October 13. Story of the Day: The Cock

From Italian Popular Tales by Thomas Frederick Crane. Prof. Crane has just summarized most of the story; it would be fun to retell it in full!

There are different story types combined here, starting from ATU 20 Animals Flee - Animals on a Pilgrimage.

Looking for more stories? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.

THE COCK

(MaxPixel)

Once upon a time there was a cock, and this cock flew here and flew there, and flew on an arbor, and there he found a letter. He opened the letter and saw: "Cock, steward," —— and that he was invited to Rome by the Pope.

The cock started on his journey, and after a time met the hen: "Where are you going, Friend Cock?" said the hen.

"I flew," said he, "upon an arbor and found a letter, and this letter said that I was invited to Rome by the Pope."

"Just see, friend," said the hen, "whether I am there too."

"Wait a bit." Then he turned the letter, and saw written there: "Cock, steward; Hen, stewardess."

"Come, friend, for you are there too."

"Very well!"

Then the two started off, and soon met the goose, who said: "Where are you going, Friend Cock and Friend Hen?"

"I flew," said the cock, "upon an arbor, and I found a letter, and this letter said that we were invited to Rome by the Pope."

"Just look, friend, whether I am there too."

Then the cock opened the letter, read it, and saw that there was written: "Cock, steward; Hen, stewardess; Goose, abbess."

"Come, come, friend; you are there too." So they took her along, and all three went their way.

[After a time they found the duck, and the cock saw written in the letter: "Cock, steward; Hen, stewardess; Goose, abbess; Duck, countess." They next met a little bird, and found he was down in the letter as "little man-servant." Finally they came across the wood-louse, whom they found mentioned in the letter as "maid-servant."]

[On their journey they came to a forest, and saw a wolf at a distance. The cock, hen, goose, and duck plucked out their feathers and built houses to shelter themselves from the wolf. The poor bug, that had no feathers, dug a hole in the ground and crept into it. The wolf came, and as in the last story (The Three Goslings), blew down the four houses and devoured their occupants. Then he tried to get at the bug in the same way; but blew so hard that he burst, and out came the cock, hen, goose, and duck, safe and sound, and began to make a great noise. The bug heard it and came out of her hole, and after they had rejoiced together, they separated and each returned home and thought no more of going to Rome to the Pope.]


NOTES

(Venetian, Bernoni, Trad. pop. venez., Punt. III. p. 69, El Galo)

There is a version from the Marches (Gianandrea, p. 21), called, "The Marriage of Thirteen." The animals are the same as in the last story. On their journey they meet the wolf, who accompanies them, although his name is not in the letter. After a time the wolf becomes hungry, and exclaims: "I am hungry." The cock answers: "I have nothing to give you." "Very well; then I will eat you;" and he swallows him whole. And so he devours one after the other, until the bird only remains. The bird flies from tree to tree and bush to bush, and around the wolf's head, until he drives him wild with anger. At last along comes a woman with a basket on her head, carrying food to the reapers. The bird says to the wolf that if he will spare his life he will get him something to eat from the basket. The wolf promises, and the bird alights near the woman, who tries to catch him; the bird flies on a little way, and the woman puts down her basket and runs after him. Meanwhile the wolf draws near the basket and begins eating its contents. When the woman sees that, she cries: "Help!" and the reapers run up with sticks and scythes, and kill the wolf, and the animals that he had devoured all came out of his stomach, safe and sound. A Sicilian version is in Pitrè, No. 278, "L'Acidduzzu" ("Little Bird"), and one from Tuscany in Nerucci, Cincelle da Bambini, No. 12.

There are two Sicilian versions of the story of "The Cock." One (Pitrè, No. 279), "The Wolf and the Finch," opens like the Venetian. The animals are: Cock, king; Hen, queen; Viper, chambermaid; Wolf, Pope; and Finch, keeper of the castle. The wolf then proceeds to confess the others, and eats them in turn until he comes to the finch, which plays a joke on him and flies away. The conclusion of the story is disfigured, nothing being said of the wolf's punishment or the recovery of the other animals.


The other Sicilian version is in Gonzenbach (No. 66): The Cock That Wished to Become Pope.

