Peculiar American Fighting Cock Mystifies the Spaniards.
    Back in the ’40s a little story went the rounds of the newspapers. It was the story of the American eagle and the Spanish cock. An American ship visited one of the ports of Spain, and while lying at anchor in the harbor the officers went ashore to see the sights. Among the places they took in was a cock pit, a popular resort, to see the sport. The game cock of the Don is a diminutive bird, but a fighter.
    One of the Americans expressed contempt for the bird and boasted that he had aboard his ship a “Yankee rooster” that could whip any bird ashore. The Dons accepted the challenge and a match was arranged. On the ship the sailors had an American eagle, which they proceeded to starve and trim up his feathers so as to resemble a Shanghai cock, a strange bird to the Spanish, and on the appointed evening carried him ashore for the battle.
    The Dons eyed him suspiciously, but he was dumpted into the pit, where he stood, hungry and ugly, taking in the surroundings. The Spanish cock, a champion fighter, was brought in and likewise pitched into the pit. Strutting and crowing, he sparred for an opening at his silent and watchful Yankee enemy, and finally let drive at him with his “slashers,” knife spurs, and drew first blood. Aroused, with one wild scream the eagle lit on him, tore off his head, and to the horror of the Spaniards, began to eat him. They lost their money, their honor was trailed in the dust, and to this day they do not understand the peculiar nature of the American fighting cock.
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