Chicken Licken

As Chicken-licken was going one day to the wood, whack! an acorn fell from a tree on to his head.

“Gracious goodness me!” said Chicken-licken. “The sky must have fallen; I must go and tell the King.”

So Chicken-licken turned back, and met Henny-lenny.

“Well, Henny-lenny, where are you going?” said he.

“I’m going to the wood,” said she.

“Oh, Henny-lenny, don’t go!” said he. “For as I was going, the sky fell onto my head, and I’m going to tell the King.”

So Henny-lenny turned back with Chicken-licken, and met Cocky-locky.

“I’m going to the wood,” said he.

Then Henny-lenny said: “Oh Cocky-locky, don’t go, for I was going, and I met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had been at the wood, and the sky had fallen onto his head, and we are going to tell the King.”

So Cocky-locky turned back, and they met Ducky-lucky.

“Well, Ducky-lucky, where are you going?”

And Ducky-lucky said: “I’m going to the wood.”

Then Cocky-locky said: “Oh! Ducky-lucky, don’t go, for I was going, and I met Henny-lenny, and Henny-lenny met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had been at the wood, and the sky had fallen onto his head, and we are going to tell the King.”

So Ducky-lucky turned back, and met Drakey-lakey.

“Well, Drakey-lakey, where are you going?”

And Drakey-lakey said: “I’m going to the wood.”

Then Ducky-lucky said: “Oh! Drakey-lakey, don’t go, for I was going, and I met Cocky-locky, and Cocky-locky met Henny-lenny, and Henny-lenny met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had been at the wood, and the sky had fallen on to his head, and we are going to tell the King.”

So Drakey-lakey turned back, and met Goosey-loosey.

“Well, Goosey-loosey, where are you going?”

And Goosey-loosey said: “I’m going to the wood.”

Then Drakey-lakey said: “Oh, Goosey-loosey, don’t go, for I was going, and I met Ducky-lucky, and Ducky-lucky met Cocky-locky, and Cocky-locky met Henny-lenny, and Henny-lenny met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had been at the wood, and the sky had fallen onto his head, and we are going to tell the King.”

So Goosey-loosey turned back, and met Gander-lander.

“Well, Gander-lander, where are you going?”

And Gander-lander said: “I’m going to the wood.”

Then Goosey-loosey said: “Oh! Gander-lander, don’t go, for I was going, and I met Drakey-lakey, and Drakey-lakey met Ducky-lucky, and Ducky-lucky met Cocky-locky, and Cocky-locky met Henny-lenny, and Henny-lenny met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had been at the wood, and the sky had fallen on to his head, and we are going to tell the King.”

So Gander-lander turned back, and met Turkey-lurkey.

“Well, Turkey-lurkey, where are you going?”

And Turkey-lurkey said: “I’m going to the wood.”

Then Gander-lander said: “Oh! Turkey-lurkey, don’t go, for I was going, and I met Goosey-loosey, and Goosey-loosey met Drakey-lakey, and Drakey-lakey met Ducky-lucky, and Ducky-lucky met Cocky-locky, and Cocky-locky met Henny-lenny, and Henny-lenny met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had been at the wood, and the sky had fallen onto his head, and we are going to tell the King.”

So Turkey-lurkey turned back, and walked with Gander-lander, Goosey-loosey, Drakey-lakey, Ducky-lucky, Cocky-locky, Henny-lenny, and Chicken-licken.

And as they were going along, they met Foxy-loxy. And Foxy-loxy said:

“Where are you going?”

And they said: “Chicken-licken went to the wood, and the sky fell onto his head, and we are going to tell the King.”

And Foxy-loxy said: “Come along with me, and I will show you the way.”

But Foxy-loxy took them into the fox’s hole, and he and his young ones soon ate up poor Chicken-licken, Henny-lenny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-lucky, Drakey-lakey, Goosey-loosey, Gander-lander, and Turkey-lurkey; and they never saw the King to tell him that the sky had fallen.

Short story for kids edited by Hamilton Wright Mabie, Edward Everett Hale, and William Byron Forbush

Let’s Chat About The Stories ~ Ideas for Talking With Kids

Independent Thinking, Stranger Danger, Truthfulness

1. All the birds believe Chicken-licken’s story the moment he tells them the sky is falling down. By the end of the story, there are eight animals that believe the sky is falling down. Do you think the more people that believe something, the more likely it is to be true? Why or why not?

2. When Foxy-Loxy saw the six birds, he told them that he knew the way to the King’s home. What happened when they followed Foxy-Loxy? Can you think of some ways that they could have discovered that he was not telling the truth?

3. What do you think is a good thing to do before you believe anybody’s story? How are some ways that you can come to your own conclusions about things that happen in the world?