September 13. Story of the Day: Cock that Wished to Become Pope

This is another story from Italian Popular Tales by Thomas Frederick Crane.

This is a combination of ATU 210 Rooster, Hen, Duck, Pin, and Needle and ATU 20 Animals on a Pilgrimage.

Looking for more stories? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.

THE COCK THAT WISHED TO BECOME POPE

(woodcut of cockrel)

It occurred once to the cock to go to Rome and have himself elected Pope. So he started out, and on the way found a letter, which he took with him. 

The hen met him, and asked: "Mr. Cock, where are you going?" 

"I am going to Rome, to be Pope." 

"Will you take me with you?" she asked. 

"First I must look in my letter," said the cock, and looked at his letter. "Come along; if I become Pope, you can be the Popess." 

So Mr. Cock and Mrs. Hen continued their journey and met a cat, who said: "Mr. Cock and Mrs. Hen, where are you going?" 

"We are going to Rome, and wish to be Pope and Popess." 

"Will you take me with you?" 

"Wait until I look in my letter," said the cock, and glanced at it. "Very well; come along; you can be our lady's-maid." 

After a while they met a weasel, who asked: "Where are you going, Mr. Cock, Mrs. Hen, and Mrs. Cat?" 

"We are going to Rome, where I intend to become Pope," answered the cock. 

"Will you take me with you?" 

"Wait until I look in my letter," said he. When the cock looked in his letter, he said: "Very well; come along."

So the four animals continued their journey together towards Rome. At night-fall they came to a little house where lived an old witch, who had just gone out. So each animal chose a place to suit him. The weasel sat himself in the cupboard, the cat on the hearth in the warm ashes, and the cock and the hen flew up on the beam over the door.

When the old witch came home she wanted to get a light out of the cupboard, and the weasel struck her in the face with his tail. 

Then she wanted to light the candle, and went to the hearth. She took the bright eyes of the cat for live coals and tried to light the match by them, and hit the cat in the eyes. The cat jumped in her face and scratched her frightfully. 

When the cock heard all the noise he began to crow loudly. Then the witch saw that they were no ghosts, but harmless domestic animals, and took a stick and drove all four out of the house.

The cat and the weasel had no longer any desire to prolong their journey; but the cock and hen continued their way.

When they reached Rome they entered an open church, and the cock said to the sexton: "Have all the bells rung, for now I will be Pope." 

"Good!" answered the sexton; "that may be, but just come in here." 

Then he led the cock and the hen into the sacristry, shut the door, and caught them both. After he had caught them he twisted their necks and put them in the pot. Then he invited his friends, and they ate with great glee Mr. Cock and Mrs. Hen.

NOTES

(Sicilian, Gonzenbach, No. 66, Von dem Hahne, der Pabst werden wollte)

Köhler, in his notes to this story, gives parallels from various parts of Europe. To these may be added Asbjørnsen and Moe, Nos. 42, 102 [Dasent, Tales from the Fjeld, p. 35, "The Greedy Cat"]. Comp. Halliwell, p. 29, "The story of Chicken-licken." A French version is in the Romania, No. 32, p. 554 (Cosquin, No. 45), where copious references to this class of stories may be found. Add to these those by Köhler in Zeitschrift für rom. Phil. III. p. 617.

August 28. Story of the Day: Flight of the Beasts

This story comes from Tibetan Tales Derived from Indian Sources by Anton Schiefner and translated by W. R. S. Ralston.

This is classified as ATU 20C. Animals Flee in Fear of the End of the World (TMI Z43). It's a wonderful stampede; there are even rhinoceroses!

Looking for more stories? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.

THE FLIGHT OF THE BEASTS

(Tibetan wooly hare by Coke Smith)

At a long distant period there stood on the shore of a lake a vilva forest. In this forest dwelt six hares. Now a vilva tree in that forest fell into the lake thereby producing a great noise. When the six hares heard this noise they began, as they had but small bodies, to run away full of fear.

The jackals saw them running and asked, "O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?"

The hares replied, "There was a great noise."

Thereupon the jackals also took to flight.

When the monkeys saw them running they asked, "O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?"

The jackals replied, "There was a great noise."

Thereupon the monkeys also took to flight.

When the gazelles saw them running they asked, "O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?"

