Love Among the Chickens (original) (raw)

Love Among the Chickens
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First published in UK: June 1906 by George Newnes Ltd., London First published in US: May 11 1909 by Circle Publishing Company, New York Rewritten edition first published in UK: May 1921 by Herbert Jenkins, London E-text (293K) Russian translation Lyubov' na fone kur by I. Gurova: 2005, 2011, 2011, 2011, 2023 Giving us our first jaw-dropping encounter with Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge,Love Among the Chickens, published in 1906 (and revised in 1920) to accommodate the inflation in egg prices), launched P.G. Wodehouse's career, and that of his larger-than-life-hero.Ukridge has hit upon a foolproof plan to get rich quick: he's starting a chicken farm. Dragging his adoring wife Millie and his long-suffering friend and novelist Jeremy Garnet with him to Dorset he begins his enterprise. En route, however, Garnet has fallen in love.Complications in classic Wodehousian style ensue, involving the taciturn Hired Man and his bumptious dog Bob, supercilious chickens, irascible professors, angry creditors and divided lovers. For the lucky reader, it is sheer hilarity...
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Characters Jeremy Garnet � Hero � author of two published novels, ex-schoolmaster with Ukridge, and wants to marry Phyllis Mrs. Medly � Garnet's landlady Lickford � Writer and painter friend of Garnet's Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge � 6' 2" loveable scoundrel who wears old grey flannel suit with pince-nez and gingerbeer wire plus mackintosh. Favorite expression is "old horse." Millie Ukridge � Stanley's wife Phyllis Derrick - Heroine � loved by Jerry Patrick Derrick � Phyllis' father who is professor at Dublin University Albert � Youth in train with Aunty and 20 year old sister Aunty � Travelling with Albert Molly McEachern � Phyllis' friend who gave her Jerry's book Bob � Beale's mongrel dog Beale � Red-headed ex-sergeant who is handyman on the chicken farm Mrs. Beale � Beale's wife and the farm's cook Tom Chase � Lieutenant in the Royal Navy who is engaged to Norah. A fancy talker like Psmith. Dawlish � Grocer at Lyme Regis Edwin � Millie's pure-bred Persian cat Norah Derrick � Phyllis' sister engaged to Tom Chase Farmer Leigh � Neighbor near Up Lyme to Chicken farm Harry Hawk � Boatman hired by Jerry to throw Prof. Derrick overboard Vickers � Butcher in Lyme Regis Curtis � Fishmonger in Lyme Regis Aunt Elizabeth � Millie's aunt who is Lady Lakenheath Smith � Gramophone dealer in Dorchester Jane Muspratt � Harry Hawk's fiancee Mrs. Kathleen O'Brien � Phyllis' aunt who gave wedding reception Mrs. Minchley � Mrs. O'Brien's cook Mr. Hill � Mrs. O'Brien's butler
Synopsis The first five chapters are narrated about, the last eighteen by, Jeremy Garnet, Old Wrykynian, struggling author, verse-writer, ex-prep-schoolmaster, golfer. He is persuaded to join his feckless ex-school, ex-schoolmastering colleague, Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge and his adoring wife Millie, in Lyme Regis where they are setting up a chicken farm that is supposed to be going to make fortunes for all of them. In the train from Paddington, Garnet meets a girl, Phyllis Derrick, who is actually reading one of his own (two) novels. She is going to join her father, Professor Derrick, at Lyme Regis. The Ukridge chicken-farm founders. The Professor quarrels with Ukridge and forbids his daughter the house. To win Phyllis's favour Garnet arranges to have her father upset from a boat in the harbour so that he, Garnet, can rescue him. But the Professor only gives his approval to the marriage after Garnet has let him win the final of the local golf tournament. The wedding is told as a short stage play. This book gives us our first view of Ukridge, that great dreamer, idler, schemer, borrower of money and clothes, and general menace.Wodehouse revised the book and it was reissued in 1921. Now it was all told by Garnet, and the playlet of the wedding was removed. For some reason Lyme Regis was changed to Combe Regis. And the price of eggs was changed to allow for inflation.Source: Richard Usborne. Plum Sauce. A P G Wodehouse Companion.