Children's Workshops

Chanticleer - The Story

Once upon a time there lived a poor old widow. She had two daughters and lived with them in a small cottage near a meadow.

She had three pigs, three cows and a sheep called Molly and they all lived happily together.

At the back of the cottage was a yard in which she had a cockerel called Chanticleer. He was excellent at crowing and in fact he was the best at crowing in all the land. He even used to crow in church on Sundays.

Chanticleer had seven wives and these hens were also good at singing. His favourite wife was called Pertelote.

Now one night Chanticleer had a terrible dream and was tossing and turning in his sleep. Pertelote woke him and asked him why he was making such a noise.

Chanticleer explained that he had dreamt that there was a huge beast, which was a sort of yellow and red colour with black tipped ears, a small nose and glowing eyes. He said that the beast had tried to catch him.

The next morning Chanticleer got up and had forgotten all about the dream. He said to his seven hens "Look what a lovely sunny morning it is. Listen to the birds singing and look at the beautiful flowers growing in the garden."

Chanticleer was in such a good mood that he too started singing. He looked over towards the cabbage patch at a butterfly darting about. Suddenly he saw a fox lying watching him. Chanticleer was about to fly away when the fox called out "Hey, don't fly away. I won't hurt you. I was only listening to your beautiful singing. My, how well you sing."

Chanticleer was so pleased at these words that he decided to show off. He stood up on tiptoe, closed his eyes and began singing with all his might.

The fox's plan had worked! In a flash, the fox leapt up, grabbed Chanticleer by the neck, threw him over his shoulder and ran off into the woods to eat him for his tea.

The widow and her daughters heard all this noise and ran out of the cottage and after the fox. The cows, the pigs, the dogs and all the farm hands also joined in the chase.

Chanticleer had calmed down by this time and had started to think of a plan to escape the fox's clutches.

So he said to the fox, "Why don't you turn round now that you have reached the safety of the woods and shout to everyone that they will never catch you. You are too clever for them all."

The fox thought this a very good idea and, forgetting that he still had Chanticleer's neck in his mouth, said "Yes, what a good idea. I will."

But as soon as he said these words, Chanticleer was able to escape and he flew up into the branches of the trees to safety.

This story has a moral. Can you guess what it is?

Beware of people who flatter you. They may not always mean what they say.

Retold for children by Michael Billington.

From "The Nun's Priest's Tale." (from Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales.")

© Michael Billington