Anyone who saw the Walt Disney movie Old Yeller as a child knows what horny toads mean to kids. But horned lizards were touching Texans' hearts long before Americans were crying over Old Yeller. A courthouse built in 1897 is about to be demolished to make way for a newer model. Three thousand people are on hand to watch the opening of the cornerstone. Suddenly, a murmur ripples through the crowd.
People are surprised to learn that a dusty old horned lizard has been found in the cornerstone.
It must have been imprisoned for thirty-one years. It toured the United States, even meeting President Coolidge. But the mystery has only grown along with the legend. This horned lizard has long served as the mascot of Texas Christian Univeristy. Inspired by Little Addie, Old RIP, and the anonymous horned lizard Arliss traded for Old Yeller, Texans knew all along which reptile reigned supreme.