The Tale of Henrietta Hen

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The Tale of Henrietta Hen

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Title: The Tale of Henrietta Hen
Author: Arthur Scott Bailey
Illustrator: Harry L. Smith
Release Date: June 22, 2006 [EBook #18652]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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SLUMBER-TOWN TALES (Trademark Registered)
THE TALE OF HENRIETTA HEN
BY ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY
Author of "SLEEPY-TIME TALES" (Trademark Registered) "TUCK-ME-IN TALES" (Trademark Registered)
ILLUSTRATED BY HARRY L. SMITH
NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS
Made in the United States of America
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Copyright, 1921, By GROSSET & DUNLAP
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[Illustration: Henrietta Hen is Afraid the Duck Will Drown. (Page 14)]
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I A SPECKLED BEAUTY 1 II A FINE FAMILY 6 III WET FEET 11 IV A SWIMMER 15 V CAUGHT BY MR. CROW 20 VI HENRIETTA COMPLAINS 26 VII WARNING THE ROOSTER 31 VIII WHY THE ROOSTER CROWED 36 IX HAUGHTY HENRIETTA 41 X THE BIG, WHITE EGG 46 XII PLAYING TRICKS 55 XIII TWO IN A GARDEN 59 XIV EARS--SHORT OR LONG 64 XV HENRIETTA'S FRIGHT 70 XVI THE ROOSTER UPSET 76 XVII A SIGN OF RAIN 81 XVIII IN NEED OF ADVICE 85 XIX AUNT POLLY HELPS 89 XX A GREAT FLURRY 94 XXI OFF FOR THE FAIR 99 XXII ALMOST HOMESICK 104 XXIII GETTING ACQUAINTED 109 XXIV WINNING FIRST PRIZE 114
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ILLUSTRATIONS
Henrietta Hen is Afraid the Duck Will Drown. (Page 14) Frontispiece "Come Up to My Nest!" Cried Henrietta Hen. (Page 50) 51 Henrietta Hen Scolds Jimmy Rabbit. (Page 62) 62 "Don't Worry!" Said Aunt Polly Woodchuck. (Page 91) 89
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THE TALE OF HENRIETTA HEN
I
A SPECKLED BEAUTY
Henrietta Hen thought highly of herself. Not only did she consider herself a "speckled beauty" (to use her own words) but she had an excellent opinion of her own ways, her own ideas--even of her own belongings. When she pulled a fat worm--or a grub--out of the ground she did it with an air of pride; and she was almost sure to say, "There! I'd like to see anybody else find a bigger one than that!"
Of course, it wouldn't really have pleased her at all to have one of her neighbors do better than she did. That was only her way of boasting that no one could beat her.
If any one happened to mention speckles Henrietta Hen was certain to speak of her own, claiming that they were the handsomest and most speckly to be found in Pleasant Valley. And if a person chanced to say anything about combs, Henrietta never failed to announce that hers was the reddest and most beautiful in the whole world.
Nobody could ever find out how she knew that. She had never been off the farm. But it was useless to remind her that she had never travelled. Such a remark only made her angry.
Having such a good opinion of herself, Henrietta Hen always had a great deal to talk about. She kept up a constant cluck from dawn till dusk. It made no difference to her whether she happened to be alone, or with friends. She talked just the same--though naturally she preferred to have others hear what she said, because she considered her remarks most important.
There were times when Henrietta Hen took pains that all her neighbors should hear her. She was never so proud as when she had a newly-laid egg to exhibit. Then an ordinary cluck was not loud enough to express her feelings. To announce such important news Henrietta Hen never failed to raise her voice in a high-pitched "Cut-cut-cut, ca-dah-cut!" This interesting speech she always repeated several times. For she wanted everybody to know that Henrietta Hen had laid another of her famous eggs.
After such an event she always went about asking people if they had heard the news--just as if they could have helped hearing her silly racket!
Now, it sometimes happened, when she was on such an errand, that Henrietta Hen met with snubs. Now and then her question--"Have you heard the news?"--brought some such sallies as these: "Polly Plymouth Rock has just laid an enormous egg! Have you seen it?" Or maybe, "Don't be disappointed, Henrietta! Somebody has to lay the littlest ones!"
Such jibes were certain to make Henrietta Hen lose her temper. And she would talk very fast (and, alas! very loud, too) about jealous neighbors and how unpleasant it was to live among folk that were so stingy of their praise that they couldn't say a good word for the finest eggs that ever were seen! On such occasions Henrietta Hen generally talked in a lofty