The final verse, as I heard it (back in the '60s) was:   

I had me an elephant, no tusk would it bear
I had me an elephant, no tusk would it bear
My wife said "Honey, we're losin' money."

So I took the rooster
I put him in the yard
He caught that elephant
right of of his guard

(Big laugh from anticipating audience)


My rooster DIED,
but he died TRYING
since I put him into the yard...

(disolve into uproarious applause)