The priest in a small Irish village loved the rooster and ten hens that he kept in the hen house behind the church.

One Sunday morning, before mass, he went to feed the birds and discovered that the cock was missing.

He knew there had been cock fights in the village, so he decided to question his parishioners in church.

During mass, he asked the congregation 'Has anybody here got a cock?'

All the men raised their hands.

'No, no,' he said, 'that wasn't what I meant at all, at all. No, has anybody seen a cock?'

All the women put up their hands.

'No, no,' he said, 'that wasn't what I meant at all, at all. No, has anybody here seen a cock that isn't theirs?'

Half the women put their hands up.

'No, no,' he said, 'that wasn't what I meant at all at all. Has anybody seen MY cock?'

Sixteen altar boys, two priests and a goat stood up. The priest fainted.