Henny Penny

This story is called Henny Penny, a traditional tale adapted by Madeline Walton-Hadlock and read by Ryan Aoto. This is a LibraryCall recording. One hot, dull summer day, Henny-Penny was sitting under an oak tree in the shade when—whack!—an acorn fell from a branch and hit her smack on the head. “Ouch!” said Henny-Penny. Not seeing the acorn, she assumed the worst. “Uh-oh!” she said. “The sky is falling! I must go and tell the king!” So, she went along and she went along and she went along until she met Rooster-Wooster who was sitting on a fence, singing a lazy song. “Where are you going, Henny-Penny?” Rooster-Wooster crooned. “I'm going to tell the king the sky is falling,” said Henny-Penny. “Now, that sounds interesting. May I come with you?” said Rooster-Wooster. “Please do!” said Henny-Penny. So, Henny-Penny and Rooster-Wooster went to tell the king the sky was falling. They went along, and they went along, and they went along, until they saw Ducky-Daddles slowly blowing bubbles in a shallow pond. When he saw his friends he perked up. “Where are you going, Henny-Penny and Rooster-Wooster?” asked Ducky-Daddles. “We're going to tell the king the sky is falling,” they said. “Ooh. May I come with you?” asked Ducky-Daddles. “Please do!” said Henny-Penny and Rooster-Wooster. So Henny-Penny, Rooster-Wooster, and Ducky-Daddles went to tell the king the sky was falling. They went along, and they went along, and they went along, until they saw Goosey-Boosey, roosting in a bush and looking mighty bored. “Hey there! Where are you going, Henny-Penny, Rooster-Wooster, and Ducky-Daddles?” asked Goosey-Boosey. “We're going to tell the king the sky is falling,” they said. “Fascinating. May I come with you?” asked Goosey-Boosey. “Please do!” said Henny-Penny, Rooster-Wooster, and Ducky-Daddles. So Henny-Penny, Rooster-Wooster, Ducky-Daddles, and Goosey-Boosey went to tell the king the sky was falling. They went along, and they went along, and they went along, until they saw Turkey-Lurkey, sleepily snacking on some brown beetles. “Where are you going, Henny-Penny, Rooster-Wooster, Ducky-Daddles, and Goosey-Boosey?” asked Turkey-Lurkey. “We're going to tell the king the sky is falling,” they said. “May I come with you?” asked Turkey-Lurkey eagerly, his mouth full of beetle mush. “Please do!” said Henny-Penny, Rooster-Wooster, Ducky-Daddles, and Goosey-Boosey. So Henny-Penny, Rooster-Wooster, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Boosey and Turkey-Lurkey all went to tell the king the sky was falling. They went along, and they went along, and they went along, until they met Foxy-Woxy who was resting between the roots of a large oak tree. “Where are you going, Henny-Penny, Rooster-Wooster, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Boosey, and Turkey-Lurkey?” asked Foxy-Woxy, sniffing at the air. “We're going to tell the king the sky is falling!” they said. “Interesting,” Foxy-Woxy said slowly. “But this is not the way to the king. I know the right way. Shall I take you there?” “Please do!” said Henny-Penny, Rooster-Wooster, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Boosey, and Turkey-Lurkey. So Henny-Penny, Rooster-Wooster, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Boosey, Turkey-Lurkey, and Foxy-Woxy all went to tell the king the sky was falling. They went along, and they went along, and they went along, until they came to a dark, narrow hole. “This is the short way to the king's palace,” Foxy-Woxy said to Henny-Penny, Rooster-Wooster, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Boosey, and Turkey-Lurkey. “You will soon get there if you stick with me. I will go in first and you follow behind me.” Listener– would you follow Foxy-Woxy into that hole? Henny-Penny, Rooster-Wooster, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Boosey, and Turkey-Lurkey didn't think twice. “Why, of course! Certainly! Without doubt! What could go wrong?” they said. So, Foxy-Woxy went a little way into the hole (which happened to be the entrance to his very own den.) Then he turned around and waited for Henny-Penny, Rooster-Wooster, Ducky-Daddles, Goosey-Boosey, and Turkey-Lurkey. Turkey-lurkey went first. He hadn't gotten far into the dark passage when… Chomp! Foxy-Woxy gobbled up Turkey-Lurkey in one bite. Next Goosey-Boosey went in. Chomp! Goosey-Boosey eaten too. Then Ducky-Daddles and Rooster-Wooster ventured into the hole… Chomp! Chomp! They became Foxy-Woxy’s lunch, too. Henny-Penny was just making her way into the hole when she heard Foxy-Woxy’s vigorous chomps. “Uh-oh!” said Henny-Penny, and she turned around and ran back home as quickly as her chicken legs would carry her. And listener, she never did tell the king the sky was falling. This has been Henny-Penny, a traditional tale adapted by Madeline Walton-Hadlock and narrated by Ryan Aoto. This has been a LibraryCall recording.