sey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey: "Where are you going,
Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and
Turkey-lurkey?" And Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles,
Goosey-Poosey, and Turkey-lurkey says to Foxy-woxy: "We're going to tell
the king the sky's a-falling." "Oh! but this is not the way to the king,
Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and
Turkey-lurkey," says Foxy-woxy; "I know the proper way; shall I show it
you?" "Oh, certainly, Foxy-woxy," says Henny-penny, Cocky-locky,
Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey. So Henny-penny,
Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, Turkey-lurkey, and Foxy-woxy
all went to tell the king the sky was a-falling.

So they went along, and they went along, and they went along till they
came to a narrow and dark hole. Now this was the door of Foxy-woxy's
cave. But Foxy-woxy says to Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddies,
Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey: "This is the short way to the king's
palace; you'll soon get there if you follow me. I will go first and you
come after, Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and
Turkey-lurkey," "Why, of course, certainly, without doubt, why not?"
says Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles, Goosey-poosey, and
Turkey-lurkey.

So Foxy-woxy went into his cave, and he didn't go very far, but turned
round to wait for Henny-penny, Cocky-locky, Ducky-daddles,
Goosey-poosey, and Turkey-lurkey. So at last Turkey-lurkey went through
the dark hole into the cave. He hadn't got far when "Hrumph!" Foxy-woxy
snapped off Turkey-lurkey's head and threw his body over his left
shoulder. Then Goosey-poosey went in, and "Hrumph!" off went her head
and Goosey-poosey was thrown beside Turkey-lurkey. Then Ducky-daddles
waddled down, and "Hrumph!" snapped Foxy-woxy, and Ducky-daddles's head
was off, and Ducky-daddles was thrown alongside Turkey-lurkey and
Goosey-poosey. Then Cocky-locky strutted down into the cave, and he
hadn't gone far when "Snap, Hrumph!" went Foxy-woxy, and Cocky-locky was
thrown alongside of Turkey-lurkey, Goosey-poosey, and Ducky-daddles.

[Illustration: "THIS IS THE SHORT WAY"]

But Foxy-woxy had made two bites at Cocky-locky, and when the first snap
only hurt Cocky-locky, but didn't kill him, he called out to
Henny-penny. But she turned tail and off she ran home, so she never told
the king the sky was a-falling.

[K] From "English Fairy Tales," collected by Joseph Jacobs; used b