A Country Fair Tale

"Toss a ring and snag a duck
And you will win a rabbit!”
My grown-up brother soon was hooked –
For challenge was his habit.

We were at a country fair;
The barker was enticing.
Proving he could win came first;
The rabbit was the icing.

My brother slapped his dollar down
And got five plastic rings.
The wooden ducks were floating,
But the barker pulled the strings.

For many dollars later,
Though my brother’s aim was true,
The man in charge reached down and said,
“This special duck’s for you.”

He placed it in the water
And one toss was all it took;
The “special duck” was snatched away,
Without a second look.

My brother won his rabbit
Which he couldn’t even keep.
We learned a lesson, though, that day,
Although it wasn’t cheap:

At country fairs or carnivals,
Beware the barker’s lure.
If you’re convinced you’ll beat their game,
You’ll lose your shirt for sure!