JOHNNY and Molly lived in a little hut in the forest. When their parents died they were left quite alone in the world, and had to divide their heritage between them. They were dreadfully poor and possessed nothing but two hens and a cock.

The puzzle was how to divide these animals into equal shares.

At last Molly said, “Let us cut the cock in two, and have half each.” This was done; Johnny had the part with the head, and Molly had the tail end.

Molly plucked her portion of the cock, and put it into the saucepan.

Suddenly Johnny’s godmother, who was a fairy, appeared down the chimney. “Listen,” she said to her godson, “you must not put your half into the saucepan; I will enchant him, and he will do anything you wish.”

On saying which the fairy thrust her wand in the cinders, murmured some strange words, and then touched the head of the Half-cock with her wand.

The clock struck midnight.

“Good-bye,” said the fairy, and she disappeared up the chimney.

“That is all very well,” said Johnny to his sister, “but what are we going to do with the Half-cock now?”

Molly, who was the cleverer of the two, thought to herself, “If we had money we should have everything we want.” She said, “Send him to Mr. Brauncastle’s to fetch three bags of silver.”

The cock started off immediately.

On the way he met two robbers, who were much surprised, and said to him, “Little Half-cock, where are you running to?”

“To Mr. Brauncastle’s,” he replied.

“May we go with you?”

“Yes, hide yourselves under my wings.”

The robbers settled themselves as comfortably as they could under the Half-cock’s wings.

A little farther on they overtook two foxes.

“Little Half-cock, where are you going?” they asked.

“To Mr. Brauncastle’s castle.”

“May we come with you?”

“Yes, hide yourselves under my wings.”

In less than a second the foxes had joined the robbers.

At length the Little Half-cock came to a large pond which was equally inquisitive.

“Little Half-cock, where are you running so quickly?” asked the water.

“To Mr. Brauncastle’s castle.”

“May I come with you?”

“Yes, hide under my wings.” Drip, drip—the water joined the other lodgers.

Ring-a-ding-ding! The Half-cock rang at the castle door.

“Tell your master that I want three bags of silver.”

“What an impertinent creature!” thought the servant who answered the door. He took the message to his master. The latter replied, “Put the Little Half-cock into the chicken-run with the hens.” This was done.

When night fell the Half-cock said to the foxes, “My good fellows, come out from under my wings, and eat all the hens.”

There was no need to tell them twice; they set to work with a will, feathers flew in all directions, and before you could count three they had eaten the lot. When the servant went to the chicken-run the next morning, he was horrified, and said to his master in a trembling voice, “All the hens have been eaten. The Little Half-cock is roosting on the rafters, crying, ‘Cock-a-doodle-do! Cock-a-doodle-do!’”

“Well, put him into the stable,” said his master. The servant did so, but the next night the Little Half-cock set the robbers at liberty. They immediately mounted two horses, and in the twinkling of an eye they galloped off.

“Now I know what to expect,” the servant said the next day, as he wiped the perspiration from his brow. “This time the wretched thief shall not escape me.”

The Little Half-cock was shut up in a red-hot oven. Now it was the water’s turn to escape, and the fire was immediately put out.

The next day the water had risen to the first story, and the Little Half-cock was swimming courageously on the surface, crowing as loudly as ever he could.

“Give him three bags of silver as quickly as ever you can,” said Mr. Brauncastle; “get rid of him or he will ruin me and all my family.”

The Little Half-cock went away and gave the money to his master.

Johnny and Molly were now rich, very rich.

They are very happy and get on well together; the Little Half-cock lives with them, and is their best friend.