The special Egg

 Once upon a time, there was a hen that lived on a farm with her family, and many other animals. The farmer was a kind old man who took care of all the animals on the farm. He and his wife fed them well everyday, and made sure that all the animals were healthy and comfortable. The animals too were very fond of their master, and tried to help him in every way. The cows gave a lot of milk, the bullocks helped him pull the carts and the oxen helped him plough the field. The horses were happy to take him where he wanted to go, and the hens laid lots of eggs. The farmer’s wife collected the eggs everyday, except the ones which would hatch chickens. The hen took good care of all her eggs till they hatched, and then took care of the chickens after they hatched.

Once, it so happened that the hen was sitting on a dozen eggs, keeping them warm. It would soon be time for them to hatch, and she was rather getting tired of sitting on them all the time! Soon, she heard a CRACK! And then another, and then another!!! At last, the eggs were hatching. She watched happily as one by one the chicks emerged from the eggs and the shells fell off. She started counting.1...2..3..4..5..6..7..8..9..10..11…just one more, and then she would take the chicks out and get them food, show them how to get small worms…but what was happening ? The 12th egg wasn’t showing signs of cracking at all!! She was getting worried now. What was the matter with this chick? This had never happened before with her. She did not know what to do. The other hens were also watching and understood her worry. One of them went and got the farmer. He took one look at the hen, the chicks and the eggs, and understood the situation at once. He took the egg gently and told the hen to go ahead and feed her newly hatched chickens. He would take care of the egg. Relieved, she took the chicks out and fed them, but she could not get the un-hatched egg out of her mind. As soon as she was free, she went to the farmer. He took her inside the house to the living room where he was watching the television, and gave her the egg. He told her that there was nothing to worry and that the egg would hatch soon, when it was ready. But he realized that she was anxious, and asked her to stay inside with him if it would make her feel better. She agreed and sat on the egg, while he watched a lady singing on the television. She held a wine glass in her hand, and as her voice rose with the music, the glass broke with a tinkle, and everyone, including the farmer, clapped. Soon after, it was time for bed, and the farmer took the hen back to her coop, and again told her not to worry. But she couldn’t help worrying when the egg showed no sign of hatching the next day also. All day long, she wandered around the farm with the egg, asking everyone for their advice. Everyone told her the same thing,--don’t worry, wait and watch, everything will be all right.

As she wandered around, she heard the farmer telling his wife about the programme he had watched on the TV the last night. That gave her an idea!! She started singing. She wasn’t a great singer, but at least she could try. She sang, louder and louder, and all the animals came out to watch. And suddenly, as her voice touched a really high note, CRACK! The egg had cracked at last!! Out came a little yellow chicken, which looked at its mother, and cried “Cheep cheep”!! The hen stopped singing and looked at her chick with love and pride. All the animals, and the farmer, who had gathered to watch, started clapping. After that day, the singing hen became very famous, and everyone asked her to sing and break glasses, just like the lady on the TV!!