A hen opened an eye from her nest at dawn to the loud singing.

“There he goes again heading for the farmer’s rooftop.”

“That dog’s got an identity crisis. He’s convinced he’s a rooster,” another chicken answered.

Still another added, “He’s giving all fowls a bad name. Humans already think we’re nutty. They laugh at the way we strut around jerking our heads back and forth.”

Another grunted, “I’m beginning to hate that song.”

“He’s a cocky fellow. Peculiar though.”

The whole henhouse  noisily grumbled about the early awakening.  It happened every morning, while the sun was still rubbing its eyes. Rufus would scuttle up to the rooftop and let out a series of "cock-a-doodle-doos" that echoed through the valley.

 All the neighboring animals were befuddled by this strange display, but Rufus was undeterred.

 

Every morning Farmer Jenkins, would emerge from his house scratching his head in amusement. "Rufus, what in tarnation are ya doin' up there?" he'd holler, shaking his head with a chuckle.

Rufus would reply with a proud bark, "Cock-a-doodle-doo!"

The chickens on the farm were not impressed. Secretly they formed a feathery committee and waddled up  to confront Rufus when he came down from the roof.

"Rufus, you've got it all wrong! You're not a rooster; you're a dog! Dogs bark, they don't crow," clucked Henrietta, the head hen.

Rufus tilted his head and pondered this for a moment. "But I feel it in my bones, Henrietta! I've got the spirit of a rooster!"

“Your shenanigans make us all a laughingstock, Rufus. You’ve got to stop this.”

Indeed the animals on the farm couldn't help but be entertained by Rufus's persistent delusion. The cows would moo in amusement, the pigs would oink with laughter, and even the old barn cat would purr with amusement.

A wise old rooster chimed in.

“Rufus, let’s see if we can’t find a compromise. We don’t all have to be awakened by your dawn wake-up alarm. Generally dogs bay at the moon from time to time. Why don’t you limit your  crowing to nighttime instead of at the crack of dawn?”

Every night thereafter, when the moon rose high in the sky, Rufus would let out a series of enthusiastic barks, much to the bewilderment of the neighboring farms.

The legend of Rufus the "rooster-dog" found his place on the farm, spreading laughter and confusion wherever he went. He still sang his song as he marched around the farm.