One morning I was rudely seized, and put with several more into a small wicker basket, to be taken to market: my sensations upon that occasion, no words can describe; to the market we came, and were exposed for sale.
Putting the hen into the basket.
Numbers came to inquire our price, I was lifted up, and pricked, and pulled about, to see whether I was fat; but the distress I had of late been in, had made me very thin, I was therefore always thrown down again, with this observation, why, what a bag of bones this hussey is, I would not have her if you would give her to me.
All my companions were sold, and I remained till night tired and hungry. Towards the close of the market, when the people were preparing to return home, a little girl passed by me with a piece of bread in her hand; urged by hunger I pecked at it, and when she patted me, though my poor sides were all over bruises, I would not appear as if she hurt me, but rubbed my head against her hand; she seemed much delighted with me, crying out, Oh! what a nice tame little creature, how I wish you were mine, but I fear I have not money enough to buy you. Why what can you give? (said the man who brought me from the farm.) I have but one shilling; but I will give you all that. Very well, you shall have it then, for I am sure there is not any use in taking it back.
Little Ann, my new mistress, took me directly home; her mother lived in a thatched cottage, and was very poor: when she heard Ann had given all her money for me, she was very angry. Oh dear mother! you know it will soon lay eggs, which we can sell, and get chickens besides. You foolish girl, you cannot get both, what do you intend to feed it with? and we have no place to keep it in. Oh, we can keep it very well in the wood house, I will put up a perch for it, we will give it some crumbs to night, and to morrow it will provide for itself.
Purchasing the hen.
I accordingly had a good supper and went to rest in a clay hovel, very different to what I had been accustomed to, but I thought how much worse my situation might have been; my fatigue and anxiety soon put me into a sound sleep, from which I was awakened, by being violently laid hold of. When I opened my eyes, I saw a great ugly man who held a sack and lanthorn in his hand. Oh! oh! mistress hen, I did not expect such luck, you will be a nice addition to my stock: he then threw me into the sack, which he flung over his shoulder, and walked a considerable way; this mode of carrying me, together with my sore bruises, produced such violent pain, that I grew quite insensible; when I recovered, I found myself confined with several of my fellow creatures in a large hen-coop, they told me they had all been stolen by the same man, some had been torn from their children, husbands, or parents. I asked for what purpose. What! can you be ignorant that he intends taking us to market to be killed, and eaten? At the thought of being exposed in my present miserable condition to be handled by the multitude, my blood froze in my veins.