The monkeys replied, "There was a great noise."

Thereupon the gazelles also took to flight.

When the boars saw them running they asked, "O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?"

The gazelles replied, "There was a great noise."

Thereupon the boars also took to flight.

When the buffaloes saw them running they asked, "O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?"

The boars replied, "There was a great noise."

Thereupon the buffaloes also took to flight.

When the rhinoceroses saw them running they asked, "O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?"

The buffaloes replied, "There was a great noise."

Thereupon the rhinoceroses also took to flight.

When the elephants saw them running they asked, "O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?"

The rhinoceroses replied, "There was a great noise."

Thereupon the elephants also took to flight.

When the bears saw them running they asked, "O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?"

The elephants replied, "There was a great noise."

Thereupon the bears also took to flight.

When the hyaenas saw them running they asked, "O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?"

The bears replied, "There was a great noise."

Thereupon the hyaenas also took to flight.

When the panthers saw them running they asked, "O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?"

The hyaenas replied, "There was a noise."

Thereupon the panthers also took to flight.

When the tigers saw them running they asked, "O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?"

The panthers replied, "There was a great noise."

Thereupon the tigers also took to flight.

When the lions saw them running they asked, "O honoured ones, wherefore do ye run?"

The tigers replied, "There was a great noise."

Thereupon the lions also took to flight.

At the foot of the mountain there dwelt a maned lion which likewise seemed to wear a diadem. When it saw the lions running it asked, "O honoured ones, wherefore do ye all run although each of you is strong in claws and strong in teeth?"

The lions replied, "There was a loud noise. "

"O honoured ones, whence did the noise come?" it asked.

"We do not know," they replied.

Then said that lion, "O honoured ones, do not run. Inquiry must be made as to where the noise came from."

It asked the tigers, "Who told you about it?"

The tigers replied, "The panthers."

It asked the panthers, "Who was it told you?"

The panthers replied, "The hyaenas."

It asked the hyaenas, "Who was it told you?"

The hyaenas replied, "The bears."

It asked the bears, "Who was it told you?"

The bears replied, "The elephants."

It asked the elephants, "Who was it told you?"

The elephants replied, "The rhinoceroses."

It asked the rhinoceroses, "Who was it told you?"

The rhinoceroses replied, "The buffaloes."

It asked the buffaloes, "Who was it told you?"

The buffaloes replied, "The boars."

It asked the boars, "Who was it told you?"

The boars replied, "The gazelles."

It asked the gazelles, "Who was it told you?"

The gazelles replied, "The monkeys."

It asked the monkeys, "Who was it told you?"

The monkeys replied, "The jackals."

It asked the jackals, "Who was it told you?"

The jackals replied, "The hares."

It asked the hares, "Who was it told you?"

The hares replied, "We saw the terrible thing with our own eyes. Come; we will show you whence the noise came."

So they guided the lion and showed it the vilva forest saying, "That is where the noise came from."

Inasmuch as the noise was caused by the fall of a vilva tree out of that forest into the lake, the lion said, "O honoured ones, be not afraid for that was only an empty sound."

Consequently they were all tranquillised.

And a deity uttered this verse:

Let not men believe in words;
They ought to see everything for themselves.
Observe how through the fall of a vilva
the forest lost its beasts.

June 26. Story of the Day: The Fox's Pilgrimage to Mecca

Today's story comes from Persian Tales by D.L.R. Lorimer and E.O. Lorimer with illustrations by Hilda Roberts.

You will see references here to King Suleman (Solomon), the son of King David, who is a key figure in Islamic folklore. There is more about Suleman at Wikipedia, and you can read about the hoopoe and Suleman at Wikipedia also.

(cover art by Hilmi Eltouni)

This is ATU 20 Animals Flee - Animals on a Pilgrimage, "the animals on a pilgrimage," and it also features some other familiar folktale motifs. Of the birds who join the fox on the pilgrimage, it is the wise hoopoe who outfoxes the fox in the end.

Looking for more stories? Click here for previous Stories-of-the-Day.

THE FOX'S PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA

Once upon a time there was a time when there was no one but God.

There was a Fox who went one day into a reed-brake to play, and in playing he broke one of the reeds. He took it and put it over his shoulder like a pilgrim's staff and walked off.

