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diff --git a/13302-0.txt b/13302-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..21fd17e --- /dev/null +++ b/13302-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1346 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13302 *** + +[Illustration: Yollande appears emerging from her shroud.] + + + + +THE CURLY-HAIRED HEN + + +TEXT AND ILLUSTRATIONS + +BY + +A. VIMAR + + +TRANSLATED BY + +NORA K. HILLS + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER I +Mother Etienne's Farm + +CHAPTER II +A Mother's Devotion + +CHAPTER III +Yollande's Trousseau + +CHAPTER IV +Father Gusson's Secret + +CHAPTER V +Sir Booum Calls upon Mother Etienne + +CHAPTER VI +The Separation + +CHAPTER VII +Sir Booum's Circus + +CHAPTER VIII +Mother Etienne's Dream + +CHAPTER IX +Mother Etienne's Fortune + +CHAPTER X +Triumph of the Ointment + + + + +CHAPTER I + + +MOTHER ETIENNE'S FARM + + +"Oh Grandfather, tell us a story, do. You know, the one you began +the other evening about Mother Etienne's big farm. You remember. +The weather is so bad and we can't go out. Go on, Grandfather, +please." + +Coaxingly the three children clung round their grandfather, +looking at him beseechingly. He adoring the children as he did, +loved to hear them plead. + +At last he began: + +Since you have been very good, and you want it so much, I will +tell you the wonderful story of Mother Etienne's farm and the +still more wonderful story of what happened to one of its +occupants. + +Love animals, my children, be kind to them, care for them, and you +will surely have your reward. + +Mother Etienne was a good stout woman with a very kind heart. +While still young she was so unfortunate as to lose her husband +and her son of whom she was very fond. This made her, as you can +imagine, very, very sad. She wouldn't listen to any new offers of +marriage though she had plenty of them. Instead, she devoted her +life, her whole existence, to the attentive, nay I ought to say, +the maternal care, of the animals on her farm, making them as +comfortable as could be. + +She had, as I said before, a most excellent heart, the good Mother +Etienne. You shall see that presently. + +This good woman then lived on her big farm, very spacious and +admirably situated. A slate roof covered the large house; the +granaries, stables and outhouses were sheltered by old thatching +upon which grew moss and lichen. + +Let me tell you now, dear children, who were the chief occupants +of the farm. First there was big "Coco"--a fine Normandy +horse--bay-coloured and very fat, whose silky coat had a purple sheen; +he had a star on his forehead and a pink mark between his eyes. He +was very gentle and answered to the voice of his mistress. If +Mother Etienne passed by his stable he never failed to scent her +and whinnied at once. That was his way of showing his friendliness +and saying, + +"Good morning." + +His good mistress spoiled him with all sorts of dainties. +Sometimes a crust of bread, sometimes a handful of carrots, but +what he loved best of all was sugar. If you had given him a whole +loaf he would soon have eaten it up. + +Coco had for stable companions three fine Swiss cows. Their names +were La Blonde, Blanchotte, and Nera. You know what the colours +were for the names, don't you? + +Petit-Jacques, the stable boy, took care of them. On fine days he +led them to pasture into a bog paddock near the farm up against a +pretty wood of silver beeches. A large pond of clear water covered +one corner of the meadow and lost itself in the reeds and iris. +There the fine big cows went to quench their thirst; quantities of +frogs went there, too, to play leap-frog. It was a veritable +earthly Paradise. + +From the farm Mother Etienne caught the sound of the large bronze +bells each with its different low note, which hung round the necks +of the cows; thus she could superintend their comings and goings +without interrupting her various occupations. For the farm was +very big, as I told you, and had many animals on it. + +After the stables and coachhouses came the piggery, the rabbit +hutches, and finally an immense poultry-yard divided into a +thousand compartments, and sheltering a whole horde of poultry of +all sorts; fowls of all kinds and of all breeds, geese, +guineafowl, pigeons, ducks, and what all besides. What wasn't +there in that prodigious poultry-yard? + +Mother Etienne spent most of her time there, for the smaller and +more delicate the creatures the more interest and care she gave +them. + +"The weak need so much protection," this excellent woman would +say, and she was right. + +So for the baby ducks her tenderness was limitless. What dangers +had to be avoided to raise successfully all these tiny folks! + +Did a pig escape? Immediately danger threatened the poultry-yard. +For a pig has terrible teeth and he doesn't care what he eats--he +would as soon crunch a little duckling as a carrot. So she had to +watch every minute, every second even. For besides, in spite of +the vigilance of "Labrie," the faithful watchdog, sometimes rats +would suck the blood of the young pigeons. Once even a whole +litter of rabbits was destroyed that way. + +To dispose of the products of her farm, Mother Etienne drove twice +a week to market in her market-cart drawn by Coco. + +She was famed for the best vegetables, the purest and creamiest +milk; in short, the eggs she sold were the freshest, the poultry +and rabbits the tenderest and most juicy to be had. As soon as she +and Coco came trotting into the market there was a rush to get to +her first. + +There, as everywhere, everyone loved Mother Etienne. + + + + +CHAPTER II + + +A MOTHER'S DEVOTION + + +Thus time passed peacefully at the big farm. + +One day, however, the quiet was disturbed by a little drama which +convulsed the calm but busy spot. + +Mother Etienne had given to a Cochin-China hen, which she had +christened Yollande, some white duck's eggs to sit on. The batch +of fifteen eggs had all come out. It was really wonderful to see +these fifteen baby ducks, yellow as canaries, beaks and webbed +feet pink, swarming around the big patient sitting mother, ducking +under her wings, to come out presently and clamber helter-skelter +onto her broad back. As often happens with nurses, Yollande loved +the ducklings as her own children, and without worrying about +their shape or plumage, so different from her own, she showered +upon them proofs of the tenderest affection. Did a fly pass within +their reach, all these little ones jumped at it--tumbling in their +efforts to catch it. The little yellow balls with their wide-awake +air never took a second's rest. + +Well cared for and well fed, they grew so rapidly that soon they +had to have more space. Mother Etienne housed them then on the +edge of the pond in a latticed coop opening onto a sloping board +which led down to the water. It was, as it were, a big swimming +bath, which grew gradually deeper and deeper. The ducks and geese +loved to plunge in and hardly left the water except to take their +meals. + +Yollande felt very out of place in this new dwelling. The +ducklings on the contrary, urged on by their instinct, madly +enjoyed it and