The Farm-yard Cock and the Weather-cock
by Hans Christian Andersen · from Collected Fairy Tales
Adapted Version
Once there were two roosters. One lived on the ground. He was the Farm Rooster. One lived on a roof. He was the Roof Rooster. Both roosters were very proud.
A green Cucumber grew in the yard. It saw the Farm Rooster. "He is very good!" thought the Cucumber. It saw the Roof Rooster. "He is just still," it thought.
Then a big storm came. Wind blew hard. Rain fell down. The Farm Rooster hid. The Hens and Chicks hid. But the Roof Rooster stayed on the roof. He did not move.
The Roof Rooster did not move. He thought about other birds. "They are silly," he thought. "Everything is silly."
The storm stopped. The sun came out. The Farm Rooster walked in the yard. He walked very proudly. He puffed out his chest.
"Garden plant!" said the Farm Rooster. He pecked the Cucumber. He ate the Cucumber. The Cucumber was all gone.
The Hens came. The Chicks came too. They stood near the Farm Rooster. They were proud of him.
"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" he crowed. He had big news.
"I can lay an egg!" he said. "A very special, big egg!" The Hens looked at him. The Chicks looked too. They were very surprised. They thought it was amazing.
The Hens clucked. The Chicks chirped. They were amazed. They thought he was the best rooster.
The Roof Rooster heard the noise. He did not move. He stayed very still. "It is all very silly," he thought.
"I am too lazy," he thought. "It is too much work. I do not want to do anything."
The Roof Rooster broke off. He fell down from the roof. The Hens were very surprised.
So, it is better to do things. Even small things are good. It is better than to be proud. It is better than to do nothing.
Original Story
The farm-yard cock and the weather-cock
A fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen
There were two cocks– one on the dung-hill, the other on the roof. They were both arrogant, but which of the two rendered most service? Tell us your opinion– we'll keep to ours just the same though.
The poultry yard was divided by some planks from another yard in which there was a dung-hill, and on the dung-hill lay and grew a large cucumber which was conscious of being a hot-bed plant.
"One is born to that," said the cucumber to itself. "Not all can be born cucumbers; there must be other things, too. The hens, the ducks, and all the animals in the next yard are creatures too. Now I have a great opinion of the yard cock on the plank; he is certainly of much more importance than the weather-cock who is placed so high and can't even creak, much less crow. The latter has neither hens nor chicks, and only thinks of himself and perspires verdigris. No, the yard cock is really a cock! His step is a dance! His crowing is music, and wherever he goes one knows what a trumpeter is like! If he would only come in here! Even if he ate me up stump, stalk, and all, and I had to dissolve in his body, it would be a happy death," said the cucumber.
In the night there was a terrible storm. The hens, chicks, and even the cock sought shelter; the wind tore down the planks between the two yards with a crash; the tiles came tumbling down, but the weather-cock sat firm. He did not even turn round, for he could not; and yet he was young and freshly cast, but prudent and sedate. He had been born old, and did not at all resemble the birds flying in the air– the sparrows, and the swallows; no, he despised them, these mean little piping birds, these common whistlers. He admitted that the pigeons, large and white and shining like mother-of-pearl, looked like a kind of weather-cock; but they were fat and stupid, and all their thoughts and endeavours were directed to filling themselves with food, and besides, they were tiresome things to converse with. The birds of passage had also paid the weather-cock a visit and told him of foreign countries, of airy caravans and robber stories that made one's hair stand on end. All this was new and interesting; that is, for the first time, but afterwards, as the weather-cock found out, they repeated themselves and always told the same stories, and that's very tedious, and there was no one with whom one could associate, for one and all were stale and small-minded.
"The world is no good!" he said. "Everything in it is so stupid."
The weather-cock was puffed up, and that quality would have made him interesting in the eyes of the cucumber if it had known it, but it had eyes only for the yard cock, who was now in the yard with it.
The wind had blown the planks, but the storm was over.
"What do you think of that crowing?" said the yard cock to the hens and chickens. "It was a little rough– it wanted elegance."
And the hens and chickens came up on the dung-hill, and the cock strutted about like a lord.
"Garden plant!" he said to the cucumber, and in that one word his deep learning showed itself, and it forgot that he was pecking at her and eating it up.
