Mara,

the hens,
the dog,
the book of the organic vegetable garden,
the neighbours
and
the vixen

Raquel Couto Antelo

Mara has just arrived in the small village, but she knows
what she needs.

Raquel Couto Antelo 1

Pea, turnip greens, pepper, potatoe, carrot, onion and
broccoli seeds.

Raquel Couto Antelo 2

Two hens,

one is enough, but this way they dont feel lonely and Mara
has more manure.

Raquel Couto Antelo 3

And a dog,

a bitch would be as good, but he was the first they showed

her at the dog pound and she couldnt resist that sweet eyes.

Raquel Couto Antelo 4

The book of the organic vegetable garden explained that
spring is the time for sowing for two reasons:
1. The soil is damp but not soaked.
2. Its almost as rainy as winter and almost as warm as
summer.

Raquel Couto Antelo 5

Mara started by the potatoes:

- For an early crop its late - one neighbour said.

- For a late crop its early - other neighbour told her.

Raquel Couto Antelo 6

Then, the onions:

- Wouldnt you sow them on the peak of the moon? - one

neighbour asked her.
- If you sow them on the peak of the moon they spike - other
neighbour explained.

Raquel Couto Antelo 7

Next, the broccoli:

- What is broccoli? - one neighbour asked the other.

- I dont know - the other answered.

Raquel Couto Antelo 8

Now that the vegetable garden is ready, she only has to:

- Keep her fingers crossed so it didnt rain too much.

- And water if it is necessary.

Raquel Couto Antelo 9

If it doesnt rain,

she waters the vegetable garden in the morning.

Raquel Couto Antelo 10

Then, she checks the dog has food and water.

Raquel Couto Antelo 11

Let the hens out of the hen house and takes the eggs.

Raquel Couto Antelo 12

She has breakfast.

Raquel Couto Antelo 13

And she starts the job seeking in the internet, from time to
time she has a job interview, but most of the time its like
this.

Raquel Couto Antelo 14

The vegetable garden was going by the book:

- If you had fertilized them they would grow faster - one

neighbour suggested.
- She goes by the book - the other neighbour said.

Raquel Couto Antelo 15

One day:

- Ups! You were really hungry tonight - Mara exclaimed

seeing the dogs empty trough.

Raquel Couto Antelo 16

The following day:

- Oh! I must be working out the food wrong - Mara

thought seeing the dogs trough empty again.

Raquel Couto Antelo 17

Mara thought the dog was growing up and she gave him
more food; although at the dog pound they told her he was
four years old, and dogs dont grow up when they are four,
the book said so.

Raquel Couto Antelo 18

The next day:

- Empty again - Mara started to worry.

Raquel Couto Antelo 19

- My dear, I think this little thing here has a sweet tooth -
one neighbour said.
- I dont see him fat - other neighbour analysed.
- Take him to the vet, he might have worms - other
neighbour suggested.

Raquel Couto Antelo 20

- He is healthy and strong like an oak - the vet diagnosed.

Raquel Couto Antelo 21

The vet told her that, if the dog had eaten as much as she
said, he had to be fat and he wasnt.

- Something is going on here, I have to investigate - Mara

suspected.

Raquel Couto Antelo 22

First, she had to make a list with the suspects:

The hens, the birds, the neighbours cat...

Raquel Couto Antelo 23

Then she had to analyse each case on its own:

- The hens? No, the hens cannot lift up the trough lid.

Raquel Couto Antelo 24

- Birds neither, of course.

Raquel Couto Antelo 25

- The neighbours cat? I see him a bit fat lately...

Raquel Couto Antelo 26

- Sweetie, the cat is not a he, is a she; and she is not fat, she
is pregnant, arent you my little beauty?

Raquel Couto Antelo 27

- Something is going on, I know it - Mara insisted.

Raquel Couto Antelo 28

Next, she had to watch, she would control the trough day
and night, yes, yes, day and night.