rushed pell-mell into the water. + +This inexplicable impulse terrified their mama. She was, in fact, +"as mad as a wet hen." + +She ran up and down, her feathers on end, her face swollen, her +crest red, clucking away, trying to persuade her babies not to +venture into the water. For hens, like cats, hate the water. It +was unspeakable torture to her. The children would not listen; +deaf to her prayers, her cries, these rascally babies ventured +farther and farther out. They were at last and for the first time +in their favourite element, lighter than little corks, they +floated, dived, plunged, raced, fought, playing all sorts of +tricks. + +Meanwhile, Yollande was eating her heart out. She rushed to and +fro, keeping her eyes glued on the disobedient ones. Suddenly she +saw a mother-duck chasing her darlings. This was more than she +could bear,--driven by her maternal instinct she leapt like a fury +to the aid of her family. + +A flap or two of her wings and she was above the water into which +she fell at the deepest part. + +Splashing,--struggling madly in the midst of her frightened +brood,--she was soon exhausted and succumbing to syncope, she sank +to the bottom. + +The surface of the water closed above her. The little ones did not +realize what had happened--very quickly recovering from their +momentary fright, they went on with their games--splashing the +water with their beaks and amusing themselves as though nothing +were the matter. + +Mother Etienne, busy giving green apples to the pigs, bran to the +rabbits, and corn to the pigeons, came back presently, and could +not see the big Yollande beside the pond, only her children +floating far, far away on the water. Surprised she drew nearer, +called, but in vain. The mother-hen had disappeared. Then only did +she understand the tragedy that had occurred. She called for help. +Petit-Jacques immediately opened the big sluice and the water ran +out, but much too slowly for their impatience. At last they began +to see the bottom, and soon the body of poor Yollande was +discovered stiff and motionless. + +There was general consternation at the farm. Petit-Jacques, by +means of a long pole, seized her and drew her to land at Mother +Etienne's feet. Labrie came up and sniffed sadly at the body of +the unhappy hen. In vain they dried her and rubbed her,--nothing +did any good. + +"She's quite dead, alas," said Mother Etienne with tears in her +eyes, "but it was my own fault. I ought to have closed down the +lattice and this misfortune would not have happened. It really is +a great pity--such a fine hen. She weighs at least eight pounds. +There, Germaine, take her and weigh her." + +Germaine was the maid and also the cousin of Petit-Jacques--of +whom she was very fond. She was a fine buxom girl of eighteen, +strong and well-grown. She loved animals, too, but her feeling for +them could not be compared to Mother Etienne's. + +"Germaine, take away poor Yollande, I am quite upset +by this trouble. You will bury her this evening, in a corner of +the kitchen-garden--deep enough to prevent any animal digging her +up. I leave it to you--do it carefully." + +The girl bore away the fine hen in her apron. "How heavy she +is--it is a shame," and blowing apart the feathers, she saw the skin +underneath as yellow and plump as you could wish. Mechanically she +plucked a few feathers. + +"After all," she said, "it isn't as though she had died--she was +drowned, quite a clean death; she's firm and healthy, only an hour +ago she was as strong and well as could be. Why shouldn't we eat +her?--We'll stew her because, though she is not old, she is not +exactly in her first youth--but there's a lot on her--with a +dressing of carrots and nutmeg, a bunch of herbs and a tomato, +with a calf's foot to make a good jelly, I believe she'd make a +lovely dinner." + +Saying this she went on plucking Yollande. All the feathers, large +and small, gone, a little down was left, so to get rid of this she +lit an old newspaper and held her over it. + +"Madame won't know anything and will enjoy her as much as we +shall. There's enough on her for two good meals." + +Quite decided, instead of burying her, she wrapped the future stew +carefully in a perfectly clean cloth and put it on a shelf in the +kitchen out of the way of flies or accident. + +During this time Mother Etienne was busy making as warm a home as +she could for the fifteen little orphans. Poor darlings. In a +wicker-basket she covered a layer of straw with another of wadding +and fine down. Upon this she put the ducklings one by one, and +covered the whole with feathers; then closing the lid, she carried +the basket to the stable where the air was always nice and warm. +All this took time; it was about six o'clock in the evening, the +sun was going down, throwing a last oblique smile into the +kitchen, gleaming here and there on the shining copper which hung +on the walls. + + + + +CHAPTER III + + +YOLLANDE'S TROUSSEAU + + +As for Germaine, she, with Petit-Jacques to help her, had gone to +milk the cows. Mother Etienne soon joined them, and the two women +came back to the house together. + +Horror of horrors! What a terrible sight. Pale with fear they +stood on the threshold of the kitchen not daring to move--to +enter. Their hearts were in their mouths. A ghost stood there in +front of them--Yollande--and Germaine fell at Mother Etienne's +feet in utter consternation. Yollande? Yes, Yollande, but what a +Yollande! Heavens! Yollande plucked, literally plucked! Yollande +emerging from her shroud like Lazarus from his tomb! Yollande +risen from the dead! A cry of anguish burst from the heart of kind +Mother Etienne. + +"Yollande, oh, Yollande!" + +The Cochin-China replied by a long shudder. + +This is what had happened. + +On falling into the water, Yollande after struggling fiercely +succumbed to syncope, and her lungs ceasing to act she had ceased +to breathe, so the water had not entered her lungs. That is why +she was not drowned. Life was, so to speak, suspended. The syncope +lasted some time. The considerable heat to which she was subjected +when Germaine held her above the flaming newspaper had brought +about a healthy reaction and in the solitude of the kitchen she +had recovered consciousness. + +After the first moment of terror was over, Germaine confessed her +plan to Mother Etienne, who, glad to find Yollande still alive, +forgave Germaine the disobedience which had saved her. + +But the hen was still shivering, shaking in every limb, her skin +all goose-flesh. Dragging after her her travesty of a tail, she +jumped onto the kitchen-table which she shook with her shivering. + +"We can't leave her like that any longer," said Mother Etienne, +"we must cover her up somehow," and straightway she wrapped her up +in all the cloths she could lay her hands on. Germaine prepared +some hot wine with sugar in it, and the two women fed her with it +in spoonfuls,--then they took a good drink of it themselves. All +three at once felt the better for it. Yollande spent the night in +these hastily-made swaddling clothes between two foot-warmers +which threw out a gentle and continuous heat and kept away the +catarrh with which the poor Cochin-China was