OUR HUMBLE HELPERS 



CHAPTER I 



THE COCK AND THE HEN 



UNDER the big elm tree in the garden Uncle 

 Paul has called together for the third time his 

 usual listeners, Emile, Jules, and Louis. After the 

 story of the Ravagers, which destroy our harvests, 

 and that of the Auxiliaries, which protect them, he 

 now proposes to tell the story of our Humble Help- 

 ers, the domestic animals. He thus begins : 



"The cock and the hen, those invaluable members 

 of our poultry-yards, came to us from Asia so long 

 ago that the remembrance of their coming is lost. 

 At the present day they have spread to all parts of 

 the world. 



" Is it necessary to describe the cock to you f Who 

 has not admired this fine bird, with its bright look, 

 its proud bearing, its slow and sedate walk? On its 

 head a piece of scarlet flesh forms a scalloped crest ; 

 under the base of the beak hang two wattles resem- 

 bling pieces of coral ; on each temple, by the side of 

 the ear, is a spot of dull white naked skin ; a rich tip- 

 pet of golden red falls from the neck over the shoul- 

 ders and breast ; two feathers of a greenish metallic 



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