Henny Penny

Henny Penny, more commonly known in the United States as Chicken Little and sometimes as Chicken Licken, is a folk tale with a moral in the form of a cumulative tale about a chicken who believes the world is coming to an end. The phrase "The sky is falling!" features prominently in the story, and has passed into the English language as a common idiom indicating a hysterical or mistaken belief that disaster is imminent. Versions of the story go back more than 25 centuries; it continues to be referenced in a variety of media.

The story and its name

The story is listed as Aarne-Thompson-Uther type 20C, which includes international examples of folktales that make light of paranoia and mass hysteria. There are several Western versions of the story, of which the best-known concerns a chick that believes the sky is falling when an acorn falls on its head. The chick decides to tell the King and on its journey meets other animals (mostly other fowl) which join it in the quest. After this point, there are many endings. In the most familiar, a fox invites them to its lair and there eats them all. Alternatively, the last one, usually Cocky Lockey, survives long enough to warn the chick, who escapes. In others all are rescued and finally speak to the King.

Henny Penny (disambiguation)

Henny Penny is a fable, also known as Chicken Licken or Chicken Little.

Henny Penny may also refer to:

Henny Penny (restaurant)

Henny Penny is a chain of 12 Quick Service Restaurants offering dine-in, take away and drive through facilities in the Newcastle Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia.

Henny Penny is well known for its barbecued chicken, fried chicken, salads, and gravy, as well as its catering service.

History

Henny Penny began in 1968 when Steggles Poultry expanded their then current business of fresh poultry processing into fast food. Henny Penny's quick service restaurants began, offering dine-in, take away, and drive through facilities.

In 1978 non-Hunter Region Henny Penny stores became part of the Steggles' Big Rooster chain in a 50-50 venture.

The Steggles family has been very successful over the years in the fast food industry, and even supplies their main competitor in the Newcastle Hunter area, KFC. After the sale of the Steggles poultry processing business, the Steggles family retained the Henny Penny fast food business.

In 1988 they became the first major sponsor of the Newcastle Knights rugby league team when they entered the NSWRL Premiership.