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‘The DEATH of the HEN:
NCE on a time the cock and the hen
went to the nut mountain, and they
agreed beforehand that whichever of
them should find a nut was to divide It
with the other. Now the hen found a
great big nut, but said nothing about
it, and was going to eat it all alone, but
the kernel was such a fat one that she
could not swallow it down, and it stuck
in her throat, so that she was afraid she should choke.
“ Cock !” cried she, “run as fast as you can and fetch me
some water, or I shall choke !”
So the cock ran as fast as he could to the brook, and said,
‘Brook, give me some water, the hen is up yonder choking
with a big nut stuck in her throat.” But the brook answered,
‘‘ First run to the bride and ask her for some red silk.”
So the cock ran to the bride and said,
‘Bride, give me some red silk; the brook wants me to
give him some red silk; I want him to give me some water,
for the hen lies yonder choking with a big nut stuck in her
throat.”
But the bride answered,
“ First go and fetch me my garland that hangs on a willow.”
And the cock ran to the willow and pulled the garland from
the bough and brought it to the bride, and the bride gave him
red silk, and he brought it to the brook, and the brook gave
him water. So then the cock brought the water to the hen,
but alas, it was too late; the hen had choked in the meanwhile,