United States or France ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The driver hastily jumped from his box, took the little purse from the rooster's bill, and gave it to his master. The gentleman put it in his pocket and drove on. The rooster was very angry and ran after the carriage, repeating continually: "Kikeriki, sir, Kikerikak, To me the little purse give back."
These ladies seem to have chosen for their model the touraco or cockatoo, they have never heard of "Kikeriki," and the effect is at first wondrously grotesque. Presently the eye learns to admire pretty Fanny's ways; perhaps the pleureuse, the old English corkscrew ringlet, might strike the stranger as equally natural in a spaniel, and unnatural in a human.
But the puffed-up rooster stalked proudly along, followed by all the fowls, and went merrily on and on till he reached the old man's house and began to crow: "Kikeriki!" When the old man heard the rooster's voice he ran out joyfully to meet the bird, but looking through the door what did he see? His rooster had become a terrible object.
Yelling with pain he ran across the courtyard only to receive a kick from the donkey's hind leg as he passed him. In the meantime the cock had been roused from his slumbers, and feeling very cheerful he called out, from the shelf where he was perched, 'Kikeriki!
Then it flew out and again ran after the carriage, calling: "Kikeriki, sir, Kikerikak, To me the little purse give back." When the gentleman saw this, he was perfectly amazed and said: "Hoho! This rooster is a perfect imp of Satan! Never mind! I'll wring your neck, you saucy cockerel!"
It swallowed bulls, oxen, cows, and calves, till it had devoured the whole herd and its stomach had grown as big as a mountain. Then it went to the window again, spread out its wings before the sun so that it darkened the gentleman's room, and once more began: "Kikeriki, sir, Kikerikak, To me the little purse give back."
This put out the fire, cooled the hearth, and made such a flood on the kitchen floor that the cook fainted away from pure rage. Then the rooster gave the stone a push, came out safe and sound, ran to the gentleman's window, and began to knock on the panes with its bill, screaming: "Kikeriki, sir, Kikerikak, To me the little purse give back."
He grasped the rooster and flung it into the treasure-chamber. The rooster swallowed all the money and left the chests empty. Then it escaped from the room, went to the gentleman's window, and again began: "Kikeriki, sir, Kikerikak, To me the little purse give back." As the gentleman saw that there was nothing else to be done he tossed the purse out.
Word Of The Day