Ludwig Sings to the Sun 1

Ludwig the rooster and his five sisters hatched in late March.

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For six months, he did what they did. Ludwig slept warm under his mother’s wing.

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Ludwig pecked around the yard for grubs and bugs. Ludwig played and explored the big backyard. But Ludwig was different from his sisters. Ludwig was a rooster. 4

One Friday morning, Ludwig woke early before the sun came up.

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He felt something deep inside, that built into a scream to the world, “Crip Crip Crew, Crip Crip Crew!” 6

No one payed any attention, so he crawled back under his mother and went to sleep.

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On Saturday, Ludwig woke with the sun again. He flapped his wings, and let his song burst out to the world, “Crip Crip Crew, Crip Crip Crew!” 8

This time Ludwig’s mother heard him. She clucked, “Hush, Ludwig!” Then, she pulled him back under her wing. 9

Ludwig didn’t know that the people in the big coop slept late on Sundays.

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As he called out to the sun this morning, the light in the big coop went on.

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One of the people flew out the back door, and slapped his hand down on the coop.

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“Quiet, Ludwig! It is too early for you to crow today!”

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Ludwig scurried back under his mother’s wing. The man from the big coop was scary!

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For the next several weeks, Ludwig woke each morning with the sun. He looked around, didn’t see the big man, and quietly sang out to the world, “Crip a crip a crew, crip a crip a crew.” 15

Ludwig kept practicing his song, louder and louder as the day went on, “Crip a Doodle Do, Crip a Doodle Do, Cock a Crip a Doo!” 16

As Ludwig grew, he stopped sleeping under his mother’s wings. He even stopped playing with his sister chicks. 17

Instead, Ludwig patrolled the yard. He ate after everyone else. He constantly watched for danger. 18

Each morning he would wake with the sun and quietly sing, “Crip a Crip Crew.” Ludwig still felt afraid of the man in the big coop. 19

He practiced long and hard. He crowed when he heard the neighbor’s dog bark. He crowed when he saw a cat outside the fence. He crowed when a sparrow looked like it was going to take his sister’s food. 20

Ludwig’s own song was now loud and proud…just not in the morning.

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The next day, Ludwig sensed danger everywhere around him.

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Ludwig woke up in a small dark room and it was moving! All around him were new scary sounds. Ludwig heard cars driving. Ludwig heard lots of people talking. Ludwig heard bells ringing. 23

Finally, the room stopped moving, but it was still dark all around him.

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Ludwig held very still and listened. He heard a voice. It was the voice of the man who lives in the big coop. This time, the man wasn’t angry. This time, the man was reading a story about a chicken. 25

As the man read the story, the children started laughing louder and louder. Ludwig felt more and more nervous. It sounded like they were getting closer! 26

At last, Ludwig couldn’t take it any more. He knew the man might be upset, but danger seemed to be everywhere around him. 27

Taking a deep breath, Ludwig flapped his wings and sang out with his loudest crow ever, “Cock a Doodle Do!” 28

It was still dark, but for a moment the room was silent. Then the children started to laugh again. 29

The man lifted the lid on the dark room. Gently, he scooped Ludwig up with both hands.

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“Ludwig, I was wondering when you would start to crow. Your song is beautiful, Ludwig! Did you know that you are now the king rooster of the house? You may crow whenever you want, but I hope you learn not to crow on Sundays.” 31

Smiling, the man handed Ludwig to one of the children in the classroom. The child held him close as he walked around the room to let the other children pet Ludwig. 32

Ludwig felt secure. It wasn’t like being under his mother’s wing, but the children smiled as they petted Ludwig’s feathers. 33

When the man put Ludwig back in the box, Ludwig felt so happy that he flapped his wings and crowed one more time, “Cock a Doodle Do!” 34

This time, the children clapped and the man from the big coop smiled. Sitting down in the box, Ludwig knew that everything was safe. Tomorrow morning, he would sing to the sun. 35