
Jerry of the Circus - Rags Leg Is Clawed by Cub - 07/30/1937
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Jerry
Hey, everyone.
Patsy
Check out this guy and his bird. What is this, your first date?
Jason
Oh, no.
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Patsy
Yeah, the bird looks out of your league.
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Patsy
Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty.
Jason
Gary of the circus.
Jerry
Ram. Sam.
Jason
Now for Jerry of the circus.
Jerry
Hey, Jason, I bet those two will be good friends.
Jason
Yeah, but not for long, I'm afraid.
Jerry
Why not?
Jason
Well, there's always a danger that as the cub gets bigger, he might hurt Rag sometime while they're playing. If no one was around and it was blood or something, the cub might revert to his jungle ancestors.
Jerry
What do you mean, revert?
Jason
Well, he might forget he's supposed to be a well behaved wild animal. And suddenly smelling blood, he might think of the kill.
Jerry
Oh, I see. Of course, I suppose he might.
Jason
You still think you'd like to train to be pals?
Jerry
I should say not. What do you think I am? Guess maybe I'd better take Rags now and.
Jason
I didn't mean to scare you, Jerry.
Jerry
Not much you didn't, no.
Jason
It's safe enough for them to play now if we kind of keep our eyes on him. But it is true you have to be pretty careful while a crud goes up.
Jerry
Golly, I should say so. I suppose they're too little to know why they do certain things.
Jason
That's it. And too young to be well enough trained so you can trust them.
Jerry
Is Fuzzy too small to start training yet?
Jason
No, sir. He's just about the right age.
Jerry
Gee, I'd like to try. What can we teach him?
Jason
I was planning on feeding him now. So this is just about the best time to start learning something.
Jerry
I know because you reward him when he does the right thing.
Jason
He hit the nail right in the head, Jerry.
Jerry
Look, here's a little board. Let's make him jump over it.
Jason
Okay. Take these pieces of meat and start
Jerry
calling him Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty. Here, kitty. All right, be still. I don't mean the kind of a cat you think. Now, come here and light on. I'm trying to train this cub. Guess I'll call him Fuzzy. He may as well learn his name now.
Jason
Say, you're going to have your hands full here. I'll hold Rags. See? They both smell neat.
Jerry
Oh, no, I manage. Rags will behave. Down, Rags, and not a word out of you, understand?
Jason
He may behave, but he sure sasses you back.
Jerry
Come on now, Fuzzy. You're Fuzzy. He's cute. Well, he's got a good nose, all right. But he climbed over the board instead of Jeff.
Jason
That's all right. Give him this piece of meat. At least he'll know what's coming to him. On the other side of that board.
Jerry
I'll put Fuzzy back on the other side of the board again. Now, Mr. Cubline, let's see you do your stuff. Okay, Fuzzy, come on. Well, that's better. Catching on, aren't you, though? You're kind of hungry, huh?
Jason
He acts as if he hasn't eaten for days. Cub. Lions eat just like little pigs. And in a couple of months when they've got bigger stomachs and bigger appetites, you should see them.
Jerry
He hasn't jumped yet, but he certainly has learned to get over that board quick enough.
Jason
He will. Just give him time. Here, we're giving this another try. There you go, Fuzzy. Back on the other side here.
Jerry
Fuzzy. Fuzzy. Fuzzy. He did it.
Jason
He did it. Yeah, sure he did. But he lost his balance his first jump. Pretty good, Fuzzy.
Jerry
You sure deserve your meat this time. Hey, careful of my finger. Gee, his teeth are sharp.
Jason
So are his claws. Cubs can do plenty of damage if they're not watched.
Jerry
Say, wait a minute. Golly, he's quick.
Jason
He's not going to take any chances with the rest of that meat. Thinks he'd better get it now while I get him's good.
Jerry
Best you go. We'll try it once more, Fuzzy. Okay, I'm ready. Come on, Fuzzy. Hey, that's what I call a real job.
Jason
Watch out, Jerry. He's going to get the rest of that milk.
Jerry
Fuzzy, get away from there. Rags, stop it. Leave that cub alone.
Jason
Hey, Jason, Quinn, look at those little mutts here. Get away. My Golly, that cub is a scrapper for being such a little shaver.
Jerry
Fuzzy sure trying to protect his meat. Trying to sprawl all over it, the little pig.
Jason
Poor Rags. Fuzzy can sure put on a vicious looking act. Hey, Rags. Rags, look out. Stop it. Rags.
Jerry
Rags. Rags, stop it. A dessert. Rags.
Jason
You little vixen, you.
Jerry
Rags. Oh, look, Jason, his leg.
Jason
Good night. That's a mean one. Right in the joint, too.
Jerry
Rags. Oh, you poor thing.
Jason
Here, wait a minute. I'll stick Fuzzy back in the cage and help you fix ra up. This cub is smart enough, but he is too much of a scrapper as I can See? He'll take plenty of training.
Jerry
Golly, do you think Rags will be all right? I never heard him whine so much. You think it's serious?
Jason
I'll see you in a minute. Here you are, cat. Now, you stay in there. Come on, Jerry. We'll go over to my wagon. I've got a lot of first egg things over there.
