The Hidden Feast: A Folktale from the American South

When the barnyard animals are invited to a party by their neighbors, they dress in their Sunday best and set off for a day of merriment. But when dinnertime arrives, the famished animals are perplexed to find a simple meal of cornbread. Most of them are polite but Rooster turns his beak up in disgust and rudely leaves the party, missing the treasures hidden for the guests. The surprising twist at the end of the story explains why, ever since, Rooster scratches in the dirt.