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Once there was a beautiful cock named Chanticleer. He lived with many hens in a barnyard not far from a deep woods. Oh! he was a wonderful cock. His comb was large and bright, his feathers shone like gold, and his voice was loud and clear.
One night as he was asleep on his perch he began to make a queer noise in his throat. His wife, Dame Partlet, who was sleeping by his side, waked him and said, “What is the matter,my dear?”
“Oh!” said Chanticleer, “I have just had such a bad dream! I thought some beast seized me by the neck and carried me away. I am still shaking from fright.”
“For shame!” said Dame Partlet. “How silly you are to be frightened by a dream! What could hurt the brave Chanticleer!”
The cock was greatly comforted by Dame Partlet’s words, and soon they were both fast asleep again. When morning came, Chanticleer crowed loud and long to wake up all the animals in the barnyard. Then he began to scratch the ground for Dame Partlet and the other hens. How proud and bold he looked as he walked around, flapping his wings !
“Surely I am a great cock,” he thought. “Why should I be afraid of a dream? Who would dare hurt the king of the barnyard?”