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Boris Zakhoder
Why The Cock Crows Thrice
Translated by Avril Pyman
freebooksforkids.net
Illustrated by G.Kalinovky
In the olden days, the Cock had the most beautiful tail: dark blue with splodgy patterns and fine traceries of brilliant colour. The Peacock, on the other hand, was dock-tailed. He did have a tail of sorts, but it looked more like a mistake.
The Peacock was envious of the Cock. One day he came up to him and said:
“Cock, nice Cock! Lend me your tail. I’ve got to go to a wedding and I do so want to dress up fine for it.”
“What an idea,” said the Cock. ‘Whoever heard of lending a tail?”
“But I’ll give it back!” said the Peacock.
“When?”
“When I get back from the wedding, of course.”
“And when will that be?”
“Depending on how the wedding goes! This evening, or at midnight, or perhaps we’ll be making merry till dawn.”
“Well, no later then,” said the Cock, “or the hens will laugh at me in the morning.”
The Peacock promised him to give back the tail.
The Cock gave him his tail. The Peacock put it on - and took himself off.
The Cock was left without any tail at all, waiting for the Peacock to come back from the wedding. Evening came, the sun went down - and no Peacock.
The Cock hopped up onto the fence and gave two or three loud crows, but the
Peacock did not come. “He must be having a good time at the wedding,” thought
the Cock. The
hens had already gone to roost, and the Cock dozed off too. He dozed and dozed,
but all the time he never quite forgot about his tail. Soon it was midnight,
such pitchy darkness
you couldn’t see your hand before your face. “Oh dear,” thought the Cock, “I
hope the Peacock doesn’t get lost on the way back from the wedding.” He shook
himself and started to crow. He crowed and he crowed, but no! There was no sign
of the Peacock.
Again the Cock dozed off, but he was restless: worried about his tail. He
dreamt that the Peacock had been attacked by robbers on his way back from the
wedding, and they had
taken his tail.
At first light the Cock woke with a start. Was the Peacock still not back? No! Again he began to crow:
“Cock-a-doodle-doo! Peacock-a-cock-acoo! Come here!”
What a hope! Overnight the Peacock had made off to India, and there he stayed. Never to be seen again in those parts.
Many years passed, much water flowed under the bridges, the Cock grew a new tail, but still he missed the old one.
And so, ever since, he has called three times every night. After all, you never can tell... some day the Peacock may bring back his tail: what do you think?
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