An opera based on Mark Twain’s story had its world premiere at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana on May 18, 1850, with music by Lukas Foss and libretto by Jean Karsavina. The opera changed the structure and plot of the story, eliminating all of the original characters except for Jim Smiley, Dan'l Webster, and the Stranger. It also added new characters: Uncle Henry, who owns the tavern in Calaveras, and his niece Lulu.
The opera opens with Smiley bragging about Dan'l Webster in Uncle Henry's tavern. Henry and Lulu join in to praise both Smiley and Dan'l Webster. Then a stranger to town enters the tavern, says that he doesn't think that Dan'l Webster is anything special, and bets forty dollars that any other frog will outjump him. When he is left alone with Dan'l Webster he feeds the frog buckshot from Uncle Henry's shotgun. He reveals that he drifts from town to town cheating men and seducing women. Lulu offers to cook him dinner, so he leaves for her house. In the next scene, which takes place in the village square, the townspeople are amazed that the stranger would bet against Dan'l Webster. The stranger enters with Lulu and then bids her farewell. He offers to match the wager of anyone in town who wants to bet in support of Dan'l Webster. The contest commences. The locals are astounded when Dan'l is unable to move at all. As they lament their bad luck and losses, the stranger leaves. Then Dan'l begins to vomit buckshot. The furious townspeople find the stranger, drag him back to to town, and strip him of his winnings. In the end, they chase the stranger out of town, as they all hail the prowess of Dan'l Webster.
