The Great Escape

Chapter 1

Trouble Goes To The Cage.

“Cock a doodle doo,” crowed Cowboy. “What are you doing Cowboy?” Ask mother
hen. “Its dark outside and everyone is asleep.” “I know mom, I’m sorry, but I’m so excited about
the trip to the mountains.” Said the little rooster. “I understand Cowboy, but you must be
considerate of the other chickens, they need their sleep and so do you.” Said mother hen.
As Cowboy sat on his perch, he tried his very best to fall asleep, but thoughts filled his
head about what the mountains would be like. Farmer Jack had said that they were higher
any tree that has ever grown on earth. “I can’t wait to see that,” thought Cowboy.
The next morning Cowboy was awake before the sun had time to brake through the
southern sky. “Cock a doodle doo,” “Jack wake up, its time to go to the mountains.” Crowed
Cowboy. A couple of minutes later Farmer Jack opened the screen door and stuck out his head.
“Hold your horses Cowboy, I’ll be out after breakfast.” “Hold my horses,” mumbled Cowboy, “I
can’t hold my horses, they’re in the barn.” Grandpa rooster laughed, “Silly little rooster, Farmer
Jacks trying to tell you to be patient you know, don’t get your feathers in a ruffle.” Cowboy
thought that was funny and he laugh too.
The sun had been up for about an hour when Cowboy saw Jack come out of the house
and began feeding the other animals. ‘What’s up,’ thought Cowboy, ‘I’m ready to leave.’ “Matt,
Brandon and Rob can take care of the feeding,” chirped the impatient little rooster.
“You got a problem, you crippled little good for nothing rooster?” Crowed Trouble.
Trouble was the biggest, meanest and rudest rooster in the chicken yard and everyone just stayed
out of his way when he was acting badly. “No problem” replied Cowboy in the nicest voice he
could chirp out. “I heard your going to the mountains,” said Trouble, “ you know its cold in the
mountains and you’re going to freeze with no feathers.” “I have lots of feathers,” replied
Cowboy.
“Not for long,” said Trouble, and he began chasing Cowboy around and around the chicken yard.
Cowboy ran as fast as his crippled little feet would carry him, darting in and out of the
other chicken’s closely escaping Troubles wrath. “Cockle doo, cockle doo. Help! Help!” Was all
that could come out of Cowboys little mouth. Cowboy was getting very tired from running; he
had to run four times faster than Trouble since Trouble was four times bigger than Cowboy.
Farmer Jack had just finished feeding Fannie the horse when he heard all the commotion
coming from the chicken yard. “What’s going on out there?” Jack yelled. Trouble didn’t pay any
attention to Jack but kept chasing Cowboy. “Cockle doo, cockle doo,” rang out from the chicken
yard again. Jack could tell it was Cowboys voice and he was in trouble. Jack dropped the bucket
of grain he was carrying and ran as fast as he could to get to Cowboy. When he reached the
chicken yard he discovered he was right. Cowboy had trouble alright and it was with Trouble.
Farmer Jack could hardly believe what he was seeing, and had a quick thought. “Here is
a seven inch Bantam rooster with a hurt foot, out running an 18 inch Rhode Island Red rooster.”
With that thought Jack shouted, “STOP Trouble.” When Trouble heard Jack call his name he
stopped dead in his tracks, he knew he was in big trouble now.
Without a word Jack turned from the chicken yard and began walking back toward the
barn. After about two minutes he came out carrying a wire cage. “Yea“-chirped Cowboy, “we are
going to the mountains,” and he ran to the gate to meet Jack.
As Jack reached for the gate latch he instructed Cowboy to stand back that he wasn’t
here to get him ,but to get Trouble. “Trouble” thought Cowboy. “I thought I was going to the
mountains, not Trouble.”
“Come here Trouble, I have a surprise for you” said Farmer Jack as he squatted down to
the ground. Trouble looked back at Cowboy, threw back his head, raised his wings and was
ready to let out an earth shaking cock a doodle doo. When all of a sudden Jack grabbed Trouble
by his feet and put him into the wire cage.
“Trouble,” said Jack “I’m very tired of you making trouble for Cowboy and the rest of
the flock, you will stay in this cage until we get back from the mountains.” “I will put you into
the barn and the boys will feed you everyday, then maybe when we return you will be as nice as
the rest of the chickens.”
Trouble felt bad for what he had done. He thought, “ if I would just be nice, then I could
go places with Farmer Jack. I’m going to work on that.”

(another chapter will be posted every few days)