The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-08-09
Chanticleer-A Study of the Cock in Lit
erature, History and Life.

| they never strike us unpleaSantly; and
what Il loss it would be if we were deprived
Of the cocks noisy presence and lordly bear
ing. He is pattern of directness, and
there was never Il more gallant defender of
Il household. No other cock can enter his
domain with impunity. A neighboring
cock may trespass for the moment, but he
can gain no firm footing till he has van
qushed his foe. The PersianS, the Greeks
the Egyptians and the Ehodians all admired
this quality i'll the cock and emulated his
plucky endurance. Pluck is rs much part
of the cock rs his feathers and comb, and I
verify believe he would rather die than
yield to rival. No one ever saw a cock
that was Il craven. If the leader of the
larnyard gives way before the trained
gamecock his retiring in such circumstances
is no disgrace; but the chances are, though
nothing but a dunghill, he will despise the
veteran of the pit and will fight to the end
\ LIBEL On THE ROOSTER
To say that Il cock is vain, TO call con-
ceted fellow i coXcomb, is Il libel on the
bird. l do not believe there is more than
proper degree Of pride in the family. What
we see in the cock to lead us to a contrary
opinion is an honest expression of conf
dence in his ability to protect his own. If
he holds out an assurance of this he never
bellies it. The turkey puffs out his breast,
drops his waffle, bursting red, spreads his
tails, and puts on airs, only to be scar, d by
II poodle. The peacock is never happier
| -Ia,, oh. 1I,p ,rip J,niV or
the world. He delights to squat on the top
of fence or on the ridge of the house-any-
where ne can hide his feet and bring
into relief his wonderous tail, but he has no
more valor than the turkey. They are both
| arrant towards, braggarts that love to dis
play their plumage, but with nothing to
back their claim to notice. But the cock
enters our presence with firm step-a con-
scious ability to take care of himself. He is
always ready for a fight, and comes out Of
one melee with an itching desire to engage
in another. His air is lordly. He likes to
stretch out his neck and take i'll at glance
every corner of his domain-to answer with
an approving note the faintest cluck of his
mates, and to scratch for them all as well aS
for himself
40 ROOSTER WAS EVER "HENPECKED,"
What could have given rise to this express
sion " henpecked is more than can tell
| for no cock that ever came under my ohSeT-
walton was ever open to that imputation.
1t is unjust alike to the hen and her mate.
She may be eXacting and sometimes queru-
lous, but he views her foibes with lenicnt
eye, and is as ready to do the agreeable to
the most irritable of danes as to the most
engaging of pullets, treating her vaGarie#
| not as the ebuliton of n virago as 1.-THE
tender tierceness of the dove" But he will
permit no indscretion on the part
Of his wives, and if, perchance, one of
them brings off a brood of ducks, he vii!
| turn a deaf ear to her distress when the
ducklings take to the water, telling her as
plainly us words can speak, "as she has
sown so must she reap" But to those that
are constant he is tender and sympathetic,
responding most heartily when Dame Part
let makes known that she has increased her
store during her brief seclusion.
That the language of the cock is intei!i-
|
Let Il stranger draw near or a hawk sweep
overhead and how different is the sound OF
his voice from the call to his favorites to
partakc of some dainty bit that he has
brought to light. He has a pleasant WORT
at family gathering, warning voice ut
the approach of danger and n plucky chal-
lenge to all cockdon for the championship
of the world.
| lie GLOEIES IN \ ROW.
| Cocks love to fight, and where they can
not fight themselves, they love to see others
| fight At the battle of Trafalgar ono added
his notes to the din and on board the sara
toga and the Eagle, at the battle on Lake
| Champaign, the cocks crowed Justify
| Other instances might be adduced. During
the bombar,lmcnt of Fort Mciienry, i'll the
thickest of the fight, n cock mounted the
| parapet looked over towards the enemy,
| and crowsd with all his might. y soldier
within the walls, worn down with fatigu"
| and too i'll to work, declared that If he lived
| to see Baltimore again, the cock should lie
| treated with pound-calle. Not being able
| ment he sent to the city, procured the cake,
and had fine time treating his favorite
rooster.
The ancients held that the lion is afraid OF
the cock, and Pliny maintained that II one
| anointed himself with broth made OF
cock, especially if garlic We're cooked with
| if. no lion or panther would hurt him.
in, In rll
| least, it would be well to try it before 70
| sorting to other ingredients. But If the
lion is afraid of the cock, the tables are
turned when it comes to the fox.
Beasts and birds can fly their foe,
So chanticleer, Who never saw 4 fox,
| Yet shuns him as Il sailor ShunS the rocks.
When Il painter drew on 4 signboard
misshapen cock and wrote under it " This
| is bull, he gave rise to the expression,
cock and bull"
| TRADITIONS ABOUT COCKS.
Before the time of George IL. an officer OF
the household, known rs the Kings Cock
| Grower, crowcd the hours of the night dur
| ing Lent, within the precincts OF the palace
| instead of proclaming them i'll the usual
| way. The huddhiStS of Ceylon sacrificed
| red cocks to evil spirits. Cocl,-throwing,
| that is cuck-pelting on ShroN" Tuesday,
was common in England Il century ago, and
| in parts of France Il rural custom known rs
| La sentence da cup is annually resortcd TO TO
| discover all the small offences i'll the village
| for a twclvemonth. On The first Sunday ill
| Advent the festival known rs the PARTON
| dcS CoqS takes place i'll Brittany, and At that
/ time inuumerabic cocks are brought i'll and
submitted to experts, who select the finest
| and place it upon the church weathcrcock,
| where il is watched till it flies down. He
| who is fortunate to capture it when It
reaches the ground may count on the largest
share of happiness during the year. The
priests retain all the other cocks. This Is
| literally one prize in n lottery.
There are many superstitions connected
| with the growing of Il hen. Walpole, in Il
| letter to Lady OSsnry, the year of the gum
powder accident ut IIounslow, said: Mar
garet (hiS houSekecper) WAS not quite ur-
prepared, for one of the Bantam hens hid
crowed on Sunday morning, and the chand-
| Ter told her, when the barn was blown
down, that ill-luck never came singly.'
With many it is believed that when hen
| begins to crow she has given over laying
eggs ami has stitled the maternal instinct,