Fancy Fenech’s Fowl Fiasco

The Egg-stravagant Escapade in Żejtun

It was an unusually sunny morning in Żejtun, and the villagers were buzzing with news that was hotter than the noonday sun. “Did you hear about Fancy Fenech’s chickens?” one would ask, only to be answered with a conspiratorial whisper, “Oh, the ones that are laying golden eggs?” Yes, dear readers, you read that right. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill chicken coop drama—this is a premium, Grade A, free-range fiasco!

Karmnu, the owner of the most chikened-out farm this side of the Maltese archipelago, scratched his head in disbelief. His prized hen, Pupa, had indeed laid an egg with a shimmering, golden shell. Word spread faster than melted butter on ħobż biż-żejt, and soon enough, the whole town knew.

The Summit in Sliema

As the story unfolded, it came to a head with a so-called “Emergency Poultry Summit” held at a seaside café in Sliema, where locals gathered to discuss the mysterious phenomenon. Karmnu, with a flair for the dramatic, unveiled Pupa’s golden egg to the gasps and mutterings of his fellow Maltese.

“Uwejja! Is this some kind of joke, Karmnu?” a skeptical patron queried as he clutched his espresso. “Or did you dip it in some leftover Easter paint?”

But Karmnu would hear none of it. “Mela, this is as real as the għagin fil-forn from Nanna’s kitchen!” he proclaimed, to nods from those who knew Nanna’s legendary baked macaroni.

Gozo’s Geologist Gambit

Seeking expert advice, Karmnu ferried Pupa, the hen of the hour, to Gozo for a consultation with the island’s top geologist, a certain Dr. Zammit who had a penchant for pebbles and a curiosity for curiosities.

“Hmmm… intriguing,” Dr. Zammit murmured as he inspected the egg. “What you have here is a genuine… pastry?” Just as the words left his mouth, Pupa pecked at the egg, cracking it open to reveal—oh, the irony—a perfectly baked mini-pastizz.

As Karmnu’s farm quickly transformed into a tourist hotspot thanks to the epicurean eggs, locals began to speculate. Was Pupa under a Maltese version of the Midas touch? Or was this Karmnu’s kunning plan to lure in more visitors?

The Valletta Vanishing

But just when the crowds in Valletta’s Triton Fountain Square were overheard planning visits to Karmnu’s farm boutique, the hen up and vanished, leaving behind only a nest full of golden crumbs and a single, lonely feather.

The town was aflutter with theories and hearsay. Some said Pupa had flown the coop to start her own pastizzeria, while others whispered that she had been chick-napped by a rival farmer envious of her golden touch.

Interactive Interlude: Social Media Scramble

• @MaltaClucker posted an egg-sclusive interview with Karmnu, where he claimed that Pupa might be on a secret mission to infiltrate the national stockpile of pastizzi pastry.
• The hashtag #WheresPupa went viral, with sightings of the hen reported from Mdina to Marsaxlokk, sparking a national game of hide and peck.
• A parody account @GoldenHenPupa popped up, offering daily “hen-sights” on the Maltese way of life and spurious egg-centric stock tips.

The Wholesome Wrinkle

As Easter approached and Pupa was still whereabouts unknown, the citizens of Żejtun decided to put aside their differences and remain poultry-positive. In a twist that warmed the hearts of all involved, Pupa was found nesting in the Sacra Infermeria, having seemingly dedicated herself to laying her miracle pastizzi eggs for the recovering patients.

“Ah, she was always a bird of the people,” Karmnu said with a tear in his eye and a pastizz in his hand. “May her golden eggs bring joy and full bellies to all!”

Thus, the legend of Pupa the golden-laying hen spread across the land, turning into a story not just about wondrous happenings, but also about a community coming together for a good cause. Whether Pupa’s powers were true or not, one thing was certain: not all that glitters is gold, sometimes it’s just really tasty.

As for the Times of Mela, our dedicated reporters will continue to keep you cracked up with the latest and clucking greatest. Until the next egg-citing adventure, we say ‘taghlaq with a smile’ and indulge in that good old Maltese humor, for kollox jista’ jkun—anything can happen!