Click here Roddy The Rooster Contest Answer three simple questions (all answers at this site) to enter a monthly draw to win Roddy The Rooster & Friends video, cd and colour-in book and consolation prizes. Story #36 Mrs Hen Has Lost Her Chicks If you would like to have Roddy's Story of the Month sent to you each month by e-mail, subscribe to Roddy's Story of the Month Mailing List! You can also read previous months' feature stories, one for each month since August 1997. Most have a picture, so have a look! - Other Farmyard Stories

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Written by Roddy Lee Mrs Hen was frantic. She paced back and forth in front of Roddy The Rooster as Mrs Cow walked into the barn. Roddy's barn shook as Mrs Hen cried out again, "I just don't know what's happened to them!" Roddy The Rooster tried to calm down Mrs Hen, "Easy does it, Mrs Hen, you'll have a hernia, tell us the story from the beginning." Mrs Hen settled herself and Mrs Cow sat down in the hay. "That's better," said Roddy, "Now calmly start at the beginning." It had been a beautiful crisp Winter's morning at Tumbledown Creek Farm and, before breakfast, the Cheeky Chicks had asked their mother if they could visit Mrs Cow in her paddock. With their mother's consent, the Cheeky Chicks flew the coop, and that's the last Mrs Hen had seen of her children. They didn't return for breakfast and now, well, it was well past lunchtime. Mrs Hen cried out loud again, "I just don't know what's happened to them!" Mrs Cow stood up, "Well, I didn't see your children, Mrs Hen," she said, adding that they wouldn't have found her anyway. She spent last night in Mr Horse's barn, "The farmer put me in there," said Mrs Cow thankfully, for last night had been particularly cold! Well, that news only made Mrs Hen howl louder, "Booo hooo. Where are my Cheeky Chicks?" "Calm down, Mrs Hen," said Roddy, "Let's think about this." Roddy The Rooster looked at Mrs Cow. "Now, Mrs Cow slept in Mr Horse's barn so we know the Cheeky Chicks didn't go there." "If they went to the paddock they would have gone past Penny and Pixie Piglet's pigpen. Have you checked there?" Roddy asked Mrs Hen. Mrs Hen told Roddy that she'd been to Mrs Cow's paddock when her Chicks hadn't returned for breakfast. And she'd seen Penny and Pixie in their pigpen. "Well," exclaimed Roddy, "What did they say??" "They weren't any help. They said that the farmer had locked them under the farmhouse for the night where it was warm and comfortable and he hadn't let them out until breakfast time." Just then, Desmond Duck and Joe The Jolly Jumbuck walked in. They were talking amongst themselves. "Yes," said Joe to Desmond, "Winter sure has arrived. The farmer placed my winter blanket over me last night." Desmond nodded, "Yes, the farmer let me sleep in the farmhouse laundry last night. Brrr! It was still freezing, even in there!" It was then that Joe The Jolly Jumbuck and Desmond Duck noticed the others in the barn. "G'day Roddy. Mrs Hen. Mrs Cow!" said Joe and Desmond. "G'day Joe. Hi ya Desmond," came Roddy's reply, "Have either of you guys seen the Cheeky Chicks? They went missing this morning." "No," said Joe. "I haven't seen them either," answered Desmond. "Ohhhh!" cried Mrs Hen, "What am I to do??" "Maybe Cassie has seen them," thought Roddy, "Have you seen Easter Bunyip, Joe?" "Why, yes I have." said Joe, "I just saw her sunning herself on the back of the farmer's truck." "Well," enthused Roddy, "Let's go and ask her!" But before they could leave the barn the sound of chirping Cheeky Chicks could be heard. Roddy The Rooster, Mrs Hen, Mrs Cow, Joe The Jolly Jumbuck and Desmond Duck raced to the barndoor to see the farmer releasing the Cheeky Chicks in the middle of the barnyard. The Cheeky Chicks ran toward the barn as the farmer returned to the farmhouse. And as they raced into Roddy's barn Mrs Hen cried out in joy, "Oh, my Chicks. You are safe!!" "Sure we are," said one of the Chicks, "We fell into a puddle near the backdoor of the farmhouse on our way to visit Mrs Cow." "It was freezing, mum!" added another Chick. "The farmer saw us," continued his brother. "We was filthy!" another butted in. "Shh! So he took us in and washed us in his big tub with soap suds and all. Then he dried us with his big towel and sat us in front of his big fireplace." Mrs Hen was overcome with relief, "Oh my little darlings," she cried, as she hugged her children tightly, "You must be starving." "No, mum, not at all," was the unanimous answer. "The farmer fed us." "Twice." Roddy The Rooster smiled broadly, "Well, all's well that end's well. And the Tumbledown Creek farmer, well, he's just swell!!" More Roddy The Rooster's Farmyard Stories #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13 #14 #15 #16 #17 #18 #19 #20 #21 #22 #23 #24 #25 #26 #27 #28 #29 #30 #31 #32 #33 #34 #35 #36

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