threatened. The great +question which arose now was how they were to protect her from the +cold in future. Both of them cogitated over it. + +Several times during the night, Mother Etienne and the maid came +to look at the hen, who, worn out by such a long day of fatigue +and suffering, at last closed her eyes, relaxed, and slept till +morning. + +Nevertheless she was the first in the house to wake up, and at +dawn began to cackle vigorously. Germaine hastened to her, +bringing a quantity of corn which the hen, doubtless owing to her +fast of the day before, ate greedily. + +Now the important thing was to find her a practical costume. The +weather was mild but there was great danger in allowing her to +wander about in a garb as light as it was primitive. The mornings +and evenings were cool and might bring on a cold, inflammation or +congestion of the lungs, rheumatism, or what not. + +At all costs a new misfortune must be avoided. At last they +dressed her in silk cunningly fashioned and lined with wadding. +Thus garbed her entry into the poultry-yard was a subject of +astonishment to some, fear to others, and excitement to most of +the birds she met on her way. + +In vain Mother Etienne strove to tone down the colours of the +stuffs, to modify the cut of the garments, but Yollande long +remained an object of surprise and antipathy to the majority of +the poultry. + +The scandal soon reached its climax. + +"That hen must be mad," said an old duck to his wife. + +"Just imagine dressing up like that; she'll come along one of +these days in a bathing suit," cried a young rooster who prided +himself on his wit. + +A young turkey tugged at her clothes, trying to pull them off, and +all the others looked on laughing and hurling insults.... They +vied with one another in sarcastic speeches. At last, after a +time, as the saying goes, "Familiarity bred contempt." The fear +which her companions had felt at first soon changed into a +familiarity often too great for the unhappy Cochin-China. They +tried to see who could play her the shabbiest trick. Hens are +often as cruel as men, which is saying a great deal. + +Poor Yollande, in spite of her size, her solidity, and strength, +nearly always emerged half-dressed. Her companions could not stand +her dressed like that, the sight of her irritated them. Not +content with tearing her clothes they often pecked at the poor +creature as well. + +Mother Etienne did her best to improve these costumes in every +way--but it was as impossible to find perfection as the +philosopher's stone. + +They hoped at the farm that in time the feathers would grow again. +Meanwhile it was hard on the hen. + +Nothing of the sort happened; one, two, three months passed and +not the least vestige of down appeared on the hen, who had to be +protected like a human being from the changes of climate and so +forth. Like a well-to-do farmer's wife Yollande had her +linen-chest and a complete outfit. + +It was, I assure you, my dear children, kept up most carefully. +There was always a button to sew on, a buttonhole to remake, or a +tear to be mended. Thus constantly in touch with the household +Madame Hen soon thought she belonged to it. Indeed, worn out by +the teasing of her companions, by the constant arguments she had +with them, and touched on the other hand by the affectionate care +of her mistresses, Yollande stayed more and more in the house. +Coddled and swathed in her fantastic costumes, she sat in the +chimney corner like a little Cinderella changed into a hen; from +this corner she quietly watched; nothing escaped her notice. + +Meanwhile her reputation had grown, not only amongst her comrades, +but amongst all the animals of the neighbourhood, who, hearing her +discussed, were anxious to see her. + +Woe to the cat or dog who dared venture too far into the room! +Very annoyed at this impertinent curiosity, she would leap upon +the importunate stranger and punish him terribly with her sharp +beak. Of course he would run off howling and frightened to death. +It was very funny to watch. + +Mother Etienne and Germaine were much amused at these little +comedies, and whenever visitors came to the farm they would try to +provoke one. Everyone enjoyed them hugely. + +Germaine treated Yollande like a doll. She made her all sorts of +fashionable clothes. The Cochin-China would be dressed sometimes +like a man, sometimes like a woman. She had made her quite a +collection of little trousers and vests, which had style, I can +tell you. She had copied, too, from a circus she had seen, an +English clown's costume which was most becoming. Nothing could be +funnier than to watch this tiny dwarf, to see her strut, jump, +dance, coming and going, skipping around suddenly,--one moment +skittish, the next very important. + +Petit-Jacques loved to tease her, but not roughly; he would push +her with his foot, and make her jump at him impatiently, looking +perfectly ridiculous in her quaint dress. You could have sworn she +was a miniature clown. Add to all this, the queer inarticulate +sounds she made when she was angry, and even then you can have no +idea how very amusing these pantomimes were. + +Soon the fame of Yollande spread far and wide. She became +celebrated throughout the district. Instead of asking Mother +Etienne how _she_ was, people asked: + +"How's your hen today, Mother Etienne?" + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +FATHER GUSSON'S SECRET + + +One day a peddler, such as often come round to villages, laden +like a mule, and leading by the bridle an ass still more laden, +appeared at the farm. Both looked well but tired and dusty--they +seemed to have had a long journey. + +Father Gusson, such was the good man's name, sold all sorts of +things, from tooth-brushes to shoes,--including hardware, +glassware, notions, drugs, and even patent medicines. + +Mother Etienne received him kindly and after letting him show her +the things in which she was interested, she offered him +refreshment and suggested that he should take a little rest at the +farm. This he accepted without needing any pressing. + +The donkey, relieved straightway from his load, was led into the +paddock, where he wallowed in the tall grass, rolling on his back, +his feet in the air. He enjoyed cleaning himself up like this +after his dusty journey, then, rested--he took his luncheon, +choosing here and there the daintiest morsels; after which he lay +down and philosophised at length. + +All this time, Mother Etienne and Germaine were buying, tempted by +one thing after another, silks, laces, stuffs for dresses, and a +number of toilet articles, for both were, though you would not +have suspected it, rather coquettish. Father Gusson--delighted +with his visit to the farm and the business he had done there--was +anxious to leave Mother Etienne a little remembrance. + +[Illustration: Father Gusson the peddler comes to the farm.] + +"Madame," he said, holding out a small china jar carefully sealed +with parchment, "assuredly you do not need this just now, but if I +should never come back, and if it should happen that one day your +beautiful hair should grow thin, turn grey, or fall out, you have +only to rub your head with this sweet-scented ointment