LOVE AMONG THE CHICKENS

BY

P. G. WODEHOUSE

DEDICATION

TO W. TOWNEND

DEAR BILL,—

I have never been much of a lad for the

TO——-

But For Whose Sympathy and Encouragement
This Book
Would Never Have Been Written

type of dedication. It sounds so weak-minded. But in the case of LoveAmong the Chickens it is unavoidable. It was not so much that yousympathised and encouraged—where you really came out strong was thatyou gave me the stuff. I like people who sympathise with me. I amgrateful to those who encourage me. But the man to whom I raise theWodehouse hat—owing to the increased cost of living, the same oldbrown one I had last year—it is being complained of on all sides, butthe public must bear it like men till the straw hat season comesround—I say, the man to whom I raise this venerable relic is the manwho gives me the material.

Sixteen years ago, my William, when we were young and spritely lads;when you were a tricky centre-forward and I a fast bowler; when yourhead was covered with hair and my list of "Hobbies" in Who's Whoincluded Boxing; I received from you one morning about thirtyclosely-written foolscap pages, giving me the details of your friend——-'s adventures on his Devonshire chicken farm. Round these I woveas funny a plot as I could, but the book stands or falls by the stuffyou gave me about "Ukridge"—the things that actually happened.

You will notice that I have practically re-written the book. There wassome pretty bad work in it, and it had "dated." As an instance of theway in which the march of modern civilisation has left the 1906 editionbehind, I may mention that on page twenty-one I was able to makeUkridge speak of selling eggs at six for fivepence!

Yours ever,
P. G. WODEHOUSE

London, 1920.

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