Bearer of a set of sparkling white breast feathers, he ensured, with some effort and attention, that they were never less than perfect. On the rare occasions when his feathers were besmirched in any way, he became distressed; as when, during an attempt to drink the water from a vase of lilies (accomplished by clinging with his toes to the edge of the vase), the white of his feathers became stained bright pollen-yellow. Those who have encountered the persistent staining power of lily pollen will appreciate the near-miraculous removal, within ten minutes, of every sign of pollen from his feathers, a feat accomplished by a frenzied, earnest engagement of beak with feather, accompanied by low muttering and squeaking as he expressed disgust and displeasure. Many birds appear to bathe for social reasons, or for enjoyment rather than for solely hygienic purposes. For Chicken, it may be either, as she bathes with the cleansing fervour of the pujah, of the Hassid at the Friday-afternoon mikveh, in a process of purification that recalls every notion of religious and cultural concepts of keeping at bay the mental and physical dangers of impurity: haram, tehora, niddah, mahrime.
