Henny Penny

Once upon a time, a little hen called Henny Penny was pecking at corn in the farmyard. Suddenly, plop, an acorn fell from a tree and landed right on her head. “Oh my goodness, the sky is falling!” cried Henny Penny. “I must go and tell the king!”

So off she went, and on the way she met Cocky Locky the rooster. “Where are you going, Henny Penny?” asked Cocky Locky. “The sky is falling, and I am going to tell the king,” said Henny Penny. “May I come with you?” asked Cocky Locky, and off they went together.

Soon they met Ducky Lucky, waddling by the pond. “Where are you going, Henny Penny and Cocky Locky?” asked Ducky Lucky. “The sky is falling, and we are going to tell the king!” So Ducky Lucky came too. Then they met Goosey Loosey, and then Turkey Lurkey, and they came along too.

Now the five friends hurried down the road, flapping and clucking and quacking. Before long, they met Foxy Loxy, who had a sly smile on his face. “Where are you all going in such a hurry?” asked Foxy Loxy. “The sky is falling, and we are going to tell the king!” they cried. “I know a short way to the king’s palace,” said Foxy Loxy, “so follow me.” But Foxy Loxy was not really taking them to the king at all.

Just as they came near his dark den, plop, an acorn fell from a tree and landed right on Foxy Loxy’s nose. “Oh my goodness, the sky is falling!” yelped Foxy Loxy, and he ran away as fast as he could. Henny Penny looked down and saw the little brown acorn lying on the ground. “Why, it was only an acorn all along!” she said.

Cocky Locky laughed, Ducky Lucky laughed, and Goosey Loosey and Turkey Lurkey laughed too. Then they all walked home together to the farmyard, safe and sound. And from that day on, Henny Penny always looked up before she shouted.