Jerry
All right.
Jason
Oh, there's Patsy. Hello there, Patsy. Where you going?
Patsy
Oh, no place special. Just looking for some excitement, I guess.
Jerry
Excitement? Say, you just missed plenty of it.
Patsy
What happened? Say, what's wrong with Rags?
Jerry
Oh, he got scratched by the new cub Jason was just showing me. Oh, I'll say he did.
Patsy
Oh, Jason, look, this looks kind of bad. Isn't that tendon torn or something? Look how he's holding that leg. As if he hasn't any control over it.
Jason
Yeah, I know. I'm not sure yet. I'll have to fix it him up.
Jerry
Oh, gee, it isn't serious, is it? Golly, I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to Ray.
Jason
I certainly hope not. Come on in here. There you are, Rags. I can't tell very well what's what yet. We'll have to put a little iodine in here to be sure it's not infected. Got to be pretty careful with claws. They can be nasty sometimes. Yes, I know, I know. That's not very nice to take.
Patsy
Poor fellow.
Jerry
There you are, Rags. You're gonna be all nice and well.
Patsy
You certainly do a marvelous piece of work, Jason. How'd you learn to be such a
Jason
good veterinarian in a hospital?
Patsy
What do you mean?
Jason
Oh, well, I was laid up once.
Patsy
Oh, you mean that time you had that bad accident in the cage?
Jason
Yeah, that's it. Well, all the time I was in the hospital, I learned everything I could about how to protect myself in case of an accident. I even used to read books on anatomy.
Jerry
But how do you know about animals?
Jason
Well, when I learned all I could about people, I got some books from the library on animals so I'd be an amateur veterinarian, too.
Patsy
I always knew you were smart, Jason, but didn't realize how versatile you are.
Jerry
What's versatile?
Patsy
Well, that's being good at lots of things. Say, Jason, what are you doing with those sticks?
Jason
Going to put Rags foot in a splint.
Jerry
See? Is it as bad as that?
Jason
That doesn't mean it's serious, Jerry. It'll just protect Rags from getting hurt anymore. And it'll make him keep his legs still. Well, that one anyway.
Jerry
But how Will he do his act?
Jason
He won't do his act.
Jerry
Oh. Say, what'll Bumps do?
Jason
Well, I don't know. As soon as we get this fixed, you'd better take Rags over and see what Bumps says.
Patsy
You certainly go about that bandaging business professionally, Jason.
Jerry
Good night, Patsy. I almost forgot.
Patsy
What?
Jerry
Well, that letter came today.
Patsy
What letter?
Jerry
The one from the bank. Oh, sure it is. You want to read it?
Patsy
Well, you haven't opened it yet.
Jerry
No, I thought I'd wait for you. Go on and read it.
Patsy
Okay, if you say so. Oh, that's short and sweet. I don't know whether it's going to help as much or not, though.
Jerry
Oh, what'd they have to say? Let's see.
Patsy
This is from Mr. Ross.
Jerry
Yeah, I know the man at the bank.
Patsy
He says he'd check with the clearinghouse that he told us about.
Jerry
That was sure nice of them.
Patsy
He says that particular lock is made by the Brunner Lock Company in Crystal Falls.
Jerry
Jiminy Whiskers, that's something.
Patsy
And he advises us to write them for further information. I'll do that today.
Jerry
Gee, will you pat me? You're swell. Golly, I'd sure like to find out where that box is dad had.
Patsy
Well, if there's any way of tracing it, we'll find it. Don't you worry, Jerry.
Jason
All right. If you ask me, that's a pretty neat job. You're welcome. You've got a polite dog there, Jerry. Did you hear him thank me?
Jerry
I sure did. He knows you're trying to help him. Aw, look, he's licking your hand.
Jason
That dog doesn't have to talk. He has so many little ways of letting you know what he wants.
Jerry
Yeah, and sometimes it's a big help for him not to be able to talk because he pretends he doesn't know
Jason
what I'm telling him, so he takes advantage of him.
Jerry
Yeah, but I'm usually on to him. And then he looks so foolish when he sees I won't let him get away with something.
Jason
It's getting late, Jerry. I think you'd better run along and see Bumps and tell him about Rags. If Bumps decides not to use him, he'll have to know ahead of time in order to plan his act.
Jerry
Oh, of course. And thanks, Jason, for fixing Rags up so swell. And goodbye, Patsy. Don't forget about that letter.
Patsy
I won't. See you later, Jerry.
Jason
So long, Jerry.
Jerry
No, no.
Bumps
I'm sorry, old timer, but you better rest this time.
Jerry
Come on, Bucks, it's late. Hey, how's Rag Fit As a fiddle.
Bumps
But Ray's nerumpus every time I start to leave him here alone.
Jerry
Well, can you blame him? Here we've been telling him the show has to go on regardless. Now that he's got his paw and his splint, we make him go to bed.
Bumps
Oh, it just doesn't make sense, does it, Rags, old boy? Well, I better get along.
Jerry
Rags, stop it. Quiet now. Hey, Bumps, you think it'd hurt if Rags just ran around with you? Well, no.