"A happy death!"
The hens and the chickens came, for where one runs the others run too; they clucked, and chirped, and looked at the cock, and were proud that he was of their kind.
"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" he crowed, "the chickens will grow up into great hens at once, if I cry it out in the poultry-yard of the world!"
And hens and chicks clucked and chirped!
And the cock announced a great piece of news.
"A cock can lay an egg! And do you know what's in that egg? A basilisk. No one can stand the sight of such a thing; people know that, and now you know it too– you know what is in me, and what a champion of all cocks I am!"
With that the yard cock flapped his wings, made his comb swell up, and crowed again; and they all shuddered, the hens and the little chicks– but they were very proud that one of their number was such a champion of all cocks. They clucked and chirped till the weather-cock heard; he heard it; but he did not stir.
"Everything is very stupid," the weather-cock said to himself. "The yard cock lays no eggs, and I am too lazy to do so; if I liked, I could lay a wind-egg. But the world is not worth even a wind-egg. Everything is so stupid! I don't want to sit here any longer."
With that the weather-cock broke off; but he did not kill the yard cock, although the hens said that had been his intention. And what is the moral?
"Better to crow than to be puffed up and break off!
- * * * *
Story DNA
Moral
It is better to be active and contribute, even if imperfectly, than to be puffed up with self-importance and achieve nothing.
Plot Summary
Two cocks, one on a dung-hill and one on a roof, embody different forms of arrogance. A humble cucumber admires the farm-yard cock's active, boastful nature over the weather-cock's passive, elevated disdain. After a storm, the farm-yard cock, now in the cucumber's yard, makes an outrageous claim about laying a basilisk egg, impressing his flock. The weather-cock, disgusted by the world's perceived stupidity, breaks off its perch, leading the narrator to conclude that active, even if flawed, participation is better than puffed-up, inactive contempt.
Themes
Emotional Arc
pride to mild comeuppance (for the weather-cock) / continued pride (for the yard cock)
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Andersen often used animal fables to comment on human nature and societal flaws, particularly vanity and self-delusion.
Plot Beats (14)
- Introduction of two arrogant cocks: a farm-yard cock and a weather-cock, with a question about their utility.
- A cucumber in the yard expresses deep admiration for the farm-yard cock, seeing him as superior to the weather-cock.
- A terrible storm hits, destroying parts of the yard but leaving the weather-cock fixed and unmoving.
- The weather-cock, despite being young, is described as sedate and disdainful of other birds and the world's stupidity.
- The storm ends, and the farm-yard cock, now in the cucumber's yard, critiques the storm's 'crowing' and struts proudly.
- The farm-yard cock addresses the cucumber as 'garden plant' and pecks at it, leading the cucumber to a 'happy death'.
- The hens and chicks gather around the farm-yard cock, proud of him.
- The farm-yard cock crows loudly, announcing a 'great piece of news'.
- The farm-yard cock claims he can lay an egg containing a basilisk, terrifying and impressing his flock.
- The hens and chicks shudder but are proud of their 'champion of all cocks'.
- The weather-cock hears the commotion but remains still, internally declaring everything 'stupid'.
- The weather-cock states he is too lazy to lay an egg, even a 'wind-egg', and finds the world not worth the effort.
- The weather-cock breaks off its perch, but does not harm the farm-yard cock, despite the hens' belief.
- The narrator poses the moral: 'Better to crow than to be puffed up and break off!'
