Henny-penny 1

ONE day Henny-penny was picking up corn 2 in the farmyard when suddenly an acorn fell and hit her on the head. "Dear me!" 3 said Henny-penny. "The sky is falling. I must go and tell the king."

So she set out to tell the king, and she went along till she met Cocky-locky. 4

"Where are you going, Henny-penny?" said Cocky-locky.

"I'm going to tell the king the sky is falling," said Henny-penny.

"May I go with you?" said Cocky-locky.

"Certainly," said Henny-penny.

So they went along together to tell the king the sky was falling.

They went along till they met Ducky-daddies. 5

"Where are you going, Henny-penny and Cocky-locky?" said Ducky-daddies.

"We're going to tell the king the sky is falling," said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky.

"May I go with you?" said Ducky-daddies.

"Certainly," said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky.

So they went along together to tell the king the sky was falling.

They went along till they met Goosey-poosey. 6

"Where are you going, Henny-penny and Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddies?" said Goosey-poosey.

"We are going to tell the king the sky is falling," said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddies.

"May I go with you?" said Goosey-poosey.

"Certainly," said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddies.

So they went along together to tell the king the sky was falling.

They went along till they met Turkey-lurkey. 7

"Where are you going, Henny-penny and Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddies and Goosey-poosey?" said Turkey-lurkey.

"We are going to tell the king the sky is falling," said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddies and Goosey-poosey.

"May I go with you?" said Turkey-lurkey.

"Certainly," said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddies and Goosey-poosey.

So they went along together to tell the king the sky was falling.

They went along till they met Foxy-woxy. 8

"Where are you going, Henny-penny and Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddies and Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey?" said Foxy-woxy.

"We are going to tell the king the sky is falling," said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddies and Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey.

"But you are all going the wrong way," said Foxy-woxy. "Shall I show you the right way?"

"Yes, please," said Henny-penny and Cocky-locky and Ducky-daddies and Goosey-poosey and Turkey-lurkey.

They followed Foxy-woxy till they came to a dark hole. This was the front door of Foxy-woxy's cave.

  

 

"Follow me," said Foxy-woxy. "This is a short way to the king's palace. You'll soon get there if you follow me. I shall go first and you come after."

Foxy-woxy went into his cave but he did not go very far in. He hid a little way inside 9 and waited.

Soon Turkey-lurkey went in and Foxy-woxy bit off his head and threw his body over his shoulder. Then Goosey-poosey went in and Foxy-woxy bit off her head and threw her body over his shoulder. Then Ducky-daddies went in and Foxy-woxy bit off her head and threw her body over his shoulder. Then Cocky-locky went in and Foxy-woxy bit off his head too.

But Cocky-locky just had time to crow first 10 and Henny-penny knew something was wrong. She turned round and ran home as fast as she could, so she never told the king the sky was falling.

 

 

1 Henny-penny — Курица (hen — курица)

2 was picking up corn — клевала зерно

3 Dear me! — Ox! (междометие, выражающее удивление)

4 Cocky-locky — Петух (cock — петух)

5 Ducky-daddies — зд. Утка (duck — утка)

6 Goosey-poosey — Гусь (goose — гусь, гусыня)

7 Turkey-lurkey — Индюк (turkey — индюк, индейка)

8 Foxy-woxy — Лиса (fox — лиса, лисица)

9 hid a little way inside — спрятался недалеко от входа

10 But Cocky-locky just hand time to crow first — Но Петух успел прокричать кукареку