Our world is full of the unexplainable.

And if history is an open book, all of these amazing tales are right there on display,

just waiting for us to explore.

Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosity's.

First be seen to believe.

Patronized by royalty, nobility, and clergy, the smallest performers in the world, interesting

alike to old and young, rich and poor.

These kinds of proclamations grace the enchanting advertisements of one of the oldest and most

lucrative side-show exhibits, the Flea Circus.

Depicting cartoon insects fencing one another, or balancing on a tightrope, these inventive

ads promised entertainment the likes of which had never been seen, or at least couldn't

be seen without the help of a magnifying glass.

If the idea of a Flea Circus sounds too good to be true, that's because it is.

The concept of minuscule bugs swinging on the trapeze or launching themselves from a tiny

cannon forces the spectator to suspend disbelief, to consider that the humble flea, once the

harbinger of the Black Death that killed half of Europe in the 1300s, could also be trained

to perform daring feats in a venue no larger than a monopoly board.

The truth is much darker.

Fleas only live for a few months, so they can't be trained.

Instead, most ring leaders thread gold wires around their necks, which are then tied to

various props for them to interact with.

These, like ants, can lift objects much larger than themselves, so they appear to be kicking

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