The Rooster and the Hen

A little hen and a little rooster lived together, and one day they went into the forest to gather nuts. They came to a hazel tree. The rooster climbed up to…

A little hen and a little rooster lived together, and one day they went into the forest to gather nuts. They came to a hazel tree. The rooster climbed up to pick the nuts and left the hen on the ground to gather them: he tossed them down, and she picked them up.

Then the rooster tossed down a nut, and it struck the hen in the eye and knocked her eye out.

The hen walked away crying. Some boyars came riding past and asked:

“Little hen, little hen! Why are you crying?”

“The rooster knocked my eye out.”

“Little rooster, little rooster! Why did you knock the hen’s eye out?”

“The hazel tree tore my trousers.”

“Hazel tree, hazel tree! Why did you tear the rooster’s trousers?”

“The goats gnawed at me.”

“Goats, goats! Why did you gnaw at the hazel tree?”

“The shepherds don’t look after us.”

“Shepherds, shepherds! Why don’t you look after the goats?”

“The mistress doesn’t give us pancakes to eat.”

“Mistress, mistress! Why don’t you give the shepherds pancakes to eat?”

“The sow spilled my batter.”

“Sow, sow! Why did you spill the mistress’s batter?”

“The wolf carried off my piglet.”

“Wolf, wolf! Why did you carry off the sow’s piglet?”

“I wanted to eat, and God bade me.”