Characters
The Yard Cock ★ protagonist
Strong, strutting, with a prominent comb
Attire: Natural plumage of a farmyard rooster
Arrogant, boastful, self-important
Image Prompt & Upload
A proud young rooster with glossy red and gold feathers, standing upright on two legs. Wearing a tailored blue waistcoat and a tiny feathered cap. Expression is brave and cheerful, with bright eyes and a determined beak. Posture is confident, chest puffed out, one foot forward as if ready for adventure. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Weather-Cock ⚔ antagonist
Newly cast, metallic, covered in verdigris
Attire: Gilded or painted metal, fixed atop a roof
Puffed-up, disdainful, world-weary
Image Prompt & Upload
A stern, middle-aged man with a sharp, angular face and piercing grey eyes. His hair is slicked back, metallic silver in color. He wears a high-collared, tattered crimson cape over ornate, weathered bronze armor adorned with a rooster motif. He stands rigidly upright, one hand resting on the hilt of a long, tarnished sword. His expression is cold and calculating, with a hint of a sneer. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Cucumber ◆ supporting
Large, ripe cucumber growing on a dung-hill
Admiring, self-sacrificing, naive
Image Prompt & Upload
A young adult humanoid character with smooth, vibrant green skin resembling a cucumber, featuring large, kind eyes and a small leafy stem atop its head. It wears a simple, earth-toned tunic cinched with a braided rope belt, paired with sturdy leggings and boots. Standing in a confident, upright posture with hands gently clasped in front, its expression is warm and supportive, with a slight, encouraging smile. The figure is poised as if ready to help, with an open and welcoming demeanor. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Hens ◆ supporting
Typical farmyard hens
Attire: Natural plumage of farmyard hens
Gullible, easily impressed, followers
Image Prompt & Upload
A group of three plump, cheerful hens with distinct feather patterns. One has white feathers with black speckles and a red comb, another is golden-brown with a fluffy tail, and the third is mostly black with iridescent green neck feathers. They wear small, colorful knitted scarves or simple ribbon bows around their necks. They are posed together in a friendly cluster, heads tilted with curious, bright eyes, pecking gently at the ground. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Chicks ◆ supporting
Small, fluffy chicks
Attire: Natural plumage of baby chicks
Impressionable, naive, followers
Image Prompt & Upload
Three fluffy yellow chicks with tiny beaks and small wings, perched side-by-side on a mossy log in an enchanted forest. They have bright, curious black eyes and tilted heads, their downy feathers ruffled slightly by a gentle breeze. One is pecking at a dewdrop on a leaf, another looks forward, and the third preens its wing. The forest floor is carpeted with soft green moss and tiny bluebells. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Poultry Yard
A farmyard with hens and chicks, divided by planks from another yard.
Mood: lively, domestic
The yard cock struts and crows, impressing the hens and chicks with his pronouncements.
Image Prompt & Upload
Golden hour sunlight bathes a rustic farmyard in warm amber and honey tones. A weathered wooden fence with sturdy planks divides the space, its surface textured with age and moss. The foreground is scattered with golden straw and soft, sun-bleached feathers near a small, charming coop with a thatched roof. In the background, a lush meadow with wildflowers and a distant, thatched-roof cottage under a soft, pastel sky. Gentle, dappled light filters through a nearby tree, casting long shadows. The atmosphere is peaceful, idyllic, and infused with a magical, storybook quality. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Dung-hill with Cucumber
A dung-hill in a yard adjacent to the poultry yard, featuring a large cucumber plant.
Mood: fertile, somewhat isolated
The cucumber expresses admiration for the yard cock and is eventually eaten by him.
Image Prompt & Upload
At the break of dawn, a magical, oversized cucumber plant spirals triumphantly from the center of a large, steaming dung-hill in a muddy yard. The first golden rays of sunlight pierce through a gentle morning mist, making the dew on its huge, vibrant green leaves and the bumpy skin of the colossal cucumber glisten. The air feels warm and fertile. In the background, the rustic wooden slats of a poultry yard fence are visible, with the soft, blurred shapes of a coop and a few chickens just beyond. The scene is rendered in rich earthy browns, deep greens, and warm golden light, creating a sense of humble, enchanted growth. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Rooftop
The high location where the weather-cock sits, exposed to the elements.
Mood: isolated, superior
The weather-cock observes the events below with disdain and eventually breaks off from its perch.
Image Prompt & Upload
At dawn, a sprawling fantasy city rooftop panorama. Ancient, uneven slate and clay tile rooftops stretch into the misty distance. In the foreground, a tall, ornate iron weather-cock sits atop a crooked chimney, its copper surface verdigrised and weathered. The first golden rays of sunrise break through scattered clouds, casting long shadows and glinting on wet tiles from a recent rain. Puddles on the ledges reflect the pink and orange sky. A few scraggly potted plants and a forgotten, tattered flag add touches of life. The atmosphere is quiet, exposed, and ethereal. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