and at once +your hair will grow again thick and of its original colour. I +cannot, alas! give you the recipe, it is a secret left me by my +parents." + +Then Father Gusson bade farewell to the two women and went on his +way with "Neddy," both much refreshed by their pleasant rest. + +Mother Etienne handed Germaine the precious pot of ointment to put +with their other purchases into the big cupboard, and they thought +no more about it. + +One day as she sat by the fire with Yollande, watching the dinner, +a bright and whimsical idea occurred to the maid. "Supposing I +were to try the ointment on the hen? But--it might be good for +feathers too--anyhow, it could not do any harm." + +Saying this she went, found the ointment, and delicately rubbed a +little onto Yollande's head. Yollande did not appear to mind at +all. Germaine did this three days running. + +Two weeks later Mother Etienne while dressing her hen, as she did +each day, found a thick reddish down sprouting round her head like +a little flat wig. She showed it to Germaine, who paid no +attention, having quite forgotten her childish trick. + +But during the next few days the wig prospered; the hair was two +finger-breadths long, very thick and curly. Mother Etienne could +not understand it at all. Germaine could not, at first, make up +her mind to confess to her mistress what she had done. + +At last one evening, Mother Etienne being in a particularly good +humour, the young girl took courage and told her all about it. Far +from scolding her, her mistress was delighted, and so pleased at +the news that she there and then undressed Yollande and rubbed her +from head to foot with Father Gusson's marvellous ointment. She +did the thing thoroughly--rubbing it into every pore. Then they +made a good fire so that the poor little model, thus exposed, +should not take cold. + +After that they watched her every instant; they were for ever +undressing her to see if the cure was working--they could hardly +bear to wait. Just think--if it were to succeed. It would be the +end and aim of all their care. Yollande could once again take her +proper place in the world. + +At last what had happened to the head, happened to the body too. +Before a week had gone by a thick down completely covered the big +hen. The good women, much wondering, imagined that as it grew +stronger the hair would change into feathers. Anxiously they +awaited the change. Nothing of the sort happened. The hair +remained hair--red, Titian red--fine and soft, curling round your +fingers, admirable in quality and colour. + +The hair on the head, older than that on the rest of the body, was +much longer, which suggested to the mischievous Germaine the idea +of making her an elaborate headdress. + +Nothing like it had ever been seen before. + +Soon Yollande was able to discard some of her clothes. Her breast +and back required for a time yet a little covering, but this grew +gradually less and less. + +Naturally the phenomenon was much discussed in the neighbourhood, +and it attracted many and delightful visitors to the farm, all of +whom Mother Etienne welcomed cordially. Yollande was less pleased +with this desire to inspect her. Generally some unbeliever would +tug at her hair, a painful experience for her. So, except towards +her mistress and Germaine, she had become exceedingly vindictive +and watchful. Every time she had the chance she pecked with her +short, stout beak at the person indiscreet enough to take such +liberties. One little visitor, more daring than the rest, nearly +lost his finger over it. + +The fame of the curly-haired hen was tremendous, it spread even +beyond the limits of the district. It was really worth a journey +to see her. They wrote of it in the newspapers. The "Daily +Mirror," I think it was, had a fine long article about her. + +But in certain quarters, the whole thing was looked upon as a +"fish story." + + + + +CHAPTER V + + +SIR BOOUM CALLS UPON MOTHER ETIENNE + + +Just about this time placards were posted about the whole village, +announcing the arrival of a Great American Circus, bringing in its +train the most wonderful spectacles. Menageries,--curiosities of +all kinds, such as had not been seen since the time of the +Caesars. + +Incredible things were on show. Nobody, however small their purse, +could resist the pleasure of witnessing these sights. Nobody, that +is, except the people in and around this village. + +The menagerie prepared for its performance by splendid +processions. Caparisoned in gold the elephants marched around. +There were horses of all colours and of all sizes, dromedaries, +rhinoceroses, black men and white monkeys, bands of musicians, +fairy chariots. + +The inhabitants saw the gorgeous procession pass with +indifference, with a superior kind of air and without the least +enthusiasm. + +On the evening of the first performance, in spite of the placards, +processions, bands, notices, and illuminations, nobody appeared at +the ticket-office of the theatre and they played to an empty +house. + +"What," cried the impresario, tearing his hair. "Crowds flocked to +me in London, Paris, St. Petersburg, and New York. I have been +congratulated by the Shah of Persia, invited to lunch by the Grand +Turk, and this little hole despises me, mocks at me, considers me +a failure." + +The lights out, Sir Booum spent a terrible night, wondering what +evil genius could thus attack his laurels. At dawn, worn out by +his sleepless night, he set out, eager to learn the cause of his +failure. + +All those whom he met winked knowingly, laughing in their sleeves, +and courtesied to him without giving him any information. At last +one, touched by his despair, answered: + +"Why should we come to you? We have here in this very place, where +we can see it for nothing, a marvel beside which yours are +commonplace. Have you in your menagerie a curly-haired hen?" + +"A curly-haired hen!" cried Sir Booum. "Gracious, goodness me! +What are you talking about? Three times have I been round the +world and have never heard of such a thing." + +"Go to the big farm down yonder and you can see the one I am +telling you about. You will be ashamed to think how uninteresting +in comparison are the things you show." + +A few minutes later, a magnificent equipage, driven by an elegant +gentleman and drawn by two light bays, entered the courtyard of +the big farm. + +"Does Madame Etienne live here, please?" he asked Petit-Jacques, +who was busy grooming Coco. + +"Yes, sir." + +"Will you kindly give her this card and ask if she will see me?" + +"Certainly, sir, at once." + +Petit-Jacques returned a few minutes later with Mother Etienne. + +The gentleman got down from his seat, handing the reins to his +groom. + +"Excuse me, Madame. I am Sir Booum. It was my circus which gave +its first performance here yesterday as announced on the placards +posted on the walls throughout the village. + +I have heard, Madame, that you have a most extraordinary hen, and +I have come to beg you to show it to me. If it is really such as +it was described to me, I will buy it at once." + +"Sir," said Mother Etienne, "I am very pleased to meet you; I will +show you Yollande as you ask, but sell her to you?