MRS. PLYMOUTH ROCK lived in the chicken coop out by the wood pile with her brood of eleven chicks. They were black and yellow, but the cutest of all was little Yellow Chick.
Mother Hen always stayed in the coop. The little chicks would run out between the slats and venture off through the grass and into the yard. When Mother Hen wanted to call them home she would utter a loud call, “Cluck! cluck, cluck!” and the little chicks would come running to the coop.
One summer afternoon when Mrs. Hill, the farmer’s wife, was sitting on the back porch sewing, suddenly there was a great cackling and scurrying among the other chickens around the yard. They all ran as fast as they could to the hen house. Mrs. Hill stood up and looked around to see what was the matter.
There in the sky coming toward the farmyard was a large gray hawk. Old Mother Hen heard the cries of the other fowls and called her chicks to hurry home. “Cluck, cluck, cluck!” went Mother Hen.
All the little chicks ran as fast as their little legs could carry them to the coop. But little Yellow Chick could not run fast. He stumbled over the chips near the wood pile. The hawk with his sharp eye saw the little fellow and flew straight toward him. Mother Hen could not help little Yellow Chick for she could not get out of the coop.
Mrs. Hill ran as fast as she could to help him but could not get there in time. However, Rover, lying under a tree in the front yard, hearing the commotion came running like the wind past Mrs. Hill.
Rover jumped at the fierce hawk and snapped at him with his sharp white teeth just as the hawk was swooping down to catch little Yellow Chick in his claws. When the hawk heard the barking and saw Rover dash at him he forgot about wanting to catch little Yellow Chick and flew away as fast as he could. Up into the sky he flew, over the woods and far away.
Mrs. Hill picked up little Yellow Chick and put him in the coop with Mother Hen who took him safely under her wing.
“Good dog!” said Mrs. Hill as she patted Rover’s head. He wagged his tail as if to say “thank you” though it was nothing. Mrs. Hill went back to her mending while Rover lay down near the hen coop to guard little Yellow Chick.
Little boys and girls, older ones too, like little Yellow Chick are helpless in the presence of their great enemy — Satan. The devil seeks to catch them and take them away where they are lost forever. The blessed Lord Jesus came from heaven to save sinners and to rescue them from Satan’s power. He died on the cross but in His resurrection he broke the power of Satan, and now all who trust Him as their Saviour, find in Him a refuge and are safe forever.
ML-06/16/1974