Chicken Little

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Chicken Little is one of those traditional fairy tales in which some cute animals are eaten - so don't say we didn't warn you!

Several parents on our Facebook Group. have been lobbying us to publish this fast-paced and popular story. We have based our version on Henny-Penny by Joseph Jacobs. One of the great attractions of the tale is in the amusing names like Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey- Loosey and Turkey-lurkey, and of course, the baddy, Foxy-Woxy. As the fast-paced story goes on, the names build up into a long string.

But just once again - this story does involve animals being eaten. Comments are welcome but please dont' say we the ending came as a nasty surprise.

Read by Elizabeth. Duration 7.51.
Proofread by Claire Deakin.

Chicken Little

Hello, This is Elizabeth, and I am dropping by a story that has been requested by several our of listeners including two parents, Clare and Teresa, both on our Facebook group.

It’s a fun, fast-paced tale, but I have to warn you that if you really mind stories where sweet little animals get eaten up by bad foxes, then this really isn’t the story for you.

ONE day, Chicken Little was picking up corn in the cornyard when – whack! Something hit her upon the head. “Goodness gracious me!” said Chicken Little, “the sky’s a-going to fall. I must go and tell the big boss.”

So she went along and she went along and she went along until she met Cocky-locky. “Where are you going, Chicken Little?” said Cocky-Locky. “Oh! I’m going to tell the big boss the sky’s a-falling,” says Chicken Little. “May I come with you?” says Cocky-Locky. “Certainly,” said Chicken Little. So Chicken Little and Cocky-Locky went to tell the big boss the sky was falling.

They went along, and they went along, and they went along, until they met Ducky-daddles. “Where are you going to, Chicken Little and Cocky-Locky?” said Ducky-Daddles. “Oh! we’re going to tell the big boss the sky’s a-falling,” said Chicken Little and Cocky-Locky. “May I come with you?” says Ducky-Daddles. “Certainly,” said Chicken Little and Cocky-Locky. So Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky and Ducky-Daddles went to tell the big boss the sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, till they met Goosey-Loosey, “Where are you going to, Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky and Ducky-Daddles?” Said Goosey-Loosey. “Oh! We’re going to tell the big boss the sky’s a-falling,” said Chicken Little and Cocky-Locky and Ducky-Daddles. “May I come with you?” Said Goosey-Loosey.

“Certainly,” said Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky and Ducky-Daddles. So Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles and Goosey-Loosey went to tell the big boss the sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, until they met Turkey-Lurkey. “Where are you going, Chicken Little, Cocky- Locky, Ducky-Daddles, and Goosey-Loosey?” says Turkey-Lurkey. “Oh! we’re going to tell the big boss the sky’s a-falling,” said Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles and Goosey-Loosey. “May I come with you; Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles and Goosey-Loosey?” Said Turkey-lurkey. “Why, certainly, Turkey-Lurkey,” said Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, and Goosey-Loosey. So Chicken Little, Cocky- Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Loosey and Turkey-Lurkey all went to tell the big boss the sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, until they met Foxy-woxy, and Foxy-woxy said to Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Loosey and Turkey-Lurkey, “Where are you going, Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Loosey, and Turkey-Lurkey?” Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Loosey, and Turkey-Lurkey said to Foxy-Woxy, “We’re going to tell the big boss the sky’s a-falling.”

“Oh! But this is not the way to the big boss, Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Loosey and Turkey-Lurkey,” said Foxy-Woxy, “I know the proper way. Shall I show it to you?”

“Why certainly, Foxy-woxy,” said Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Loosey, and Turkey-Lurkey. So Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Loosey, Turkey-Lurkey, and Foxy-Woxy all went to tell the big boss the sky was a-falling. So they went along, and they went along, and they went along, until they came to a narrow and dark hole. Now this was the door of Foxy-Woxy’s cave. But Foxy-woxy said to Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Loosey, and Turkey-Lurkey, “This is the short way to the big boss’s place. You’ll soon get there if you follow me. I will go first and you come after, Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Loosey, and Turkey-Lurkey.”

“Why of course, certainly, without doubt, why not?” Said Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Loosey, and Turkey-Lurkey.

So Foxy-Woxy went into his cave, and he didn’t go very far but turned around to wait for Chicken Little, Cocky-Locky, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Loosey and Turkey-Lurkey. First Turkey-Lurkey went through the dark hole into the cave. He hadn’t got far when “Hrumph,” Foxy-Woxy swallowed up Turkey-Lurkey.

Then Goosey-Loosey went in, and “Hrumph,” she was eaten too.

Then Ducky-Daddles waddled down, and “Hrumph,” snapped Foxy-Woxy, and Ducky-Daddles made the next course.

Then Cocky-Locky strutted down into the cave and he hadn’t gone far when “Snap, Hrumph!” went Foxy-Woxy.

But Foxy-Woxy had made two bites at Cocky-Locky, and when the first snap missed, he called out to Chicken Little. So she turned tail and ran back home. She never told the big boss the sky was a-falling

And that was the story of Chicken Little. Don’t say I didn’t warn you about sweet little animals getting eaten. Bertie says that Storynory listeners seem to fall into two sorts – those who are outraged that not all the animals get away and write in to complain – and those who like the traditional tales which are a little more true to life. This ones tells us not to coddle kids and to give them the real stuff straight from the storyteller’s mouth. You can always leave a comment and let us know where you stand on this great issue!

I thought you might like to know that we based our version on the English Tale by Joseph Jacobs where Chicken Little is actually called Henny-Penny, but as this story seems to be best known in America we used used the American name, Chicken Little. In some versions even Chicken Little doesn’t get away. In the Disney film of a few years ago, of course nobody gets eaten, so you can safely watch that one.

Does the story have a moral? Bertie says it’s hard to find, but perhaps it shows how mad mass panic only creates danger. Keep your head, so to speak, and you will keep your head.

For now, from me Elizabeth, Bye.