--never. I love +the dear thing far too well to part with her." + +"But, Madame, if I give you a large sum? How much do you ask? Name +your figure." + +Mother Etienne, without answering a word, went off to fetch the +Cochin-China hen to show to her visitor. + +American as he was, he was astounded and was soon convinced that +there had been no exaggeration. This was indeed the curly-haired +hen. + +"Well, Madame, how much is it to be?--$1,000, $2,000, $4,000? +Can't you make up your mind?" + +"No, sir, please don't insist. I do not want to part with dear +Yollande," and Mother Etienne, distressed and trembling, covered +her hen with caresses. + +In vain the American urged. His eyes shone with the desire to +include this marvel in his collection. He could do nothing, and +was finally obliged to retreat. + +"Night brings counsel, Madame. I will return tomorrow to visit +you, and I hope you will then decide in my favour. Until tomorrow, +then, Madame." + +The gentleman bowed politely and got into his carriage. The +equipage left the courtyard, turned onto the high road, and was +lost in the distance in a cloud of golden dust. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +THE SEPARATION + + +Mother Etienne was much distressed. The unexpected appearance of +this personage, the offer of this huge sum of money, were enough +to excite a woman more worldly-wise than she. Germaine strove to +persuade her mistress to accept the offer. + +"But, my dear mistress, think of it--$4,000. It is a fortune. +Don't let it escape you. It is a chance which will never come +again. Think how well Yollande will be cared for. He does not mean +to eat her at that price. Think of a stew costing $4,000. No +indeed, the gentleman will try to keep her well as long as +possible. It will be to his interest not to hurt her. Be sure of +it, she will be as well cared for as she is here, if not better." + +Thus they talked all evening. + +Mother Etienne, feverishly affectionate, looked at the hen lying +as usual asleep in the chimney corner. She could not make up her +mind to sell her sweet Cinderella. Her affection for Yollande had +increased with the constant care she had needed during so many +long months. Besides, the silky tresses curling like corkscrews, +which Germaine had kept so smooth, had been a source of amusement, +not only to the farm but to the whole neighbourhood. + +That night Mother Etienne was much agitated in spite of the hot +drink Germaine had given her. She was haunted by a horrible +nightmare. She seemed to be lying on a bed of banknotes, whilst +the Cochin-China, sitting heavily on her chest, reproached her +bitterly for having handed her over to a stranger in exchange for +a little filthy lucre. Mother Etienne, bathed in perspiration, +seemed to suffocate under her sheets. + +At last dawn came, the good woman rose, her heart still terribly +oppressed. Germaine calmed her as best she could with reassuring +words and also with a foaming bowl of hot coffee. + +All morning Mother Etienne endured torments. + +It was three o'clock in the afternoon when suddenly the sound of a +heavy carriage drawn by four horses was heard in the courtyard. +Labric barked with all his might, Coco whinnied loudly, the three +cows all mooed at the same time, and the entire poultry-yard in an +uproar added its piercing and varied tones to the general tumult. +The pigs especially made a great noise. + +It was the American's four-in-hand. + +He was driving himself, and on his left sat a young and pretty +woman, exquisitely dressed in white. + +The newcomers were at once shown into the huge kitchen, which +served also as a reception room. On the hearth burned a small +bundle of scented herbs which filled the whole room with +fragrance. Yollande was sitting in her usual place. + +"Well, Madame, have you at last decided to let me have the +curly-haired hen?" + +Mother Etienne neither moved nor answered. + +"See here, Madame, I offer you $4,000, $6,000, $8,000," and so +saying he took from a red morocco pocketbook in banknotes the sums +he mentioned, and spread them out on the table before the +astonished eyes of Mother Etienne and Germaine. + +Mother Etienne still shook her head in refusal. + +Germaine, driven wild by this sight, began to exclaim: "Yes, +sir,--yes, Madame. Yes, sir,--yes, Madame," and threw herself into +the arms first of the American, and then of Mother Etienne, who +still remained obdurate. + +Miss Booum, taking Mother Etienne's hand, said coaxingly: "You can +safely trust her to me. I will take care of her myself, Madame. +With us she will become famous throughout the world. All the +newspapers will speak of her. From your poultry-yard she will come +into contact with the greatest courts of the world. She will be +petted by Grand Duchesses, and receive hands. Besides all this she +will be in good company and will have plenty to amuse her." + +This pleading succeeded in dragging from Mother Etienne the +longed-for "Yes," which, though stifled by emotion, was seized +upon by the American. + +The good woman had said "Yes," she had conquered the selfishness +of a mother for two reasons. She did not want to prevent Yollande +from getting on in the world, and also she wished to let Germaine +share this fortune, for it was owing to her that the hen had +become so valuable, and she did not think it right to deprive her +of the benefit. + +[Illustration: Miss Booum brings Mother Etienne to the circus +tent.] + +"That's all settled, then. Here's the contract," said the +American, "you have only to sign it." And a receipt duly prepared +was handed to Mother Etienne, who in a trembling hand appended her +signature and a flourish. I don't know that she did not even +embellish it with a huge blot of ink. + +Then Miss Booum stooped and gently took under her arm Yollande, +who oddly enough made no resistance. + +"Oh please, please let me kiss her again," and, tears in her eyes, +Mother Etienne tenderly embraced the Cochin-China. + +"You will take great care of Yollande, won't you? You will send me +news of her? Where is she to sleep to-night?" + +"Oh, as to that, Madame, would you like to see the place prepared +for her? Come with us. There is room in the carriage and I promise +to have you brought back again at once. The camp is not far from +here, the road is good, the horses fast, and in half an hour at +most you will be perfectly reassured and can return with your mind +at rest." + +Mother Etienne, without further thought, still guided by her +tender maternal heart, needed no urging, but followed by the two +Americans, walked with a brisk, firm step towards the carriage. +Suddenly changing her mind, she said: + +"Will you just let me change my dress? I can't very well go out +like this." + +She went to her room, an idea having entered her head, and soon +returned very neatly dressed with a little basket in her hand. + +The steps were adjusted and the three people took their places on +top, whilst Yollande, wrapped in soft woollen covers, was +carefully placed inside, in a basket provided for that very +purpose. + +When Germaine saw her mistress start off she would have liked to +go with her, but the farm needed her attention. Besides, Miss +Booum's promise of seats for the next performance quite consoled +her. + +The carriage made a curve in the yard, went through the gate, and +soon disappeared, bearing the two new travellers. As Miss Booum +had said, it did not take more than half an hour to reach the +camp, the cobs went so quickly. + +On the way Mother Etienne met many acquaintances to whom she waved +a simple but cordial greeting. In most cases the carriage was +already out of sight before they recovered sufficiently from their +astonishment to wave back. + +It was a nine days' wonder. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + +SIR BOOUM'S CIRCUS + + +Our travellers came in sight of the circus. Imagine, children, a +huge encampment like a small town,--with sections, and streets, +houses of green canvas on stout poles, tall caravans on wheels +enclosing everything as though with impassable walls, and in the +centre all sorts of people, in all sorts of costumes, walking up +and down. + +There were brown men, yellow men, red men, black men, big men, +little men, thin men, fat men, lame men, deformed men, men with +goitres, men covered with feathers, men covered with fur,--in +fact, men of every possible kind, size, and land,--men to suit +every possible taste. + +All the most curious specimens were represented. Besides these +there was a colossal menagerie. In it there were more than twenty +elephants, giraffes, hippopotami, rhinoceroses, zebras, +dromedaries, camels, and the rarest kinds of antelopes. Then came +the reptiles,--from the boa constrictor, who was ten yards long, +to the smallest blind-worm, amongst them some of the most +dangerous kinds. Crocodiles twenty feet long, monstrous toads, +tortoises as big as donkeys. Then there were the wild beasts too. +Lions from Abyssinia, from Atlas, tigers from Bengal, from Persia, +jaguars, panthers, leopards, all the big cat family, lynx, onca, +tiger cat. Bears of all kinds, grizzly, grey, black, and white. +Then came wolves, foxes, coyotes, in fact the whole series of the +dog tribe with every possible domestic variety. + +In little barred cages was a collection of smaller carnivorous +animals and rodents. In a huge room all the monkeys from the big +gorilla to the minute ouistiti or witsit, were installed; they +squabbled, pulled one another's tails, bit one another, uttered +piercing cries. There were constant battles going on in that +corner. + +Then in an immense aviary were all the birds of creation, divided +into classes, from the humming-bird, the size of a hornet, to the +ostrich. This was, to tell the truth, the part that interested +Mother Etienne most of all. She was more used to creatures of this +kind, they reminded her of her beloved poultry-yard. In spite of +the signs put up everywhere, "Do not feed the animals," the good +woman who had purposely filled her basket with cakes threw them in +indiscriminately. There were enough for all the animals she +passed. First she threw some to the lions. The lions took no +notice, at which she was most surprised. Her idea in offering the +cakes was to see if the animals were hungry and to find out that +way how they were treated. + +Miss Booum, who was acting as her guide, was much amused at her +astonishment and could not resist saying: + +"Madame, to offer a cream bun to a tiger is like offering a +beef-steak to an elephant. Just keep your cakes for the ostriches, +they are so greedy that they will eat stones. If they were to keep +a hardware store they would be certain to eat up their stock." + +Pleased at this permission, when she came to the ostriches, Mother +Etienne offered them a cake, but they looked down at it very +haughtily and suspiciously. From this she concluded that even +those birds were so well-fed that they were not hungry and felt +quite satisfied about Yollande. + +After half an hour's walk through the circus, having visited every +corner of it, they went towards the manager's house. There five +o'clock tea was served. Mother Etienne, quite at ease, did honour +to the lunch so graciously provided, and after thanking Miss Booum +gratefully, she kissed Yollande very tenderly and prepared to +return to the farm. + +At a sign from the young American girl, a stout piebald pony, +harnessed to a trap, was led forward by a groom. + +"That is my own carriage and my horse Charlie, which you can drive +yourself, Madame, if you like. He is quick and safe, you may be +sure of that. You will be at home again in less time than it took +to come here with four horses. Farewell, dear Madame, a pleasant +drive. Remember that we expect you tomorrow for the afternoon +performance, and that nice little maid of yours too. Your seats +will be reserved." + +The two women shook hands cordially, Mother Etienne got into the +carriage, and took the reins. The pony feeling a hand used to +driving, set off at a quick trot, then warming to his work flew +over the ground. He had the paces of a big horse and had to be +kept well in hand. + +Mother Etienne soon reached home delighted with her adventure. She +was assailed by questions from Germaine and Petit-Jacques. They +sat there drinking in her words. Mother Etienne told them as best +she could all that had happened and all that she had seen in the +most secret wings of the gigantic circus. Germaine in her +excitement was forgetful enough to let the soup boil over and the +roast burn, but all the same they dined gaily. There were still +plenty of questions to be asked. Mother Etienne had to go over +every detail and even to tell some stories over again. They went +on talking far into the night--so charmed were the listeners at +the recital. + +Nobody thought of going to bed. Germaine was longing for the +morrow, she was so anxious to see for herself this fairyland. + +At last, midnight striking, reminded Mother Etienne that it was +time for sleep. Then they all went to bed, each head full of the +wonders of tomorrow's performance. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +MOTHER ETIENNE'S DREAM + + +Mother Etienne was very restless again that night, haunted, not by +a dreadful nightmare as before, but by a troublesome dream. +Everything she had just seen at Sir Booum's appeared before her, +the tiniest incidents, the least important details. + +All the explanations, concerning the creatures in the menagerie +given her by the trainer, came back to her, like an object lesson +in a curious dream. + +The principal person in it was Yollande. Yollande as Barnum, +Yollande as trainer, Yollande holding in one hairy wing a stout +whip, in the other the pitchfork as a protection against claws and +teeth. + +"You see here," said Yollande in a loud voice, "you see here the +wild ox from Madagascar, which takes the place of the horse. In +that country he is harnessed to small, light vehicles which he +draws along rapidly. This other is a buffalo from Caffraria. He is +a Jack-of-all-trades, sometimes ridden, sometimes driven, +sometimes laden, sometimes yoked to the plough. Those big striped +animals you see yonder are giraffes. Their long necks permit them, +without having recourse to a ladder, to eat the young shoots of +the mimosa, of which they are very fond, as well as the fresh +dates which usually grow at the tops of the palm-trees." + +In this kind of dream a strange idea was at work in the brain of +the sleeper. With these object lessons were mingled strange, +quaint asides. + +"If children had long necks like that, one couldn't keep the +jam-pots out of their way by putting them on the top shelves of +the cupboard." + +"There," went on Yollande, "are the elephants. They are used for +all sorts of tasks. Their trunks, a continuation of their +nostrils, serve both for breathing and holding. It is, as it were, +an extremely sensitive and powerful hand." + +"Great goodness me," cried Mother Etienne; "imagine having a hand +at the end of your nose! Would it have a glove on it and rings on +its fingers?" + +All sorts of ridiculous ideas like that came into her head. The +little beaver, who builds his houses all along the Canadian +streams, appeared trowel in hand, mortar-board on his head, and +Mother Etienne felt most anxious to have his valuable assistance +in repairing her barns and mills. Dear little marabout, how useful +you would be in the village, sweeping the streets, cleaning up the +refuse, advance-guard of the street-cleaner with his, "Now then, +everything into the gutter." + +"The antelopes are very silly, coquettish creatures to wear such +long boas round their necks in this warm country. But, after all, +perhaps they are wise enough, for they have chosen a kind which, +unlike our make of furs, is cold to the touch." + +Yollande, in her rôle of trainer, went on and on like a brook. + +"Here, now, is a dromedary. He has a hump on his back, a fatty +exerescence which enables him to bear much fatigue, without eating +or drinking for several days. It is owing to this fat, rather like +a box of provisions on his back, that he can traverse hot and +sandy deserts where it would be difficult to find a single blade +of grass to eat." + +Then through the farm bedroom passed long caravans of camels, led +by carnival Arabs, their humps changed into gigantic larders in +which rattled all sorts of canned things. Canned salmon, Russian +caviare, dried biscuits, smoked meats, tongues, sardines, canned +peas, foies-gras, lobsters, and fruits, in fact all those things +which Mother Etienne had seen piled up in many-coloured pyramids +at the best grocery stores. Really it was too ridiculous.--Miss +Booum must have been making fun of her visitor.--That couldn't +really be the best food for camels. + +It was still worse when it came to the turn of the hippopotami. A +thousand ill-digested memories from the illustrated papers were in +her mind, all mixed up. Where did the Nile and the Zanzibar flow? +Which was it that separated Egypt from Senegal? And the gigantic +hippopotamus, looking perfectly huge and out-of-place in a gondola +fit for a sultana, appeared to her, floating down the calm stream, +a red fez with a golden star on his head, puffing away at a +peculiar double-bowled pipe, the pride of the collection of a +retired police-officer in the village, who had it from the real +cousin of a sea-captain from Marseilles. + +"Do you see those little lumps there enclosed between four boards? +It is a nest of land-tortoises. The largest, called the Giant +tortoise, easily supports on its back a weight of two hundred +pounds. This shell which weighs so heavily is its house. At the +least alarm, it retreats into its house and stays there, till all +danger is past." This plan of walking about with your house on +your back seemed rather a good one to Mother Etienne. You could go +out on rainy days without getting wet, and on cold days it would +keep your back nice and warm. + +"Near at hand is a collection of mammals, the kangaroo family. The +kangaroo is the largest mammal of Australia. It is generally a +peace-loving animal, but bites, scratches, and claws if it is +teased. Its best defence however is flight." All these technical +details left the good woman cold. What she remembered best were +the practical qualities of the creatures. The kangaroo has one +very great peculiarity, the female has a pouch, a sort of bag, in +which she hides her young if danger appears, just as the soldier +has his knapsack. + +For the first time in her life Mother Etienne was much struck +By certain resemblances between animals and human beings, +finding in them actions, looks, and habits which reminded her +irresistibly of many of her acquaintances. It was amongst the +monkeys that it was the most marked. Two chimpanzees, with pensive +faces garbed in black, seemed to be mourning some beloved +relative. It was as though their sad but shining eyes, gazing at +the straw which half-covered them, were seeking something hidden, +intangible. + +A family of big African monkeys, by their challenging, crafty air, +reminded her unpleasantly of a band of good-for-nothings who for +months had spread terror and desolation throughout the country. +The chief--or the one who appeared to be the chief--the biggest +and strongest, hurled himself at the bars and shook them in his +clenched hands. He would certainly have enjoyed strangling Mother +Etienne, had he been able to do so. Since he was not able to, he +displayed in a huge yawn, a terrifying set of teeth, worthy of a +wild beast. They were horrid animals, I assure you, not the kind +you would like to meet loose on a lonely road. + +Fortunately some pretty little witsits, with black faces, no +bigger than your fist, and white and grey ruffles, whistling like +blackbirds, by their pretty tricks did away with the bad +impression made by these sinister neighbours. + +[Illustration: Cake Walk; Mother Etienne's dream.] + +This one was a regular little mother, that one had just been +sweeping out the yard, another was the living image of the Count's +servant when he followed his master on his walks, carrying under +his arm a shawl or a sunshade. An orang-outang, an elderly +peasant, whose four big hands were clasped, suggested to her how +useful it would be to have a helper like that to milk the cows. It +would go twice as fast with four hands. What a lot of precious +time it would save. + +And many other queer things came into her head. That yowling dog, +that sharp-faced rabbit, are the type who come on fair-days to cry +their papers, sell their toys, etc.--a noisy, rough crew. Goodness +gracious! Where was Mother Etienne's absurd dream leading her? +She, whose life was always so calm, and who, to tell the truth, +with Germaine, were rather like the two little monkeys at the +corner of the fire-place, hands clasped under their aprons, feet +on foot-warmers, and little pointed handkerchiefs on their heads. + +At this personal picture everything turned as though by +enchantment into one huge, vast medley, which ended in a general +cake-walk of the whole menagerie, passing before the tired eyes of +Mother Etienne, roaring, bellowing, mewing, whistling, howling, +whinnying, and braying. Poor Mother Etienne was thoroughly +exhausted. