Jack was a naughty child. One day, Jack was playing in the woods near a cottage. He saw an old woman hobble down the steps and feed the chickens. Jack picked three chickens up and ran away. The next morning, Jack could not find his parents or sister. Instead, three chickens sat on the chairs around the dining table. Two days passed and there was no sign of his parents. Jack started crying. The villagers rushed to his house. “What are the chickens doing here?” asked a villager. Jack narrated the incident with the old woman. “Return the chickens,” cried a fellow. Jack took the chickens back to the old woman and apologised. She just glared at him. When Jack returned, his mother said, “Where were you? We have been waiting for you.” It seemed as if nothing strange had happened at all! Jack never saw the cottage or the old woman ever again. Often, he wondered if he had met a witch.
The Chickens
