In some prat of the world, poeple who don't live in the cities, they breed and raise their own chickens. Those chickens are mainly known as free-range. Their meat is considered better for food than some of the farm bred fowls. They are richer in protein, seeing as they are free, they have the choice to feed on the things that God bids them to eat. Whereas, farm bred chickens do not have any such choice. So, all that they can eat is, what the farmers are able to provide. Then no one knows for sure everything what God says chickens are to eat. I have to assume then that it's the free-range fowls only knows what is best for them to eat. Since they are free they feed on all the necessary things. That is what makes their eggs and flesh become rich in protein, and very good for human consumption. For the same reason mentioned many people breed and rear them.
However, let me first say this, free-range chicken are not very easy to raise they have two great enemies, I call them chicken thieves. These enemies of the chickens eat them as a part of their daily food. Many chickens don't even get a chance to be fully-grown. Their enemies catch and eat them while they are young and defenseless. It maybe fair to say out of every 12 chicks that hatched the surviving rate is about 6 or 8. In that case, taking into account the surviving rate, people could sometimes fail to raise less than they had anticipated. Yet, it is noticeable that there are people who in spite of how small a number they can raise, still they continue to breed their own fowls.
This I consider, due to my God fearing personality, I realize that all creatures deserve the right to live; so, if one loses a few of one's chickens to other existing creatures, one still has to be thankful for not losing all. Well, right here and now, I'll give you the names of the chicken thieves. They are mongoose and hawk! These two creatures are always at rivalry with each other, because of this fact, they sometimes get into each other's way while hunting. If you stay on course, as I go along I'll explain.
Mongoose, this creature is rather sly in some of his ways of operation. There are times when he would pretend to be a friend of the fowls, but actually, it is just a sham for the chickens to trust him. Yes! mongoose would try to place all the blame of the disappearing chicks on the hawk, when the blame really should be upon him. This creature mongoose, it does its hunting under tall grass, undergrowth, holes and rocks. It is a very skillful hunter who knows how to catch chickens. It travels low and silently; then launches out, takes the prey and then disappears with it, without being seen.
Many times he did it to the chicken; then, later he would visit the fowls to ask mother hen if everything was alright. As she seems so sad, crying and quarreling. In this way, mother hen would reply, "oh go away, you've done it again, you've just stolen another one of my chicks." No!no! not me! Why do I always get the blame around here? Asked mongoose! pretending to be innocent; again he asked mother hen, don't you know that I'm your friend? Then could you see me stealing form you? Of course, I could not! Mind you, he said, one never see smoke without a fire, here he's trying to shift the blame from himself. It couldn't be more than half an hour ago, when I saw brer-Hawk flying as, if he was struggling with something very heavy. You konw what! I bet that was the same time he stole your chick. Probably the very same one for which you are blaming me. "Oh my poor little Peggy." cried mother hen!
Mongoose said this, "Such a sweet chick, she was fat, nice and very heavy. No wonder, Brer-Hawk was struggling so much while he was flying." Rooster! hearing all that, he just stares and listens. Then lifting up his neck feathers, and kicking up stones, showing his spurs, picking up in his beak and throwing away more stones, he goes caaa, caaa, that hawk, that hawk, whenever I catch him, he'll be a dead hawk. Right away Mongoose said this, "Brer-Rooster, just call me, as soon as you catch him, and let me help you to get rid of him once and for all."
Hawk, hiding in a tree, he hears all the nasty lies, which mongoose is telling about him to the chickens. Subsequently, hawk knows that he was in real trouble; he began to wonder how he could clear his name. It wasn't going to be easy, owing to mongoose's plot against him, which cause the chickens to be so frightened at hawk's presence. This gave hawk all the more reasons for hating mongoose. The hawk knows that mongoose is a danger thief, disguising himself as a friend to the fowls; when he is only using his name to gain the chickens trust; so, that he may catch them easier. While hawk still hiding in the tree over-head, he sees and hears everything. The main problem is this, since mongoose caused the chickens to be so bitter against him, there is no way that he will be able to clear his name. Why? the chickens won't let him get close enough, so that he could tell them about mongoose's dirty scheme.
