cried Mrs. Cluck , in great alarm . ` Fits , ma'am , ' answered Doctor Drake , who just then waddled by . ` Oh ! what can I do ? ' screamed the distracted hen . ` Nothing , ma'am ; it 's fatal . ' And the doctor waddled on to visit Dame Partlet 's son , who was ill of the pip . ` My child , my child ! do n't flap and stagger so ! Let me hold you ! Taste this mint-leaf ! Have a drop of water ! What shall I do ? ' As poor Mrs. Cluck sighed and sobbed , her unhappy child went scuffling about on her back , gasping and rolling up her eyes in great anguish , for she had eaten too much of the fatal salt , and there was no help for her . When all was over they buried the dead chicken under a currant bush , covered the little grave with chickweed , and the bereaved parent wore a black string round her leg for a month . Blot , ` the last of that bright band , ' needed no mourning for she was as black as a crow . This was the reason why her mother never had loved her as much as she did the others , who were all white , gray , or yellow . Poor little Blot had been much neglected by every one ; but now her lonely mamma discovered how good and affectionate a chicken she was , for Blot was a great comfort to her , never running away or disobeying in any way , but always close to her side , ready to creep under her wing , or bring her a plump bug when the poor biddy 's appetite failed her . They were very happy together till Thanksgiving drew near , when a dreadful pestilence seemed to sweep through the farm-yard ; for turkeys , hens , ducks , and geese fell a prey to it , and were seen by their surviving relatives featherless , pale , and stiff , borne away to some unknown place whence no fowl returned . Blot was waked one night by a great cackling and fluttering in the hen-house , and peeping down from her perch saw a great hand glide along the roost , clutch her beloved mother by the leg , and pull her off , screaming dolefully , ` Good-by , good-by , my darling child ! '
Aunt Cockletop pecked and croaked fiercely ; but , tough as she was , the old XXXXX did not escape , and many another amiable hen and gallant cockadoodle fell a victim to that mysterious hand .
Blot Drake Partlet biddy farm-yard flap hen-house mint-leaf month pestilence