Patricia Polacco - Just Plain Fancy

Copyright 1990 by Patricia Polacco
All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Doubleday,
an imprint of Random House Childrens Books, a division of Random House LLC,
a Penguin Random House Company, New York.
Doubleday and the colophon are registered trademarks of Random House LLC.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Polacco, Patricia.
Just plain fancy / Patricia Polacco
p. cm.
A Doubleday Book for Young Readers
Summary: Naomi, an Amish girl whose elders have impressed upon her the importance of adhering to the simple ways of her people, is horrified when one of her hen eggs hatches into an extremely fancy bird.
ISBN 978-0-553-05884-0 (trade)
ISBN 978-0-440-40937-3 (pbk.) ISBN 978-0-307-97471-6 (ebook)
[1. AmishFiction. 2. PeacocksFiction. 3. EggsFiction.] I. Title. PZ7.P75186 Ju 1990 [E]dc20 89027856
Random House Childrens Books supports the First Amendment and celebrates the right to read.

v3.1

To Justine Marie Arvold
and the plain fancy miracle
that brought her to us

Kaleb and his two daughters hurried along Lancaster County Road in their buggy. Cars whizzed by them, but they paid no mind. Clop, clop, clop went the horses hooves on the pavement.

Papa, Naomi asked, why dont we have a car like the English?

It is not our way, child. We are in no hurry, he said as he drew up the reins and slowly directed the horse into their farmyard.

While their father unharnessed and watered the horse, Naomi and Ruth skipped toward the henhouse. The chickens were Naomis responsibility. She saw to their feeding and watering as well as the collecting of their eggs.

Everything around here is so plain, Naomi complained. Our clothes are plain, our houses are plain, even our chickens are plain. It would pleasure mejust onceto have something fancy.

Shaw, Nomi, you oughtnt to be saying such things, little Ruth scolded.

As Naomi and Ruth searched the field for eggs laid outside the henhouse, they spotted a very unusual one nestled in the tall grass down the drive and behind the henhouse, next to the road.

This egg looks different from any I have ever seen, Naomi said quietly. Its still warmlets put it in Hennys nest. This one needs to be hatched. She gently picked up the egg and eased it into her basket.

Although it was a little bigger than Hennys other eggs and a little darker in color, Naomi gently tucked the egg into the nest while Henny and Ruth looked on.

Youre so good with chickens, Ruth chirped. I just know youre going to get your white cap this year. Momma says youre ready.

Naomi was proud of her chickens and the way she raised them. The elders were coming for a working bee, or frolic, in the coming summer. And Naomi wondered whether her parents might present her with the white cap on that day. Her thoughts were interrupted by Ruths voice.

Aint we pleasured, she said. You wanted something fancy, and now youve got it.

As the days passed, Naomi and Ruth checked Hennys nest constantly. Every day they peered over the edge of the crib, watching for signs of cracks in the shells. Then, one day, the eggs hatched.

Look at the little chick from the fancy egg, Nomi, Ruth squealed.

That egg was fancy inside and out, wasnt it? said Naomi. Fancy. Thats just what well name this chick.

Fancy, Fancy, Fancy, Fancy, Ruth sang out as she jumped about. Naomi smiled and clapped her hands.

All that afternoon, the girls stayed with Henny, watching and studying their special little chick.

Weeks passed. Hennys chicks grew quickly and were soon scratching around in the dirt. They had all lost their yellow down feathers and had grown bright white ones.

All of them, except Fancy. Fancy looked very different from the others. There was no doubt about itthis chick wasnt plain!

One afternoon in the washhouse, Naomi and Ruth overheard Aunt Sarai talking to Cousin Hannah about a person in the neighboring Amish community.

She dressed too fancy, Sarai said. She had to be shunned!

Is it wrong to be fancy? Naomi asked.

Indeed, yes! snapped Hannah. We are plain folk. It is in our laws, the Ordnung, that we must be plain!

What does shun mean? Ruth asked haltingly.

Someone who is shunned is shamed in front of the elders. After that, friends and neighbors are instructed not to speak to that person. They are no longer one of us, Sarai answered with authority. Naomi and Ruth looked at each other and hurried outside to hang up the washing. Naomi felt botherment inside.

As soon as they were finished, the girls ran to the henhouse.