The priest in a small Irish village loved the rooster

and ten hens 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 about cock fights in the village,

so he questioned his parishioners in church.
 

During mass, he asked the congregation,

'Has anybody got a cock?'

All the men stood up.

'No, no,' he said, 'that wasn't what I meant.

Has anybody seen a cock?'
 

All the women stood up. 
 

'No, no,' he said, 'that wasn't what I meant.

Has anybody seen a cock that doesn't belong to them?'

Half the women stood up.

'No, no,' he said, 'that wasn't what I meant.

Has anybody seen my cock?'

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

The priest fainted.

H/T John Warden