In the light of that, hawk remains in trouble, he still considered by the chickens to be the chief thief, who must be feared. Often times mongoose kept on warning all the chickens to watch out for hawk; he warns them every day before walking away. Of course, by this time, he already decides on which chick to steal next; then as soon as he turns the corner, he'd disappear under tall grass or undergrowth, where he'll wait for the chick which he had targeted. Again mother hen has to weep, but hawk gets the blame.
Well, right here and now, it maybe fair to say that it is a bad thing when one cannot be trusted. Or else, hawk would have his chance to let the chickens know about mongoose's scheme. It's owing to the lack of trust why hawk has no chance to defend himself; as no chicken will risk listening to him. Remember what I said before, mongoose placed a cast-iron plot in the chickens' minds against him. Even if the slightest wind blows or if the least shadow moved, the chickens would all run and hide believing that it is hawk coming to get them.
Yes! mongoose makes sure of that. He got the chickens to be dread of hawk. None would hear what hawk has to say. That's right! You see, the trouble is this, all the chickens are already too scared of hawk, and that is causing hawk much worries too. And making him to be more hateful for mongoose. It causes me to consider this, it seems as if it is from a very long way back in time mongoose and hawk resentment began. I said that because of their behaviour in hunting; as there are times, when they are attracted to the same prey. In which case, the one would prove superior over the other, causing a problem.
Mongoose and hawk specialize in some of the same meals, which young chickens are their favourite, among many other creatures, such as rats etc.... This gives them all the more reason to hate each other. As there comes a time, when hawk may be sitting up in a tree waiting to catch something, when comes mongoose below causing hawk to lose out. Sometimes it can be the other way around too, but the fact is, in many ways, mongoose and hawk were always in conflict with each other while hunting. Thus, hawk seems to have the greater advantage over mongoose.
Here I'll prove it to you: once hawk was out sitting in a tree, he was waiting to catch a chick for his dinner, he noticed mongoose creeping below, "there he is again," said hawk. He knew that mongoose was looking for his dinner too. Even so, the very sight of mongoose was enough to upset hawk: he gets quite angry, then he decides the only way to get rid of mongoose is to eat him. The truth is, hawk had never eaten mongoose before; still there is always a first time. He waits patiently until mongoose merges from under the tall grass, he rushes down, pricked his long sharp claws into him, there was quite a struggle, mongoose was big, strong and heavy.
He was a little more than hawk had anticipated; nevertheless, hawk kept his wings going swiftly up and down; until, he lifted off with mongoose in his claws. In the air the struggle continued, mongoose was fat and weighty. He tried to get hawk back to the ground, but hawk resisted. He soon finds out that mongoose' s weight was a result of all the chickens, which he had been eating. In the air, and in much pain, mongoose riddled and swished his tail, "he shouted don't take me Brer-Hawk put me down." He cried "sheep, sheep, sheep, no, no, no, brer-hawk please don't take me, put me down, put me down." At this point hawk knows being airborne, mongoose is going to be a sure feast. Hawk's home was a fair distance away, but he got lucky a tail wind came to his aid....
The wind saves hawk lots of wings energy, and made him glide along faster. He could hardly believe his luck, for the blessing of the tail wind. Mongoose, the pain he was suffering, the fear of being in the air, he died quickly. Hawk glided on home to his nest at the top of a high rock, where he had three hungry offsprings waiting for their supper; also, mother hawk who was there taking care and keeping guard. They all had a great feast as they ate mongoose for the first time.
The rest of this story is written the book: FAIR ENOUGH! THEY LAUGHED!!
With 4 other lovely stories, of which including this one, each story is just fiction dreamed up by me.
