ATILLA THE ‘HAAN’

We got Attila from a well-known storyteller and TV personality: a Boschveld rooster and a few hens.

From day one, Attila was mean-tempered.

He chased anything that moved around the property.

Anything.

His hens eventually stopped laying eggs. Not because they couldn’t.

They simply decided they weren’t prepared to live a dignified life under such stressful conditions.

One afternoon, the chickens were wandering around behind the kitchen. It was a busy day at the restaurant, and our waiters were taking trays loaded with drinks out through the back kitchen door, cutting across the garden and past the swimming pool to the tables.

Tiritose, our Zimbabwean head waiter, was carrying a tray absolutely loaded with drinks when Attila spotted him.

The rooster lifted his head.

Tiri saw him.

And then Attila made a beeline for him.

First Tiri walked a little faster.

Then he jogged.

Then he ran.

Attila accelerated too.

And the best part?

Tiri didn’t spill a single drink.

Not one.

Attila chased him all the way around the swimming pool to his table, apparently satisfied that his point had been made.

Then the rooster simply turned around and marched purposefully back to his hens, feathers puffed out, as if he’d just gone to sort out a little administrative matter.

The garden was packed with restaurant guests that day.

So there was an entire audience watching our head waiter, carrying a tray full of drinks, being chased around the swimming pool by a seriously bad-tempered Boschveld rooster.

Attila’s hens have a story of their own. But I’ll save that one for another day…

Words: Reint Grobler