The Prodigal Chicken

19 February 2015

Joyfallee is wreathed in smiles today - that which was lost is found. Yesterday Etoile Filante failed to report to barracks for the evening roll call. One of the residents of Joyfallee was to be found far into the night fruitlessly, and increasingly mournfully, searching and calling for the errant Etoile. The worst was feared and it appeared Etoile may have lived up to her name (shooting star), with a bright and glittery, but much too short, life. The above mentioned Joyfallee resident was again out at first light, this time looking for feathers with a heavy heart. You will imagine, gentle reader, the surprise and joy that greeted the appearance of the AWOL Etoile Filante, feathers in situ and unruffled, at the chicken house door, looking for breakfast. Etoile has remained tight-beaked about her overnight escapades, but, given the paucity of eggs at Joyfallee, the involvement of an illicit egg-exchange racket is not beyond the bounds of possibility.