It was a nice cool night perfect for storytelling. I decided to gather my buddy, Babs, and a few other chickens to go sit under the red brooding lamp for spooky stories. Babs just finished the story about how grain became so tasty, when she decided to tell another spooky story. We all cheered. Babs told the best spooky-stories on any farm. "Once there was a hen named Greta. She was taking a walk one night, a lot like tonight, when she heard *gasp* IT!" We all asked out of curiosity what "IT" was. Babs continued, "IT was loud, and grumbley, like, uh, a coyote! Like this," She opened her beak to make some kind of noise, but a loud, weird sound came out instead: Gack-erdodle-oo! We were all astonished. We never knew Babs could make such a sound. We all oohed and aahed at Babs odd noise. Then Babs said something very unexpected, "Uh, guys...That wasn't m,m,me. *Gulp*" We all went blank. Babs then dashed out of the brooding area, no sooner than that, she dashed back in. "Monster! Mooonsterrr!" she screeched. The chickens scrambled for cover, all except me, that is. Babs exaggerated, big time. "B-B-B-Big sharp t-t-teeth! G-G-Giant claws! AAAHHKK!" I decided to investigate. Believe it or not, I saw the HUGE "Moon Monster" right outside!!

Holy Sarsaparilla! I thought, then I gulped, and ran behind the coop for cover. It was dark, I remind you. The only light was either from the moon or the yard lights. I thought for a minute, moon light... monsters! I thought I had cracked the case wide open. I ran to the opposite side of the coop, Rusty (a young cockerel) was standing there, thinking. I ran to the other side, the monster. Yes! I thought. Then Rusty came around the corner, "Hey, Rusty! What have you been thinkin' about?" I asked him. "Well, if you must know, Detective McCluck, just wondrin' how I could perfect my crowin'. That's all." He clucked back. "Thanks, I said." After that I told everyone, "No need to fear, I have seen the monster myself, and I even talked with him! I must now admit I have solved the case of the 'Mysterious Moon-Monster!'"

How did Gertrude know that the "Moon Monster" wasn't really a monster?

Answer: Gertrude knew that shadows sometimes make things look bigger, and scarier, so the 'Moon Monster' was actually Rusty's shadow and the noise was his unperfected crow.