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.

В В В В (They crow and cluck.)

C. L. – Now, then, we can start.

В В В В (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.

Enter Goosey Poosey

G. P. – There you are, Ducky Daddles! I've been looking for you everywhere!

C. L. – What do you want?

G. P. – I just wanted to see what you were doing, and have a chat. What a horrid day it is! the roads are so dry there is no walking in them.

D. D. – Well, I am sorry I've not time to stay with you. I'm just off to London to see the Queen.

G. P. – You, Ducky Daddles! Something very strange must have happened to make you go so far.

D. D. – Indeed it has, and what do you think?

C. L. – Guess what fell on to Henny Penny's head.

G. P. – An acorn, or perhaps even a chestnut.

D. D. – A chestnut! Oh, if that were all! No, my friend. It was a piece of the sky, a great, solid slab of blue sky, that fell clump on to the top of poor Henny Penny's head, and nearly killed her.

G. P. – Oh, how terrible! Have you sent for the police?

C. L. – No, we're going to London to tell the Queen. We think she ought to know.

G. P. – Indeed she ought, and at once. I'll come with you to see what she says.

C. L. – Very well! Only you must not keep waiting to splash about in all the puddles, then.