Nursery Comedies
Florence Bell
Lady Florence Eveleen Eleanore Olliffe Bell
Nursery Comedies / Twelve Tiny Plays for Children
WHAT HAPPENED TO HENNY PENNY
CHARACTERS
HENNY PENNY.
DUCKY DADDLES.
COCKIE LOCKIE.
GOOSEY POOSEY.
TURKY LURKY.
Mr. FOX.
WHAT HAPPENED TO HENNY PENNY
H. P. – Oh dear me! Oh dear me! What was it, I wonder? What could it have been? I must scream for help. Help! Help!
Enter Cockie Lockie
C. L. – What's the matter? Henny Penny, what is happening?
H. P. – Oh dear me! I don't know what it was, that is the worst of it.
C. L. – You don't know what it was?
H. P. – How should I, when I never saw it? It fell on to my head.
C. L. —What fell on to your head? What a stupid hen you are!
H. P. – I was under a beanstack pecking about, and suddenly something fell from the top of the stack on to my head. I thought at first it was a bean or a piece of stick, but now I think of it, I am sure it was something much heavier – a piece of the sky, or something of that sort.
C. L. – A piece of the sky falling out! But, Henny, this is serious.
H. P. – Of course! That's what I feel. That's why I screamed at once for help.
C. L. – You see, if the sky is coming to bits, I think the Queen of England ought to know it.
H. P. – I think she ought. Let's go and tell her!
C. L. – Agreed! We'll start at once. I'll just crow first very loud that everybody may know something is happening.
H. P. – Very well, and I'll cluck.
(They crow and cluck.)
C. L. – Now, then, we can start.
(A voice outside is heard.)
Voice. – Hullo there! Cockie Lockie! Henny Penny!
C. L. – There's that stupid Ducky Daddles.
Enter Ducky Daddles
C. L. – Well, Ducky Daddles, what do you want?
D. D. – I just wanted to come and have a chat. I saw you and Henny Penny starting off for a pleasant walk together, and I thought I'd come too.
C. L. – Ah! but this is no common walk.
H. P. – Indeed it is not.
D. D. – Why, where are you going to?
C. L. – We're going to London to see the Queen.
D. D. – The Queen! What for?
H. P. – To tell her a most important piece of news.
C. L. – A great piece of the sky fell out close to Henny Penny's head, and nearly killed her.
D. D. – Dear me! That is important. The Queen ought to know it at once. I'll come with you.
C. L. – You! Do you think you can walk so far?
D. D. – Oh, dear, yes! Besides, I daresay, we shall find some place on the road where we can get slugs or snails, or something of that sort, in case I feel faint.
C. L. – Very well, then, are you ready? Now we'll start.
D. D. – Come on, then. I'll just quack first to let people know where I am.
(Quacks. They prepare to start off arm in arm. A voice outside is heard.)
Voice. – Hullo! Cockie Lockie! Henny Penny! Ducky Daddles!
C. L. – Now, what is it? We shall never get off at this rate.
D. D. – It is that silly Goosey Poosey.