The Priests Cock(erel) The priest in a small Irish village was very fond of the chickens he kept in the hen house in back of the parish manse. He had a rooster and a dozen hens. One Saturday night the rooster went missing. Since that was the time of the week he suspected illegal cockfights occurred in the village, he decided to raise the issue in church the next morning. At Mass, he asked the congregation, "Has anybody got a cock?" All the men stood up. "No, no" he said. "That wasn't what I meant. Has anybody seen a cock?" All the women stood up. "No, no" he cried. "That wasn't what I meant. Has anybody seen a cock that doesn't belong to them." Half the women stood up. "No, no" he said, exasperated. "That wasn't what I meant, either. Has anybody seen my cock?" All the choirboys stood up.
