A serpent of enormous size,
A flash of lightning breaks the skies;
Ill omens for the army of Rome—
Our hero decides to flee for home.
In the dark forest a squawk is heard
A noble girl or a sacred bird?
Both girl and chicken are on the run
And now our heroes are three, not one
The road to Rome they must quickly find
For the general’s men are close behind.
Felix’s future is looking grim
As his pursuers catch up with him …
The pursuers are not who we thought
But one of three friends still will be caught
A scene ensues with terror and fear;
The way ahead has become less clear.
The plot has unexpectedly turned;
A secret once hidden now is learned.
But friends will never be forsaken—
A daring rescue’s undertaken.
Evading capture our heroes change course
Heading west on the back of a horse
Yet the forest conceals prying eyes
And dawn reveals a nasty surprise.
So on foot to Lutetia they go,
Livia quick and the chicken slow.
With cake on offer the chicken leaves
(It’s a loss that only Felix grieves.)
Another secret is brought to light
Explaining Livia’s urgent flight:
They must reach Rome before it’s too late
To save her brother from a dire fate.
Their passage by ship to Rome is sought
And found in Gaul’s busy southern port.
That night, aboard a Phoenician barque,
Felix spies a strange scene in the dark.
A sailor recklessly clips his nails;
The ship is forced to lower her sails,
The mast is broken, waves pound the deck—
Who will survive a tragic shipwreck?
On an isle of banishment we find
A story’s power to move a mind,
But the way to leave the island’s shore
Sends our heroes far off course once more.
In the land of crocodile and kite
Lurk shady fellows, thieves in the night.
Felix gives chase, though risking his life
To a dark alley and the blade of a knife.
Foreign tales and a hungry bird
Foil the perilous plan overheard.
However, their action finds our pair
In possession of a treasure rare.
The loss of golden coins detected,
Our heroes are falsely suspected.
But the pair gives the soldiers the slip
Over sand on a new kind of ship.
Time unspools across the desert sand …
How to reach Rome from this distant land?
As a plot is hatched our heroes learn
There is yet graver cause for concern.
An oasis, but no shelter here
From those who trade in treason and fear.
Then, at the moment of greatest need,
An omen leads to magical speed.
Weary travellers sight home at last
But, oh, the disappointment is vast
To complete a journey, long and hard
And find the gates of the city barred.
His final triumph brings Caesar near;
Livia seeks to attract his ear.
On this a happy outcome depends,
But old foes are waiting for our friends.
In the arena, hearts full of dread;
So this is where their adventure led:
A sacrifice to Roman glory …
Or another end to the story?
With great rejoicing this epic ends
Freedom is granted to all our friends.
And if the listener rejoices too,
For your kindness, the poet thanks you.
Author’s Note
You might have guessed that some details of The Chicken’s Curse are made up – the talking camel, say, or the grumpy magic carpet – but it might surprise you to know what I didn’t make up: the sacred chickens! Ancient Romans were very superstitious, and they really did consult sacred chickens on the eve of a battle (and Publius Claudius Pulcher really was so reckless as to disregard them). In fact, all the omens and superstitions mentioned (even the belief that clipping your nails aboard a ship is bad luck), as well as the legends and stories – from the sacred geese of Rome to the legend of Osiris and Isis – can be found in historical sources. The grand finale also has a basis in fact: in April 46 BC Julius Caesar celebrated a quadruple triumph. The song in which he’s called ‘smelly old Cheeser’, though? Definitely made up!
Acknowledgements
When a sacred chicken insists that you transcribe its epic tale, if you want good fortune you have no choice but to obey. And because I heeded the chicken’s demands, good fortune was mine: my journey was favoured with the wise counsel of David Francis, the publishing flair of Anna McFarlane, the keen editorial skill of Nicola Santilli, the eagle eyes of proofreader Vanessa Lanaway, the formidable illustrative talent of Kelly Canby, the creative design of Mika Tabata and the sage advice of Jane Novak. Thank you, and thanks to everyone at Allen & Unwin.
About the Author
Frances Watts is the author of more than 25 books for children, including the bestselling picture book Kisses for Daddy (illustrated by David Legge), which has been published in 20 languages; Parsley Rabbit’s Book about Books (illustrated by David Legge), a Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year; and Goodnight, Mice! (illustrated by Judy Watson), winner of the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Children’s Fiction. She is also the author of the medieval Sword Girl series (illustrated by Gregory Rogers) as well as two young adult novels, The Raven’s Wing and The Peony Lantern. Frances lives in Sydney, Australia.
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