Henny-penny

Once upon a time a rather gullible little chicken named Henny-penny was picking up corn in the farmyard when — whack! — something hit her on the head.

“Good grief,” said Henny-penny. “I think the sky is going to fall. I must go and tell the king.”

So off she went and along the way she met Cocky-locky. “Where are you going, Henny-penny?” asked Cocky-locky.

“I'm going to tell the king the sky's falling,” said Henny-penny.

“May I come with you?” asked Cocky-locky.

“Certainly,” said Henny-penny. So Henny-penny and Cocky-locky went to tell the king the sky is falling.

They went along for quite some time till they met Ducky-daddles. “Where are you going, Henny-penny and Cocky-locky?” asked Ducky-daddles.

“We're going to tell the king the sky's falling,” said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky.

“May I come with you?” asked Ducky-daddles.

“Certainly,” said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, and Ducky-daddles went to tell the king the sky is falling. They went along for what seemed a long, long time till they met Goosey-poosey.

“Where are you going to, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, and Ducky-daddles?” asked Goosey-poosey.

“Oh! We're going to tell the king the sky's falling,” said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddles.

“May I come with you?” asked Goosey-poosey.

“Certainly,” said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, and Ducky-daddles. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey went to tell the king the sky is falling.

So they went along, and they went along, till they met Turkey-lurkey.

“Where are you going, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey?” asked Turkey-lurkey.

“Oh! We're going to tell the king the sky's falling,” said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey.

“May I come with you, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey?” asked Turkey-lurkey.

“Oh, certainly, Turkey-lurkey,” said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, and Goosey-poosey. So Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey all went to tell the king the sky is falling.

They went along a great distance till they met Foxy-woxy.

Foxy-woxy said to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey, “Where are you going, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey?”

And Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey said to Foxy-woxy, “We' re going to tell the king the sky's falling.”

“Oh! But this is not the way to the king,” said Foxy-woxy. “I know the proper way. Shall I show you?”

“Certainly, Foxy-woxy,” said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they came to a narrow, dark hole. Now this was the door of Foxy-woxy's cave.

But Foxy-woxy said to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey, “This is a shortcut to the king's palace. You'll soon get there if you follow me. I will go first and you come after, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey.”

“Why, of course, certainly. Why not?” said Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey.

So Foxy-woxy went into his cave. He didn't go very far but turned round to wait for Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey. First Turkey-lurkey went through the dark hole into the cave. He hadn't gone far when Foxy-woxy snapped off Turkey-lurkey's head and threw his body over his left shoulder. Then Goosey-poosey went in and off went her head and Goosey-poosey was thrown beside Turkey-lurkey. Then Ducky-daddles waddled down and Foxy-woxy snapped, and Ducky-daddles's head was off and Ducky-daddles was thrown alongside Goosey-poosey. Then Cocky-locky strutted down into the cave, and he hadn't gone far when snap went Foxy-woxy, and Cocky-locky crowed, and Foxy-woxy snapped again, and Cocky-locky was thrown alongside Ducky-daddles.

But when Henny-penny heard Cocky-locky cry out, she turned and ran home, so she never told the king the sky was falling.