The Neighbour's Hens

Mr. Ahmed was a keen gardener. His special pride was a kitchen garden where he grew vegetables. Once, he planted lots of carrots, beetroot, radish and spinach.

          All this while, Mr. Ahmed's neighbour, Mr. Khan, raising a hen coop in his compound. Just as Mr. Ahmed's vegetables began to grow lush and green, Mr. Khan installed half-a-dozen hens in the coop.

          At night, the hens were locked up in the coop. By day, however, they were free to room around and eat what they pleased. One fine day, Mr, Ahmed discovered all the six hens feasting off his spinach. He shooed them off. And the very next morning he reinforced the wooden fence between the two houses with stout wire netting. But the hens flew right over the fence to make a meal of radish leaves. Mr. Ahmed raised the fence some more. But the hens flew even higher and soon there was nothing left of the beetroot leaves either. Mr. Ahmed appealed to Mr. Khan ,'Please enlarge the coop and keep your hens in; he begged, 'or I'll never have a garden!' Mr khan smiled but did nothing.

          This went on far a whole week and then Mr. Ahmed had an idea. Overlooking his vegetable garden, he raised a small hen coop, lining it with straw. Then he laid a thin trail of crushed corn all the way from the fence to the coop.

          The hens discovered the trail and packed away till they reached the coop. There they found more corn waiting for them. This happened every day till the hens began to look upon the new coop as home. And it was not long before one hen settled on the straw and laid a nice, big egg for Mr. Ahmed breakfast.

          Thereafter, eggs came every day. Mr. Ahmed and his family enjoyed them but Mr. Khan got very restless. 'These stupid hens are not supposed to supply Mr. Ahmed with free eggs!' he raged.

           At long last, Mr. khan enlarged the coop and began to keep the hens in all day. To make up for this loss of freedom, he began to give them a daily allowance of fresh greens.