Raquel Couto Antelo 29

8:00 hours

Raquel Couto Antelo 30

10:00 hours

Raquel Couto Antelo 31

12:00 hours

Raquel Couto Antelo 32

16:00 hours

Raquel Couto Antelo 33

20:00 hours

Raquel Couto Antelo 34

Dinner time

Raquel Couto Antelo 35

Watching time

Raquel Couto Antelo 36

Raquel Couto Antelo 37
The following day:

- Empty!

Raquel Couto Antelo 38

- Tonight Im not falling asleep! - Mara said convinced.

Raquel Couto Antelo 39

That night she stood awake and it wasnt easy.

But it was worthwhile, it was almost 3:00 in the morning

when Mara noticed some movement.

Raquel Couto Antelo 40

The dog had gotten up and was looking at the Northwest
moving his tail like if he was expecting someone familiar.

Raquel Couto Antelo 41

Mara was more and more intrigued.

Raquel Couto Antelo 42

Suddenly, a vixen appears.

- Oh! - Mara exclaimed.

Raquel Couto Antelo 43

The vixen played with the dog.

Raquel Couto Antelo 44

The vixen lifted the dogs trough lid and ate.

Raquel Couto Antelo 45

Mara hesitated:

- If I go there, I will scare the vixen and the dog will lose a
friend.

Raquel Couto Antelo 46

- If I dont go there, the vixen might eat the hens, because
vixens are very keen on eating hens.

Raquel Couto Antelo 47

- I just know what to do! - Mara had an idea.

Raquel Couto Antelo 48

Raquel Couto Antelo 49
The next day, very, very, early:

Raquel Couto Antelo 50

Raquel Couto Antelo 51
Raquel Couto Antelo 52
Raquel Couto Antelo 53
Raquel Couto Antelo 54
Raquel Couto Antelo 55
Raquel Couto Antelo 56
Raquel Couto Antelo 57
- This is for your friend - Mara explained to the dog.

Raquel Couto Antelo 58

- A vixen? - one neighbour laughed.
- I had never heard such a thing! - another laughed.

Raquel Couto Antelo 59

The end
- The end? Not the end - one neighbour said.
- We want to know how the dog and the vixen became
friends! - other neighbour demanded.

Raquel Couto Antelo 61

How
the
dog
and
the
vixen
became
friends
That day, the vixen woke up with the springs soft light and
the wonderful smell of the wild flowers.

Raquel Couto Antelo 62

She spent the whole day running and jumping across the
forest and, when the night came, she felt hungry.

Raquel Couto Antelo 63

- Hmm, over there! - the vixen said smelling delicius food in
the air.

Raquel Couto Antelo 64

- Hmmm, hens, they are hens!!!! - the vixen got excited
approaching Maras home.

Raquel Couto Antelo 65

- Hens! Hens! Hens! - the vixen run along the Maras home
thresing floor blinded of excitement.

Raquel Couto Antelo 66

- Stop! - The dog barked with energy.
The vixen stopped dead.

Raquel Couto Antelo 67

- Why? - the vixen asked.
- Because the hens are sleeping - the dog barked.

Raquel Couto Antelo 68

- Great! It makes it easy! - the vixen got excited.
- Easy? What? - the dog asked.

Raquel Couto Antelo 69

- Eating them! - the vixen dropped as it was obvious.
- Eating them? - the dog got shocked.

Raquel Couto Antelo 70

- You cannot eat them! - the dog make it clear.
- Why not? - the vixen haggled.

Raquel Couto Antelo 71

- Because they are my friends! - the dog got serious.
- But they are very tasty - the vixen regretted.

Raquel Couto Antelo 72

- My food is very tasty too, do you want to try it? - the dog
invited.
- Fine - the vixen accepted.

Raquel Couto Antelo 73

- You have to lift up the lid with your snout, like this - the
dog taught her.

Raquel Couto Antelo 74

The vixen tried the food.

Raquel Couto Antelo 75

- Thank you very much for the food! Its very tasty! - the
vixen thanked.
- Come back whenever you want! - the dog barked goodbye.

Raquel Couto Antelo 76

And thats how the dog and the vixen became friends
- Its clear now - the neighbour said.
- Now it is - other neighbour agreed.

Raquel Couto Antelo 77

The end