A BABY HEN, A BABY DUCK, AND A MOTHER CAT

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12394, 13 March 1926, Page 16

A BABY HEN, A BABY DUCK, AND A MOTHER CAT

Here is a true story about a baby hen, a baby duck, and a dear mother cat. But first of all there were two grown-up hens. One was busy hatching out a batch of chicks; the other abatch of ducklings. Mother Puss was busy, too,, for she bad a large family ol tiny kittens to look after. The little chicks hatched out before the ducklings. As soon as thdy were ready to start out on their first great adventure, their mother stepped ouj: of the nest and clucked ter them to follow her example. The chickens were only too delighted -to do that, and tumbled over one another in their eagerness to get out. When they were all safely op the ground beside her—at least, when she thought they all were—the mother hen led them away to where her friends, the other hens, were kept. She wanted her friends to see how fluffy and yelloiv baby hens could be, for it was a long time.since they were baby hens/ and she thought they might have forgotten what they looked like then. “I must tidy up this nest now,” -said the lady, who took car*? of tjhe fowls, ar.d she turned out all the straw on to the ground and began to clear it away. But to her surprise she came -across a tiny, tiny chicken. . . r “Dear me,” said she,'“what shall I do now?” , She picked up the little’ Creature and'carried it indoors, still wondering what to do with it* Then she caught sight of the basket of kittens, and as Pussy was out she put it in amongst them, so that > their soft furry bodies would beep it warm, but she meant to lift rt out again before Puss came back. However, Pussy never 1 liked to be far little ones, and was back again in no time, so that when the lady next peeped into the,basket there was Puss curled' up inside it with all the kitties cuddled .about her and the little baby chick on the very top. ■ . ' All day long kind Pussy cared for the little stranger, keeping it safe and warm until , its mother 'Came home again in the evening, when it was returned to its'own family. ' Next moming the little ducklings all hatched out, and, strange to say, they, too, went away, leaving one fluffy little brother ip the nest. But this-time the lady did not have to wonder what to do—she knew! She just carried it to the basket where the kittens lived and asked Mother Puss if she would look after it until its mother cam* home. Mother Puss was only too'delighted, and so was the baby duck, you may be sure. '