FOX. Rat tat tat, rat tat tat!
So, without waiting to see who it was, he lifted the latch and opened the door. In jumped the big fox with a cruel smile upon his face.
MOUSE. Oh! Oh! Help me! Save me!
COCK. Doodle doodle do! Thief! Killer!
But the fox only laughed, and he took the cock and popped him into the sack, and seized the mouse and popped her in too.
SCENE III
SETTING: in the forest, near the stream.
FOX. The sun is very hot, and I feel this sack is heavy. I will lie down under a tree and go to sleep for a little while.
And he lay down under a tree and soon fell fast asleep.
RED HEN. I’ve done a lot of work and can rest. Where shall I go? To the stream to have a swim.
And she saw a fox lying under the tree and a big sack over here.
VOICE OF COCK. I wish I hadn’t been so cross.
VOICE OF MOUSE. I wish I hadn’t been so lazy.
RED HEN. Don’t be too sad. I have my little workbag, and in it there is a pair of scissors. Very soon you will see what I am going to do.
And she took out her scissors and began to snip a hole in the sack.
RED HEN. Quick, Mouse! Quick, Cock!
MOUSE. Shall we run as fast as we can?
RED HEN. No, we shan’t. when the Cock sing his song we’ll throw the fox into the water.
COCK. Doodle doodle do! Get up!
MOUSE. Pull him! Push him!
RED HEN. Never trouble us again!
And they pushed the fox into the river.
FOX. Oh, I beg your pardon. I must hurry home!
And off he ran.
RED HEN. How tired am I!
COCK. Have a holiday today, dear. I’ll make dinner for you.
MOUSE. And I’ll help him while you’ll be resting in the armchair.
And the Red hen had a holiday and sat resting in the big chair while her friend did all the work.
The end
CHICKEN-LIKEN
CHARACTERS:
CHICKEN LIKEN
WORM
HENNY PENNY
COCKY LOCKY
DUCKY LUCKY
DRACKEY LACKEY
GOOSY LOOSY
TURKEY LURKEY
FOXY LOXY
SCENE I
SETTING: Foxy’s cave and a tree nearby.
Foxy is lying down and watching. Worm climbs the tree.
WORM. What’s the weather like today?
FOXY LOXY. It’s windy I guess. Such nice weather, isn’t it? Do acorns begin falling down?
WORM. They’ve just begun. I’ve seen one. It’s lying under the tree. Do you really like to eat them, Foxy?
FOXY LOXY. Mmm…you are joking. It will be funny if foxes eat acorns. No, I don’t eat them. I just like them falling down.
WORM. Why?
FOXY LOXY. Are all worms so curious? Creep gown and in a moment you’ll watch a funny thing. Just wait for this moment. (Comes away).
SCENE II.
SETTING: The same tree.
Chicken Liken is looking for something. He sees Worm and catches it. They begin struggling. Suddenly an acorn falls down and hits Chicken Liken.
CHICKEN LIKEN. Oh, Lord! The sky’s fallen down on my poor head. I should go to the king to tell about this accident.
WORM. What’s wrong with you? This is an acorn. Never mind. It’s fallen down and hit you. Nothing serious.
HENNY PENNY. What’s happened to you, kid? Have you cried?
CHICKEN LIKEN. Oh, mummy. The sky’s fallen down and hit me.
HENNY PENNY. You should tell the king about this. By the way… do you see a fat worm? You can peck it yourself, but it’s too big and we can share the dinner.
WORM. That was an acorn, lady. The acorn fell down on him and hit his head. It’s not dangerous. You may ask Cocky Locky.
COCKY LOCKY. I’m busy now. It’s time to work but I haven’t got a watch. Who knows the exact time?
WORM. It’s seven o’clock sharp. Time to have dinner.
COCKY LOCKY. The work is the first, isn’t it? (Screams): Doodle doodle do! All right. The second is to eat you, Worm. You seem to be rather fat.
CHICKEN LIKEN. Oh, Daddy. The sky has fallen down and hit me!
HENNY PENNY. We should go to tell the king about this!
COCKY LOCKY. It’s our duty. The duty is above all! Follow me! I know the way!
WORM. They are fools. What is Foxy going to do? I’ll try to help them if I’m able to do anything.
SCENE III
SETTING. At the poultry.
Turkey Lurky is waving his tail. He is walking up and down to show how gracious he is! Ducky Lucky and Drackey Lackey are watching the show and clapping their hands.
GOOSE LOOSE (running in). Have you known the news? Such an awful story about Chicken Liken! He got into an accident and was seriously injured. And that’s not all.
WORM. Hello, guys! The busy day, isn’t it?
TURKEY LURKEY. Our show is over and guests are welcome to have dinner.
WORM. What do you have for dinner?
TURKEY LURKEY. It’s you. This worm is rather big and fat, so we can divide it into pieces.
WORM. I’m against. Since this morning I have had a terrible stomachache.
DUCKY LUCKY. You must have eaten too much grass that grows around the lake. It is sad. But we are ready to risk.
Chicken Liken, Henny Penny and Cocky Locky appear and Worm crawls away.
CHICKEN LIKEN. The sky has fallen down and hit my head.
HENNY PENNY. We are going to tell the king about it.
COCKY LOCKY. It’s our duty. The duty is above all! Follow me, everybody! I know the way!
DRACKEY LACKEY. It’s not the right road. I’m the only to lead you because my uncle lived at the royal court.
GOOSE LOOSE. Was he a courtesan?
DUCKY LUCKY. For a short time. Then he got onto a dish.
DRACKEY LACKEY. Come on, come on! Be quick!
SCENE IY
SETTING: At Foxy’s cave.
Foxy is walking up and down, he is looking at his watch. He is anxious.
FOXY LOXY. The cock hasn’t screamed jet and the ducks haven’t come out. What’s wrong?
WORM. Just an acorn has fallen down and hit Chicken Liken. They are travelling right here, towards your cave.
FOXY LOXY. Good news! How many of them?
WORM. Chicken Liken, Henny Penny, Cocky Locky, Ducky Lucky, Drackey Lackey, Goosy Loosy and Turkey Lurkey. That’s all.
FOXY LOXY. My dinner will be great, but I don’t have enough appetite to eat them all.
WORM. Would you like to have a medicine for appetite? This grass is growing around the lake. Just what you want.
FOXY LOXY. Thank you very much. It’s kind of you to be my doctor.
Chicken Liken and his campaigners appear.
CHICKEN LIKEN. The sky has fallen down and hit my head.
HENNY PENNY. We are going to tell the king about it.
COCKY LOCKY. It’s our duty. The duty is above all!