The Merman's Circus

The merman had always wanted to perform in a circus under a pinstriped canopy. As a child he hummed carnival tunes to himself, and when he got old enough, he really did run off and join the circus. He was given a sparkly bowtie and a hat that said HERMAN THE MERMAN, even though his name was really Andrew. Unfortunately, he soon discovered the lights dried out his scales, and the ringmaster’s megaphone hurt his ears, so after a few weeks of despair (and much wringing of his hands) he decided to start his own, underwater circus. He found some clams that could dance relatively in time, and trained a group of seahorses to jump through hoops. He borrowed a book from the library and taught himself to juggle, first using some old socks, and then when he had improved somewhat, he put an ad in the paper: WANTED - SIX FISH FOR JUGGLING PURPOSES. NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED. DANGER PAY. Soon after he was able to put another ad in the paper: UNDERWATER CIRCUS NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS. He put on his costume and waited for the show to begin.