A TALE OF A ROOSTER
as told by Huriye Dökmeci, from the village of Yaglilar, Balikesir
Once upon a time, in a village lived a rooster. One day he got a thorn stuck in his foot and it was very painful. Limping he arrived at the huge district hearth. An old woman was baking bread there. The rooster asked the old woman to get the thorn out of his foot. The woman got the thorn out of the rooster`s foot and burned it in the hearth.
​
“You give me back my thorn or I will take five loaves of your fresh baked bread” said the rooster.
The old woman found another thorn for the rooster, but the rooster said “this is not my thorn, give me the bread”.
So the old woman gave 5 loaves of bread to the rooster and the rooster left.
​
The rooster walked and walked until he came across with a shepherd. The shepherd was milking his sheep. “Shall we eat my bread with your sheep`s milk?” asked the rooster. So the shepherd boiled some milk and they ate the bread and drank the milk.
“You give me back my five loaves of bread or I will take one of your sheep.” Said the rooster.
“Noo!” said the shepherd. “How can you ask to have sheep in return for bread? It is not fair! How about I give you ten loaves of bread?”
“No!” said the rooster. “I want my own bread back.”
Finally the shepherd agreed to give the sheep. The rooster took the sheep and set off.
​
The rooster walked and walked and arrived at another village. There was a huge wedding feast in the village. People were about to cook keskek. The rooster said “My sheep`s meat is great, you can use its meat for your keskek.”
So they slaughtered the sheep and cooked the dish. Everyone ate it happily. When the wedding was over the rooster said “You give me back my sheep or I will have to take the bride.”
Village people said “It is not fair to get a bride in return for a sheep. Why don`t we give you five or even ten sheep?”
“Nooo!” said the rooster. “I want my own sheep back. Or I will take the bride.”
They couldn`t convince the rooster and finally let him take the bride.
​
The rooster and the bride walked and walked until they came across with some musicians. The rooster offered to give the bride to the timpanist and take his tupan in return.
“What else can I ask for other than a bride that comes in return for a tupan!” said the timpanist. He happily gave his tupan to the rooster and took the bride.
The rooster climbed up a hill and roosted on a rock and fell down into the river as he was playing his tupan and singing:
Five loaves of bread for a thorn
One sheep for five loaves of bread
A bride for a sheep
A tupan for a bride…
Rub-a-dub-rub-a-dub-rub…
​