She knew her position on the farm and so did all the other hens. She was caring, especially to the young chicks. She looked out for them and taught them the ways of the world to help them and keep them safe. The young chicks and hens found out the hard way, that if you crossed Martha you would suffer her wrath. She did not suffer fools gladly! Blanche replied for the other hens, "We had bruchetta topped with roasted tomatoes and peppers with a drizzle of balsamic dressing, ravioli stuffed with wild mushrooms and topped with a splash of truffle oil, saffron rice, chestnut mushroom risotto topped with creme freche, new baked potatoes with sour cream and chives, deep fried camembert cheese with cranberry sauce topping, vegetable sushi, vegetable tempura, sesame noodles topped with delicately grilled baby vegetables, a cashew and macadamia nut loaf, blueberry cheesecake and apple and cinnamon crepes flambeed in brandy and hand churned sweet butter, washed down with a bottle of Cristal champagne. That chef off the telly, Hessian Boombox, cooked and served the meal to us. I can hardly walk after eating all that food", Blanche lied! Martha knew Blanche was lying but did not let on. She just replied to her, "That sounds great! Puts the food I had in the shade. Gourmet food in the kennels? Lucky you! I had to make do with that rubbish that they served to Gilbert and Finney! " Blanche just smiled smugly at Martha. They were full sisters but there had always been a bit of a power struggle between them. Blanche was the leader and spokeshen for the group of show hens. She liked to think the other seven hens felt the same about her. The other seven hens did look to Blanche as their pseudo leader but it was Martha who they looked up to and it was her word that was final! Martha had always ruled the roost and always would! "Martha turned to Blanche and said, "I understand how all that rich food has made you feel, especially all washed down with champagne. You had better go and have a lie down until you have digested all the food. It's a shame you'll miss the ceilidh, still, we'll let you know how we got on, tomorrow! On you go and have a lie down, we'll try not to disturb you!" Blanche had started to walk away from Martha but stopped dead in her tracks when she heard the word "Ceilidh". Only Martha was ahead of Blanche in the world of dancing. Blanche was a real trooper and many a night over the years, the two hens would go heads to head in dance competitions being held in the enormous barn on Mr Finleyson's farm. All the hens from the farm and down the road from the McIntosh farm, would gather round Martha and Blanche as they danced for all they were worth. Little stick legs flying this way and that, wearing their little pink tutus covered in sequins that Miss Daniels, owner off the village pet shop, and Thelma the parrot, had made for Martha, Blanche and the other seven hens. Miss Daniels had made them for each of Mr Finleyson's show hens, for wearing during competitions. Mr Finleyson hated the pink tutus and found them brash and vulgar. No other hen in the competition world wore tutus or any other article of clothing. Martha and the other hens loved wearing the tutus as they became quite belligerent and bolshy towards him, especially Martha if he tried to stop them wearing the tutus. It was non stop hissing and raspberry blowing until she got her own way. He was at least grateful they weren't dancing in public wearing the offensive looking tutus! Martha and Blanche would start with the Jitterbug abd usually finish with the Merengue with all the other dances ever invented, in the middle! Sometimes they would dance late into the night until Mr Finleyson intervened and sent the McIntosh hens home and his hens to their bed and picking Martha up and taking her in the house, where he would hang her little pink tutu on the coat rack in the hall. It looked ridiculous but Martha loved it!