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + + +MOTHER ETIENNE'S FORTUNE + + +When she woke up the good woman thought of her small fortune. She +gave it for safe keeping into the hands of her lawyer, M. La +Plume, while she was making up her mind how she should dispose of +it. She wanted plenty of time to think it over. She had already +decided to give Germaine a dowry, for the whole thing was largely +owing to her. She knew that she and Petit-Jacques were in love. + +"They will make a fine couple," she thought, "and later on how +pleased I shall be to have a nice family around me--with dear +children who will love and care for me." + +Then she thought of Père Gusson--the good old man could have no +idea of all that had happened at the farm. He was going his +rounds, selling his wares as best he could. It was three months +since he had appeared, he would be back again before long--he had +already been away longer than usual. + +And, sure enough, two days later Neddy announced his entrance into +the courtyard with a loud bray. If his master was glad to see +Mother Etienne who always received him so cordially, and who +bought so much from him, the donkey fully appreciated the hours of +rest and the good food he found in the paddock with the cows. + +Mother Etienne went forward to meet the old man and gaily told him +the whole story. + +He, utterly astounded, could not at first believe it. He made her +repeat the wonder over and over again. It certainly was a very +curious thing. He had always known his ointment was effective, +but--as to making hair grow on a hen--that was quite another +thing. He was just petrified by it. + +Mother Etienne told Germaine to serve some good cider, and all +three drank to one another's healths. + +"That is not all," said Mother Etienne, "I want you to have a +share in my good fortune. That's only fair. You have worked all +your life, you must think of taking a rest. You have certainly +earned it. Here is a check for $2,000 which my lawyer, M. La +Plume, will cash for you. This sum, together with what you have +saved, will be enough to buy a little house and garden and to keep +you from want. If one is wise and knows how to manage, one can +live here for very little." + +Father Gusson, quite upset and touched, could not find words to +thank dear, kind Mother Etienne. It was as though he had +unexpectedly won the big prize in the lottery. He could hardly +believe his eyes and ears. + +Soon he pulled himself together and began to calculate. + +"I have a few savings, it is true, but I think it would be wise to +take advantage of the fame of the ointment and double my small +fortune. I hope that, thanks to the already widespread fame of +Yollande, if (with your kind permission) I were to call my +ointment, 'Ointment of the Curly-Haired Hen' I should have +considerable success." + +"Not only am I quite willing, but I thoroughly approve of your +idea and strongly advise you to carry it out," replied Mother +Etienne warmly. + +No sooner said than done. + +Father Gusson withdrew from the notary the sum, so fairly +But generously given him, and spent his time henceforth in +manufacturing (according to the recipe of his ancestors) the +wonderful ointment. He filled a great quantity of jars of all +sizes, and like the good business man he was, having adorned them +with magnificent labels he doubled the price of the ointment and +put on a trade mark so as to prohibit imitations. Then he bought a +cart like Mother Etienne's and harnessed Neddy to it. On the hood +of the cart was a huge picture of a Curly-Haired Hen, and under it +was the inscription, "Ointment of the Curly-Haired Hen." Now the +peddler could go his rounds, selling only this specialty, without +need of further advertisement. The effect was magic. Doors, +hitherto too often closed against him, opened wide at his coming +and there was not a soul who did not buy quite a lot of it. + +In a month and without effort, Father Gusson took in ten times +more money than he had earned in all his long and hardworking life +before. + + + + +CHAPTER X + + +TRIUMPH OF THE OINTMENT + + +The craze of the public for this new preparation was +extraordinary. A china factory, about to close its doors, made a +fortune out of manufacturing jars for it. Of course all the bald +people bought it. Everyone expected it to work miracles. The women +with tow-coloured rat-tails expected to grow luxuriant black +tresses and others with coarse scrubby black hair dreamed of +having fine soft golden braids. + +A very rich land-owner, who did not care how much he spent, rubbed +with it the back of his mangy dog, and his horse's tail, which was +growing somewhat thin. + +The mayor even, they tell me, put a thick layer of it onto his +wig, which was beginning to wear out. The district was steeped in +it, the air seemed to smell of musk. + +Alas! everything has its bad side. The good side of this was for +the merchant alone, who, though he guaranteed his wares for human +beings, refused any further responsibility. The bad side was +for the hens and ducks. (I believe even the geese suffered +occasionally.) I can't tell you how many people, knowing all about +the effect it had had on Yollande and the resultant fortune, tried +to duplicate the famous Curly-Haired Hen, bought by Sir Booum. + +In the poultry-yards around, the hens for several months had a +pretty bad time. They were nearly all plucked and rubbed with the +ointment. It was a craze, a rage with the farmers, and those hens +who could retain a vestige of their plumage esteemed themselves +fortunate. + +It was a sad sight to see all the feathered creatures fly at the +sight of a human being. They knew by bitter experience what to +expect. Alas! with all these attempts with roosters, chickens, +ducks, and turkeys, none had the desired effect. They long +remained scented and devoid of plumage, that was all. We must take +it that no subject as good as Yollande presented itself. Nature +makes these queer incomprehensible distinctions, you know, which +we just can't understand. There was _one_ Curly-Haired Hen, +there was to be no other! For, since her metamorphosis, for a +reason unknown to this day, the Curly-Haired Hen absolutely +refused to lay eggs. This was, I must confess, a great +disappointment to Sir Booum. Like the good American he was, he +would have liked to continue the race. + +He had perforce to content himself with portraits of her from the +pen of M. Vimar. One of these was sent, affectionately dedicated +by Yollande, to her good Mother Etienne, who regards it as her +greatest treasure, and keeps it, elegantly framed, above the +mantelpiece in her bedroom. Never a day passes but the good woman +looks at it with tender, motherly affection. + +Father Gusson is now the owner of a pretty little house and +cultivates his own garden, in which is a corner reserved for +Neddy, for he too has earned his rest. + +Germaine, to whom her mistress and adopted mother gave a good +dowry, has just married Petit-Jacques, quartermaster, lately +returned from his military service. + +It is hard to tell which is the happiest. The wedding was +performed with much ceremony. The whole village was present, and +amongst the various healths drunk they did not omit that of the +"Curly-Haired Hen." + +Love animals, my children, be kind to them, care for them, you +will certainly have your reward. + + + + +FINIS + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Curly-Haired Hen, by Auguste Vimar + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13302 *** |