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Once upon a time, there was a hen who hatched out some little chicks. She was very pleased as they came out of the shells. One—two—three—four came out soft and fluffy;but the last little chick had only one little leg,one little wing, and one little eye!
It was just a half-chick.
The mother hen did not know what to do with Little Half-chick.
He could not run and jump as his brothers and sisters did. He had to go hoppity-kick,hoppity-kick, hoppity-kick.
One day Little Half-chick said to his mother,“Mother, I am tired of the farmyard. I am going to see the king.” The mother hen tried to keep him at home, but he would not listen to her.Away he went, hoppity-kick, hoppity-kick, to see the king.
He had not gone very far when he came to a little brook. Now, this little brook was caught in the grass and leaves, and could not flow. So the water cried out, “Little Half-chick, help me,please, help me! I am caught in the leaves and cannot get away.”
“I have no time to help you,” said Little Half-chick. “I am off to see the king.” And away he went, hoppity-kick, hoppity-kick, hoppitykick.
Soon he came to a fire that was smoking in damp sticks and leaves. When the fire saw Little Half-chick he cried, “Help me, help me, Little Half-chick! Fan me with your wing. I am nearly choked with smoke.”
“I have no time to help you,” said Little Halfchick. “I am off to see the king.” And away he went, hoppity-kick,hoppity-kick, hoppitykick.
A little farther on,Little Half-chick came to some trees where the wind was caught.The wind was crying and trying to get away,but the trees held him fast. When the wind saw Little Half-chick he cried, “Help me, help me, Little Half-chick! Lift these heavy branches so that I can get away.”
“I have no time to help you,” said Little Half-chick. “I am off to see the king”; and away he went, hoppity-kick, hoppity-kick,hoppity-kick.
At last Little Half-chick came to the palace of the king.
Hoppity-kick, he went under the gates, and,hoppity-kick, he went into the garden. But the cook saw him and cried, “What a queer chick! I shall cook him for the king’s dinner.”
Before Little Half-chick could go hoppity-kick again, the cook caught him and popped him into a pot of water. Soon the water came up over his feathers and over his head.
“Oh, water, do not drown me!” cried Little Half-chick. But the water said, “You would not help me when I was caught in the leaves and grass,” and it ran right over his little head.Soon the fire grew brighter and brighter, and the water became hotter and hotter, till Little Half-chick cried, “Fire, do not burn so fast, or I shall die!”
But the fire said, “ You would not fan me when I was smoking,” and it burned hotter and hotter than before. Little Half-chick said, “Oh, I think I shall die!”
But, just then, the cook lifted the lid of the pot and peeped in.
“Oh, what a queer chick! It will not do for the king’s dinner.” So the cook picked Little Half-chick up by his leg and threw him out of the window.
The wind caught him and blew him up and up till he reached the top of the church-steeple;and there he stuck fast.
He stands there even to this day with his one leg, one wing, and one eye.
He cannot go hoppity-kick any more, so he turns round and round when the wind blows,listening to what it says.