Meaning of て form + は

Hello,

If possible, please kindly help me with translation of the following sentence:

つるは ながい くちばしで のこり すくない からだの はねを ひきぬいては きこたん ぱたとん と はたを おって いるのだった。

Maybe I could translate it as:

Crane did weaving, with a sound rang out, and was pulling out body's feathers and few feathers are left.

But there are two difficulties for me.

First is I am not sure why は particle was used after て form of ひきぬく. If we were omit it, would it change the meaning ?

Second difficulty is のこり すくない, I assumed it is compound, independent clause and translated as "and few feathers left". But I am not sure it is correct.

Thank you very much! :sorry:

"～ては…" shows the two actions/movements(はねをひきぬく and はたをおる in this case) are repeated again and again as a set action.

３ 二つの動作・作用などが対になって繰り返される意を表す。「幼い頃は電車を見―喜んでいた」「姉はいつも洋服を脱いでは着て楽しんでいる」

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サービス終了のお知らせ

のこり すくない means "running-short/few-left", and modifies からだの はね.

The crane was repeatedly pulling out few left feathers from its own body with its long bill, and weaving the cloth from them.

Toritoribeさん、

Thank you so much for your perfect explanation. Thank you very much for correcting mine
English translation. :sorry: