The Enchanting Power of Language: A Narrative of Truth

14 October, 2024

A Fairy Tale: A True Story

– What a terrifying tale! – exclaimed the elderly hen from the neighboring village, where a tragic incident had taken place. The setting of this chilling story was a chicken coop. – I was so petrified last night that I couldn’t sleep a wink. Fortunately, we all roosted together on the same beam.

She then proceeded to recount the incident in a tone that sent shivers down the spines of the entire audience, including the old rooster with his drooping comb:

– It occurred in the chicken coop adjacent to mine. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the hens climbed up onto the beam. Among them was a short-legged white hen, a consistent egg-layer, who had never been implicated in any scandal. Upon reaching the beam, she began to preen her feathers with her beak. A small feather dislodged, and she muttered to herself, “Looks like I’m molting again!” She had a penchant for making lighthearted jokes, and as I mentioned, no one could find fault with her. After that, she dozed off.

The night was as dark as pitch. The hens huddled close together for warmth and comfort. One of them, perched near the aforementioned white hen, was awake, dreamily contemplating the good life and longing for a little gossip with a friend.

– Hey, did you hear what someone just said? I won’t mention any names, but one of the hens confessed to preening her feathers to appear attractive. If I were a rooster, I’d be so embarrassed by their behavior!

Illustration.

Perched above the chickens was a family of barn owls—mother, father, and children—all endowed with exceptionally keen hearing. They had overheard every word. The owlet, eyes wide in astonishment, prompted the mother owl to flap her wings excitedly. She told her offspring:

– We shouldn’t eavesdrop on others’ conversations. But I fear your sharp ears have already heard it all. I heard it too; when one has such acute hearing, it’s challenging to block out certain things. Down there, there’s a hen whose behavior is less than virtuous. She preens her feathers to attract the roosters’ attention.

The father owl, ever the wise and cautious one, admonished his wife:

– Be mindful of what our children hear. Let’s shield them from such gossip.

The mother owl, unable to resist sharing the juicy tale, replied:

– I was just about to relay this to my dearest friend, the barn owl who lives right next door. She’s like a sister to me.

– Hoo-hoo! – The two barn owls flew towards the dovecote, their wings whooshing through the air as they went – Hoo-hoo! There’s a hen who plucked out her feathers to impress a rooster. This is scandalous; we can’t let such behavior slide.

The doves cooed in response, intrigued by the gossip:

– Where? Where did this happen?

– In the chicken coop over there! It’s almost as if we witnessed it ourselves. It’s difficult to explain, but it’s a true story, every word of it.

The doves nodded in agreement, eager for more:

– We believe you! Do tell us more.

And so, they carried the tale to the next chicken coop. They recounted with dramatic flair:

– There’s a hen, or perhaps two, who went to great lengths to appear unusual by plucking out all her feathers to attract a rooster. It’s a dangerous game she’s playing. She could catch a cold, develop a fever, or even succumb to illness, and indeed, that’s what happened to both of them.

– Wake up, everyone! – The rooster, still half-asleep, flew up to the roof of the coop and crowed loudly, his voice carrying across the farmyard. – There are three young hens… heartbroken over a rooster! They’ve plucked out all their feathers out of grief and despair. It’s horrifying. I must inform the entire community about this.

All the chickens squawked in unison, their curiosity piqued:

– Tell us more! We want to hear the rest of the story!

The roosters, always eager for drama, crowed in response.

Thus, the story spread from one chicken coop to another, eventually making its way back to where it had started. Rumors abounded, and the tale grew more sensational with each retelling:

– There were five hens who plucked out all their feathers to compete and see who could waste away the most from pining after a rooster. Then, in a fit of jealousy, they fought, drawing blood, and ultimately perished. What a disgrace to the entire community, and what a significant loss for the owner!

The first hen, who had only lost a small feather and had no idea that her innocent actions had sparked such a frenzy, was appalled. Being a respectable hen, she exclaimed:

– Shame on those hens! Thankfully, they are few and far between. We must spread this story far and wide, and I will do everything in my power to ensure it reaches foreign lands. Those wretches deserve to be exposed!

And so, the story was published under the sensational title:

“A TRUE STORY: FIVE HENS PERISH IN A FIT OF JEALOUSY AND DESPAIR OVER A ROOSTER.”

Can you believe it? All from a single small feather, the story spiraled into a tale of five hens’ tragic demise.

A Fairy Tale: A True Story

Frequently asked questions

The story, titled ‘A Fairy Tale: A True Story’, is a chicken coop drama that revolves around a small incident involving a hen preening her feathers, which then spirals into a sensational tale of gossip, scandal, and tragedy.

It begins with an elderly hen recounting a chilling incident to an audience, including an old rooster. The story spreads from one chicken coop to another, with owls and doves also involved in the gossip chain. The initial incident is exaggerated and sensationalized as it travels, eventually becoming a tragic tale of multiple hens perishing due to jealousy and despair over a rooster.

The owls, with their keen hearing, overhear the hens’ conversation and discuss it among themselves. The mother owl, unable to resist, shares the tale with her friend, the barn owl. They then carry the story to the doves, who are intrigued and eager for more gossip, spreading it further.

The first hen, who only lost a small feather and had no ill intentions, is appalled by how her innocent actions have been twisted and sensationalized. As a respectable hen, she expresses shame for the behavior of the other hens and vows to spread the story far and wide to expose the truth.

The story highlights the power of gossip and how a small incident can be blown out of proportion, leading to harmful consequences. It also showcases the importance of responsible storytelling and the potential damage that can be caused by spreading rumors and sensationalizing events.