Charades

It's a dull and rainy day...again...and the chickens are passing the time by takinfg refuge in the barn, and playing charades. Here, it's Creuella's turn. The others are perched on the trough, shouting out their suggestions. Creulla has already mimed that it's a book by drawing her wings together-maybe a film as well, she's not sure. Then, she suddenly takes off in a complex series of movements, pacing up and down, then seeming to fight herself, with much squawking, then calming herself, she seems to enact a tender love scene moving from one side of the barn to the other, mimicing the lovers' swooning looks at one another. Then she pauses, and gathering herself to her full height, she mimics a scything action as she marches up and down the barn, pausing only to wipe her brow with a wing. "I've got it!" shouts out Joan, who is sitting on the left. "It's Anna Karenina!". Creulla acknowledges her succes with a bow, and takes Joan's place on the perch. For myself, I'm amazed. I'd had no idea that the chickens were so well read. Then Joan starts her turn. "A Book!" says Hilda who is not the brightest chicken and this is one of the few chances she gets to shine. Joan starts her mime-again, it involves much parading and swooning and some flapping of feathers. There is a lot of concentration then a pause when she stops for the chickens to have a think. Then Bianca calls out: "Is it Anna Karenina?" Once more, success is acknowledeged and Bianca takes her place on the dirt floor whilst i suddenly remember that I have some washing up to do...