Friday, December 25, 2009

Pip pip, the Naughty One-Eared Chicken

Eric B. Hare, a missionary to Burma back in the early 1900's, told the story of Pip pip, the naughty chicken. Pip pip lived in the jungle with his family, and always disobeyed his mother. When she cluck-clucked for him to come, he would say, "Pip-pip-pip-pip-pip, I'm a big chicken now! I don't have to obey my mother."

Always he was the first one out of the coop in the morning, and the last one into it at night. Day after day, despite repeated warnings, he continued his independent and disobedient behavior. And then one fateful day, he waited too long to return. By the time he got to the coop, the door was locked up tight, and he couldn't get in. The next morning, Mr. Hiss the snake could be seen nearby with a conspicuous lump in his belly.

And no more Naughty Pip pip.

We went to eat dinner with friends today, braving blowing snow and serious wind chills of -30 to get there. After a lovely meal, the kids wanted to help feed the lambs, and take a few slides on the snow saucer thingys. Not all of them had brought every single item of winter clothing they would need, so our friends kindly gathered hats and mittens for them. Most straightly we warned them, as we always do when wind chills are so severe, that they must not set foot outside without the proper coverings. So they all went out in compliance, though not without several arguments from Devon.

A little while later, they came back in. Damon and Tiggy stayed, but Devon went back out shortly. A few minutes later, Jack noticed Devon's borrowed hat and mittens sitting on the counter by the microwave.

Just as I reached the back door to call the disobedient little troll in for a good scolding, in he walked. The good news, I suppose, is that now I know I can recognize frostbite at a glance. Skin turned white, check, frozen solid and hard, check. A stretch along the folded rim of his outer ear (helix) was completely rigid.

He cried through our hasty efforts to warm his ear back up. As with any frostbite, only time will tell how severe the permanent damage is, and it's bound to look very ugly before it gets better. All I can hope is that, whether he loses a piece of his ear or not, that his listening skills improve.

If not, my hair will be snowy-white by spring.

Please - no more adventures for a while,
Noni Beth

1 comment:

  1. i mock mevon for this, i was a good child :-)

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