One day down near the entrance gate
There was an awful din.
A hundred hens all out of breath
Were begging to come in.

“Oh let us in!” these poor birds cried,
“Before we do expire!
’Tis only by the merest INCH
That we escaped the fire!”

Their feathers burned, their combs adroop,
They were the saddest sight.
They’d run a hundred miles or more,
All day and then all night.

“Come in! Come in!” the ducks all quacked,
“For you our hearts do bleed!
We’ll share our happy lot with you;
Just tell us what you need!”