The Cockerel and the Hen

Once upon a time, there lived an old man and an old woman, and they had a hen and a rooster. The old man and woman died, and the rooster and hen ate everything they had left—beans and all, down to the last crumb. Then they perched on their roost. The rooster crowed, "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" grabbed a pebble, and choked on it. The hen cried and cried, then ran to the sea to ask for water:

"Sea, sea, give me some water!"
"Why do you need water?"
"For the rooster:

The rooster lies on the hill, not breathing, only his tail keeps twitching."

The sea said:
"Go to the ox and ask for a horn."

So she went and asked:
"Ox, ox, give me a horn!"
"Why do you need a horn?"
"For the sea: the sea will give me water."
"Why do you need water?"
"For the rooster:

The rooster lies on the hill, not breathing, only his tail keeps twitching."

The ox said:
"Then go to the boar and ask for a tusk."

So she went and asked:
"Boar, boar, give me a tusk!"
"Why do you need a tusk?"
"For the ox: the ox will give me a horn."
"Why do you need a horn?"
"For the sea: the sea will give me water."
"Why do you need water?"
"For the rooster:

The rooster lies on the hill, not breathing, only his tail keeps twitching."

The boar said:
"Then go to the oak tree and ask for an acorn."

So she went and asked:
"Oak, oak, give me an acorn!"
"Why do you need an acorn?"
"For the boar: the boar will give me a tusk."
"Why do you need a tusk?"
"For the ox: the ox will give me a horn."
"Why do you need a horn?"
"For the sea: the sea will give me water."
"Why do you need water?"
"For the rooster:

The rooster lies on the hill, not breathing, only his tail keeps twitching."

The oak said:
"Then go to the maiden and ask for some thread."

So she went and asked:
"Maiden, maiden, give me some thread!"
"Why do you need thread?"
"For the oak: the oak will give me an acorn."
"Why do you need an acorn?"
"For the boar: the boar will give me a tusk."
"Why do you need a tusk?"
"For the ox: the ox will give me a horn."
"Why do you need a horn?"
"For the sea: the sea will give me water."
"Why do you need water?"
"For the rooster:

The rooster lies on the hill, not breathing, only his tail keeps twitching."

The maiden said:
"Then go to the old woman and ask for some butter."

So she went and asked:
"Old woman, old woman, give me some butter!"
"Why do you need butter?"
"For the maiden: the maiden will give me thread."
"Why do you need thread?"
"For the oak: the oak will give me an acorn."
"Why do you need an acorn?"
"For the boar: the boar will give me a tusk."
"Why do you need a tusk?"
"For the ox: the ox will give me a horn."
"Why do you need a horn?"
"For the sea: the sea will give me water."
"Why do you need water?"
"For the rooster:

The rooster lies on the hill, not breathing, only his tail keeps twitching."

The old woman said:
"Then go to the linden tree and ask for some linden blossoms."

So she went and asked:
"Linden tree, linden tree, give me some blossoms!"
"Why do you need blossoms?"
"For the old woman: the old woman will give me butter."
"Why do you need butter?"
"For the maiden: the maiden will give me thread."
"Why do you need thread?"
"For the oak: the oak will give me an acorn."
"Why do you need an acorn?"
"For the boar: the boar will give me a tusk."
"Why do you need a tusk?"
"For the ox: the ox will give me a horn."
"Why do you need a horn?"
"For the sea: the sea will give me water."
"Why do you need water?"
"For the rooster:

The rooster lies on the hill, not breathing, only his tail keeps twitching."

The linden tree gave her its blossoms, the old woman gave her butter for the blossoms, the maiden gave her thread for the butter, the oak gave her an acorn for the thread, the boar gave her a tusk for the acorn, the ox gave her a horn for the tusk, and the sea gave her water for the horn.

So the hen gave the rooster some water, and they lived happily ever after, chewing bread and pulling goodness along with their feet.

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The Cockerel and the Hen

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