Bumps
Just on the walk around.
Jerry
Rags, you win. Come on. Bumps will take you along. I think it'll get him too excited not to let him work. Bumps, if you don't mind just letting him tag along on the walk around.
Bumps
Well, there's one thing. That dog sure knows what he wants. All right, Rags. We'll do ourselves, even if we are a handicap.
Jerry
Gee, you're swell, Bumps. Hi, Patsy.
Patsy
Hi, folks. Hey, young fella, why aren't you in bed?
Jerry
You mean Rag? Oh, it's a trooper in him. He insists on going on.
Patsy
Well, I don't blame him.
Jerry
But you think it's safe, Bumps?
Bumps
Oh, sure. We'll take it easy. You better watch us, though. We'll have to change our act. No somersaults this time. Here's a cue. Come on.
Jason
Come on.
Patsy
Isn't that just like Bumps? He'll have to change his whole routine. He's as proud of that pup as you are, Jerry.
Jerry
Golly, Rags is proud of himself.
Patsy
Like a kid that's finally got its own way. Well, he can do the boot trick anyhow. Sits on that big shoe of Bumps. As proud as if he was driving along in the front seat of a car.
Jerry
Hey, Gee, Bumps shouldn't. Oh, golly. I thought he was gonna kick him up in the air and let him do some of those somersaults.
Patsy
Oh, don't you worry about Bumps. Kind of tricky the way he caught Rags on the shoulder.
Jerry
Did you notice he helped Rags land
Patsy
right so not as to hurt his leg.
Jerry
Thinks Rags owned the whole circus. He sits up there for plow. Too bad he can't crow. Yeah, see? Look at him sniffing Bumps ear.
Patsy
I bet that tickles. Bumps is pretending he doesn't know where Rags is.
Jerry
Well, Rags isn't letting him get away with it. Look at him dab bumped with his good paw.
Patsy
Look at Bumps hunting over the wrong shoulder trying to find out what's back of him.
Jerry
Yeah. Hey, what's happened? Aw, gee. Ray's bumped his bad leg onto the stage.
Patsy
Oh, why is he lying so still? You think he's badly hurt, Jerry.
Jerry
Oh, yeah? I hope not. He just let out one yelp. I think he's playing possum, though. You know, dead dog. See? Bumps is picking him up.
Patsy
Heavens, he surely looks limp.
Jerry
Look at the way Bumps is shaking his head.
Patsy
Oh, I think Bumps is just putting that on for the audience, Jerry. Isn't he marvelous? You think he lost his last friend? He looks so sad. So it was just a game after all. Had me scared for a minute.
Jerry
Me, too. Look at him run. Here, Rags. Here, Rags.
Patsy
Poor Bumps popping behind him.
Bumps
Oh, well, I'm all out of breath. Say, listen, Jerry, get rags over at the wagon, will you? I want to have a look at that leg. I'm afraid he really hurt himself when he ran into that stake.
Jerry
Aw, gee, Bumps Collier. I'd never forgive myself if I made him go on and. And he really got hurt.
Bumps
Well, now, don't you worry, Jerry. But I'll tell you one thing. He doesn't work again until that leg is, well,
Jerry
Sam. Ram. Foreign.
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Patsy
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Podcast: Harold’s Old Time Radio
Host: Harold’s Old Time Radio
Episode Date: May 15, 2026
In this classic Golden Age of Radio episode of "Jerry of the Circus," listeners are transported into the vibrant life behind the big top, where young Jerry navigates animal training, circus drama, and an unexpected accident involving his beloved dog, Rags, and a young lion cub, Fuzzy. The episode explores themes of friendship, animal care, improvisation in the face of mishaps, and the resourceful spirit at the heart of circus life.
On Wild Animal Instincts:
"If no one was around and it was blood or something, the cub might revert to his jungle ancestors."
— Jason, [02:16]
On Training with Rewards:
"You hit the nail right in the head, Jerry."
— Jason, [03:13]
On Animal First Aid:
"I learned everything I could about how to protect myself in case of an accident. I even used to read books on anatomy."
— Jason, [06:56]
On Versatility:
“Well, that’s being good at lots of things. Say, Jason, what are you doing with those sticks?”
— Patsy, [07:17]
Comic Relief in Adversity:
“That dog sure knows what he wants. All right, Rags. We’ll do ourselves, even if we are a handicap.”
— Bumps, [10:26]
A Close Call:
“He surely looks limp… I think Bumps is just putting that on for the audience… Had me scared for a minute.”
— Patsy, [12:07-12:12]
Final Lesson on Rest and Recovery:
“He doesn’t work again until that leg is, well.”
— Bumps, [12:48]
The episode is light, lively, and filled with playful banter, interspersed with touches of tension and heart as the characters rally around Rags. There's a clear sense of camaraderie and the improvisational spirit of the circus, with affectionate teasing, supportive concern, and the lesson that caring for your friends—animal or human—sometimes means letting them rest.
For fans of classic radio drama, animal lovers, or those curious about the circus’ behind-the-scenes world, this episode is a heartwarming blend of excitement and gentle wisdom.