How the Rooster Died

Once upon a time, a hen and a rooster were walking in the priest’s barnyard. Suddenly the rooster began to choke on a grain of corn. The hen loved him, so she went rushing to the river to ask for some water.

“River, river, give me some water; I will take it to the rooster, who is choking on a grain of corn — and I’m afraid he might die!”

The river answered:

“Go to the willow and ask for a twig; then I will give you some water.”

The hen went to the willow.

“Willow, willow, give me a twig; I will take it to the river and the river will give me some water; I will take the water to the rooster, who is choking on a grain of corn — and I’m afraid he might die!”

The willow answered:

“Go to the beaver and ask for a log; then I will give you a twig.”

The hen went to the beaver.

“Beaver, beaver, give me a log; I will take it to the willow and the willow will give me a twig; I will take the twig to the river and the river will give me some water; I will take the water to the rooster, who is choking on a grain of corn — and I’m afraid he might die!”

The beaver said:

“Go to the gander and ask for a feather; then I will give you a log.”

The hen went to the gander.

“Gander, gander, give me a feather; I will take it to the beaver, and the beaver will give me a log; I will take the log to the willow and the willow will give me a twig; I will take the twig to the river and the river will give me some water; I will take the water to the rooster, who is choking on a grain of corn — and I’m afraid he might die!”

The gander said:

“Go to the farmer and ask for some hay; then I will give you a feather.”

The hen went to the farmer.

“Farmer, farmer, give me some hay; I will take it to the gander, and the gander will give me a feather; I will take the feather to the beaver, and the beaver will give me a log; I will take the log to the willow and the willow will give me a twig; I will take the twig to the river and the river will give me some water; I will take the water to the rooster, who is choking on a grain of corn — and I’m afraid he might die!”

The farmer said:

“Go to the goat and ask for some milk; then I will give you some hay.”

The hen went to the goat.

“Goat, goat, give me some milk; I will take it to the farmer, and the farmer will give me some hay; I will take it to the gander, and the gander will give me a feather; I will take the feather to the beaver, and the beaver will give me a log; I will take the log to the willow and the willow will give me a twig; I will take the twig to the river and the river will give me some water; I will take the water to the rooster, who is choking on a grain of corn — and I’m afraid he might die!”

The goat said:

“Go to the squirrel and ask for an acorn; then I will give you some milk.”

The hen went to the squirrel.

“Squirrel, squirrel, give me an acorn; I will take it to the goat, and the goat will give me some milk; I will take the milk to the farmer, and the farmer will give me some hay; I will take the hay to the gander, and the gander will give me a feather; I will take the feather to the beaver, and the beaver will give me a log; I will take the log to the willow and the willow will give me a twig; I will take the twig to the river and the river will give me some water; I will take the water to the rooster, who is choking on a grain of corn — and I’m afraid he might die!”

The squirrel gave the hen an acorn.

The hen took the acorn to the goat and the goat gave her some milk.

She took the milk to the farmer, and the farmer gave her some hay.

She took the hay to the gander, and the gander gave her a feather.

She took the feather to the beaver, and the beaver gave her a log.

She took the log to the willow, and the willow gave her a twig.

She took the twig to the river, and the river gave her some water.

She took the water to the rooster, but it was too late, the rooster was already dead.

The End