial crane. The first attempt resulted in a snapped chain, causing Mary to fall and break her hip as dozens of children fled in terror. The severely wounded elephant died during a second attempt and was buried beside the tracks. WIKI

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

My dad insisted on taking me to the circus as a kid, but I found it boring. Then after my son was born, he took his grandson there. And of course, HE wasn't thrilled by the spectacle either. I dunno... the attraction of the circuses that made life so much more interesting, back before TV and the Internets may be dead and gone for the modern world.

[RebelSnake]

My dad insisted on taking me to the circus as a kid, but I found it boring. Then after my son was born, he took his grandson there. And of course, HE wasn't thrilled by the spectacle either. I dunno... the attraction of the circuses that made life so much more interesting, back before TV and the Internets may be dead and gone for the modern world.

I thought it was boring myself.

[A Person]

May I give a plug for Cirque de Soleil? I have seen three of their shows: Quidam, Saltimbanco and Corteo and their reinvention of the circus is breathtaking visual and audio stimulation.

I haven't seen an animal circus in 40 years and I wasn't impressed then. Animal acts are too 19th century. The story of Mary was news to me but, while bizarre, is not surprising, the whole point of the animal shows seemed to be subduing wild animals and forcing them to do unnatural things.

[SouthernFriedInfidel]

Well, the animal acts in circuses have always been a big turn-off to me. But I also think that the other acts that you'll see at a classic-style circus are also pretty low in entertainment value. The gymnastic feats are sort of all the same after a few trips. And the clowns are frankly old hat.

You mention Cirque de Soleil. I went to Maui a few years back, and saw a show that I understand was run by them, called Ula'lena. Damn good show about Hawaiian history. Not what I'd call a "circus" as such.

[A Person]

I haven't seen Ula'lena but I understand it is very different to their shows - it was designed by them but not run by them.

I know what you're saying about traditional acts. Trapeze acts are can be ho-hum. But when they combine them with surreal lighting, costumes and music - and then trampolines - they are transformed. There is always so much going on on stage that your attention is always being grabbed by something. Acts come on one side and work their way across the stage.

Anyway - highly recommended. I would not miss a chance to see one of their shows - although you might want to bring ear plugs. The music can be loud depending on local ordinances.