The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County' Mark Twain's short story 'The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County' is a humorous tale about a gambler who is tricked by a fellow named Simon Wheeler. The story was first published in 1865 under the pseudonym 'DANL', which stands for Daniel, Twain's middle name. The story follows the gambler as he attempts to win a frog-jumping contest with his new pet frog, Dan'l Webster. The story has become one of Twain's most beloved works and is often used to introduce readers to his unique style of writing.