Gateway to the Classics: The Children's Book by Horace E. Scudder
 
The Children's Book by  Horace E. Scudder

The Story of Chicken-Licken

As chicken-licken went one day to the woods, an acorn fell upon her poor bald pate, and she thought the sky had fallen. Then she said she would go and tell the king that the sky had fallen.

So Chicken-licken turned back, and met Henny-penny. "Well, Henny-penny, where are you going?" and Henny-penny said, "I'm going to the wood for some meat," and Chicken-licken said, "Oh, Henny-penny, don't go, for I was going, and the sky fell upon my poor bald pate, and I 'm going to tell the king."

So Henny-penny turned back with Chicken-licken, and met Cocky-locky. "Oh, Cocky-locky, where are you going?" and Cocky-locky said, "I'm going to the wood for some meat." Then Henny-penny said, "Oh, Cocky-locky, don't go, for I was going and met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had been at the wood, and the sky had fallen on her poor bald pate, and we are going to tell the king."

So Cocky-locky turned back, and met Ducky-lucky. "Well, Ducky-lucky, where are you going?" And Ducky-lucky said, "I'm going to the wood for some meat." Then Cocky-locky said, "Oh, Ducky-lucky, don't go, for I was going, and met Henny-penny, and Henny-penny met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had been at the wood, and the sky had fallen on her poor bald pate, and we are going to tell the king."

So Ducky-lucky turned back, and met Draky-laky. "Well, Draky-laky, where are you going? "and Draky-laky said, "I 'm going to the wood for some meat." Then Ducky-lucky said, "Oh, Draky-laky, don't go, for I was going, and met Cocky-locky, and Cocky-locky met Henny-penny, and Henny-peimy met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had been at the wood, and the sky had fallen on her poor bald pate, and we are going to tell the king."

So Draky-laky turned back, and met Goosey-loosey. "Well, Goosey-loosey, where are you going?" and Goosey-loosey said, "I 'm going to the wood for some meat." Then Draky-laky said, "Oh, Goosey-loosey, don't go, for I was going, and met Ducky-lucky, and Ducky-lucky met Cocky-locky, and Cocky-locky met Henny-penny, and Henny-penny met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had been at the wood, and the sky had fallen on her poor bald pate, 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 for some meat." Then Goosey-loosey said, "Oh, Gander-lander, don't go, for I was going, and met Draky-laky, and Draky-laky met Ducky-lucky, and Ducky-lucky met Cocky-locky, and Cocky-locky met Henny-penny, and Henny-penny met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had been at the wood, and the sky had fallen on her poor bald pate, 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 for some meat." Then Gander-lander said "Oh, Turkey-lurkey, don't go, for I was going, and I met Goosey-loosey, and Goosey-loosey met Draky-laky, and Draky-laky met Ducky-lucky, and Ducky-lucky met Cocky-locky, and Cocky-locky met Henny-penny, and Henny-penny met Chicken-licken, and Chicken-licken had been at the wood, and the sky had fallen on her poor bald pate, and we are going to tell the king."

So Turkey-lurkey turned back, and walked with Gander-lander, Goosey-loosey, Draky-laky, Ducky-lucky, Cocky-locky, Henny-penny, and Chicken-licken. And as they were going along they met Fox-lox. And Fox-lox said, "Where are you going, my pretty maids?" and they said, "Chicken-licken went to the wood, and the sky fell upon her poor bald pate, and we are going to tell the king."

And Fox-lox said, "Come along with me, and I will show you the way." But Fox-lox took them into the fox's hole, and he and his young ones soon ate up poor Chicken-licken, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-lucky, Draky-laky, Goosey-loosey, Gander-lander, and Turkey-lurkey, and they never saw the king to tell him that the sky had fallen!


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