Molly's Easter hen
by Annie Willis McCullough
When Molly came in from the chicken house, she looked very sad.
"O dear me!" she sighed. "I'm so disappointed!"
"What is it, sunny girl?" asked mother.
"Red Top hasn't laid an egg, and tomorrow is Easter. I shut Red Top
in all by herself, so I should know that it was her very own egg, and
she hasn't laid any."
"But the other hens have. We shall have plenty of Easter eggs to
colour," said mother.
"But I was going to take one of Red Top's eggs to Auntie Brooke for
Easter," said Molly, dismally.
"Wouldn't any other egg do?" asked mother.
"It wouldn't be half so nice," replied Molly. "Auntie Brooke gave me
Red Top, and this is the first Easter since I had her. I told Auntie
Brooke I would bring her one of Red Top's eggs for Easter."
"You shouldn't count on Easter eggs before they are laid," said her
mother. "I am sure Auntie Brooke will understand if you take her another
egg. You may colour it pink, and I will let you have some gilding, so
that you can mark her name on it. It will be a beautiful Easter egg."
"I have a plan," she said. "I believe I'll have an Easter egg for
Auntie Brooke, after all, mother."
She went through Auntie Brooke's squeaky gate and along the gravel
path to the side door. An old lady with a sweet face sat on the
doorstep.
"Auntie Brooke," said Molly, a little out of breath, "I've brought
you an Easter egg, only it isn't laid yet. You may keep Red Top until
she lays it, and then you can give her back. You'll have to excuse there
not being any pink on it and your name in gilt letters, but Red Top
didn't lay it in time for that."
"Thank you, dear," said Auntie Brooke, trying not to laugh. "I'm sure
I shall like it just as well as if it were pink with gold letters on
it." |