Storytelling Week 5: The Mosquito and Hen

The parrot said:

    Back in the 18^th-century, there was a pesky mosquito and feisty hen that had the most unlikely friendship. Both creatures lived on an almost abandoned farm owned by Mr. Rogers. The barn was a ghost town because many of the horses were starving or had already died, and the other animals had been sold, all except one hen (the mosquito wasn’t really owned by anyone since he had free reign to leave when his little heart desired). 

(Garden - 18th-century painting - Author: Mal)

       It was a hot afternoon day when the hen said to the insect, “I am about tired of starving everyday. 

       Mr. Rogers is a decent fellow and all, but a hen has got to eat. I’m planning on laying eggs soon.”

       The mosquito replied with a mischievous tone, “I am getting a bit hungry too…”

       “Don’t even think about sucking my blood!” the hen snapped back.

After a long, tiresome argument, the two agreed not to exploit one another, but instead find relief somewhere else. So they ventured to the neighboring farms to find some birdseed for the hen and a few healthy animals for the mosquito to feast on.

To the right was Mr. and Mrs. Larky’s farm. They had a few dozen cows and horses, but nothing more, so that option was out. To the left was the Grizzly Bear Farm, yes, the farm only raised grizzly bears for people to come out and shoot their game. We didn’t associate much with those people.

       The hen said, “You don’t really have to guess why,” as she rolled her wing around in a circle next    

       to her head.

The next option was a fit for them both – the Chumnut family who lived just across the street! They raised cows, horses, chickens, donkeys, rattlesnakes, cats – you name it, they owned it. After a long rest at dusk, the two decided to go out in the middle of the night to prevent someone from hearing them.

They were now steps from the fence blocking the green pasture from the busy road. The mosquito, riding on the hen’s head, gave the bird a tap on the noggin and told her to head on over. One step, two step, three step……

       “OUCHHHHH!” yelled the hen.

       She continued screaming, “I just had a lightening bolt rattle my whole body - organs and all!"

Not long after, the ranch man came out of his house to see this chicken toasted from the shock of the electric fence.

He scooped her fragile body up in his calloused hands and carried her to his barn, where he proceeded to feed the hen some birdseed. That was all she really wanted.

The mosquito returned to his 

old farm with an empty stomach. No pain, no gain.

Author's Note: The original story, “The Elk and the Ass,” in the UN-Textbook (2014), was about two animals venturing over to a farm to graze the field together. The ass got in a giddy mood and decided to sing. This act woke up the gardener and master of the house. They then decided to take them prisoner.

The narrator, the parrot in “Tales of a Parrot”, told this whole story. He told this story to teach his master’s wife a lesson.

I changed it up to teach a lesson, but one about working for what you want (no pain, no gain). While the two animals should not have gone over to the Chumnut Farm to steal food or animal blood, the hen had to go through a full body electrical shock in order to get fed. The mosquito left with an empty stomach because he didn’t have to go through any pain to receive food (blood). This version also had a much happier ending than the original story where the men took the two animals captive. 

Bibliography: The Elk and the Ass. (1801). UN-Textbook (2014). Tales of a Parrot. Ziya'al-Din Nakhshabi.