1. After a time Betty felt better. The other fowls left off teasing
her. They had only been in rough play, and did not mean to worry her
too much.
2. She dipped her bill into a dish of water which was there, picked a
bit of lettuce, and said to herself that she would make the best of a
bad job.
3. Betty was still as vain of having five toes on each foot as any fine
young lady could be of wearing new shoes. She was always holding up one
foot or else the other. No doubt she meant to show off.
4. There was a great cackling and noise in some of the pens after a
while, and Betty heard that the judges were coming. These were the
people who were to give the prizes, and she felt now more vain than
ever.
5. She made up her mind to present her foot to the judges, and even to
push it out between the wires of her pen, as far as she could. "They
cannot help giving me a prize when they see my five toes!" she said to
herself.
6. But just as she had thrust her toe right out between the wires,
after much trouble, she heard an odd voice from the next pen say,
"Hullo, what's that? Is it a grub?"
7. A queer big bird with a long neck had caught sight of the foot, and
he gave a great snap at it as he saw it move. Betty tried to pull her
toes back, but the big bird would not let go.
8. At last it ended by his pecking off the nail and first joint of poor
Betty's middle claw. She was in much pain and screamed loudly.
9. Up rushed a man, the keeper, who took Betty out in a great hurry.
"We must have no wounded or sick birds here for the judges to see," he
said.
10. And he put poor Betty quickly away into one of the pens which had
been used for bringing fowls to the show. It was empty but for two or
three poor hens who were either dead or dying.
11. These were fowls which had been hurt on the way, by being shaken or
roughly used. They had been put into baskets too small for them, or had
been badly used in some other way. It is bad for birds to travel.
12. Here Betty sank down on the ground. At first she could do nothing
but think of her poor toe; she pushed it into some soft stuff which lay
on the floor, and this stopped the bleeding.
13. How sad she felt! All her fine hopes of a prize were gone. She was
a cripple now for life, and no one would care for her fine looks any
more.
14. "I wonder what is the use of shows?" thought Betty. "Why do people
want other people to tell them that their cocks and hens are pretty?"
15. After the bustle and fuss of the day were over, one of the keepers
came with a boy to look after the dead and dying.
16. "She was as great a beauty as ever I did see," said the man. "A
perfect pullet!--that she was. But, dear me! she is not perfect now
that her toe is gone.
17. "She is good for nothing now but to lay eggs and bring up chicks.
She was worth a couple of pounds; now she would only fetch a couple of
shillings.
18. "Here, Jack, tie a bit of rag round the stump, and give her food
and water in that spare box. I cannot bear to wring her neck, as we are
forced to do with many, to put them out of pain."
* * * * *
_Write:_ Poor Betty had her toe bitten off. She was put into a place
out of sight. Here she was in great pain, and had lost all hopes of a
prize.
Questions: 1. After a time how did Betty feel? 2. What did
she do with her foot? 3. What happened to one of her toes?
4. Where was she put after her toe was bitten off? 5. What
was the boy told to do for Betty? 6. What did the man say
that she was fit for now?