A Cock happened to be standing on the edge of a wall, busy praising God by reciting His name aloud. When he caught sight of the Fox, he cried, "Hullo, Master Fox! What play-acting is this? What have you put a pilgrim's staff on your shoulder for?"

The Fox replied, "Nay, then, thou Muezzin of God who callest the Faithful to prayer, this is no playacting nor conjuring trick. Those evil deeds which you saw and which I used to do of old, I have renounced them all. I am now going on a pilgrimage to Mecca.
To the House of God I make my way,
There to worship and there to pray.
Though of old I did evil and went astray,
I repent, and turn from the world away.
Never again shall I steal or thieve
Or plunder the hen-roosts as long as I live.
The estate of my father lies in my hand,
In peace and in virtue I'll live on my land."

(illustration by Hilda Roberts)

The silly idiot of a cock was taken in by these pious words, and said, "O, Master Sheikh, I long to go with you on your pilgrimage."

"Very well," said the Fox, "you will be most welcome. Pray come, and let us set out."

So the Cock flew down and started off in company with the Fox. When they had travelled some little distance they came to the bank of a river. A Waterfowl was swimming about in the river, and when she saw the Cock coming along with the Fox she made her voice heard from the water, "O, thou Muezzin of God, hast thou forgotten to chant the praise of God that thou art thus fallen into the power of that base-born Fox?"

The Cock replied, "Nay, it is not as you think:
To the House of God he makes his way,
There to worship and there to pray.
Though of old he did evil and went astray,
He repents and turns from the world away.
Never again will he steal or thieve
Or plunder the hen-roosts while he shall live.
The estate of his father lies in his hand,
In peace and in virtue he'll live on his land."

The Waterfowl cried, "If that is the state of affairs, I should like to go with you both on this pilgrimage," and she came out of the water and joined them, and they travelled on all three together.

After they had gone some little way they came to a garden where a Hoopoe was sitting on the branch of a tree. When she saw the Cock and the Waterfowl coming along with the Fox she made her voice heard from the tree, "What extraordinary fools you are! I wonder what sin you have committed to have fallen into the clutches of the base-born Fox!"

But the Waterfowl said, "Nay, thou Messenger of the Prophet Suleman, things are not as you think:
To the House of God he makes his way,
There to worship and there to pray.
Though of old he did evil and went astray,
He repents and turns from the world away.
Never again will he steal or thieve
Or plunder the hen-roosts while he shall live.
The estate of his father lies in his hand,
In peace and in virtue he'll live on his land."

"Then," cried the Hoopoe, "if that is so, I should like to come with you all on your pilgrimage."

"Welcome in the name of God!" said they. So the Hoopoe flew down and started off with them.

On and on they travelled till they reached the door of the Fox's hole. When they caught sight of the hole they saw feet and paws and birds' feathers scattered about and piled into heaps, and they all began to tremble with terror. The Fox saw this and said, "Nay, do not fear, since I renounced the evil of the world I have not harmed a single bird. Come now and sleep here, be my guests tonight, and we shall start out early tomorrow morning."

So they went into the Fox's earth and passed the night as best they might. As soon as it was day the Fox rose up and first called the Cock. He came, and the Fox addressed him, "Do you remember when you were on the roof-top what curses you hurled at me and how you made fun of me?"

The Cock began to beg and implore, "O, Master Sheikh, I am God's Muezzin, calling the Faithful to prayer; I pray thee overlook my fault!"

"Very well, then," said the Fox, "but what right have you to climb up on to men's roof-tops, and, in the pretence that you are going to sound the Call to Prayer, cast your eyes upon their women-folk?"

"O, Master Sheikh, God created me for this sole purpose, that I should wake each dawn and sing to waken men that they should rise and pray."

The Fox cried, "Even if you yourself are one of the Faithful, at any rate your mother was no better than she should be!" And with that he ran in, and, seizing the Cock by the throat, strangled and ate him.

As soon as he had finished eating the Cock he called the Waterfowl. She also came. "Do you remember, when you made your voice heard from the water, what you said about me?" The poor bird began with apologies and tears to beg and implore him.

"Very well, I'll pass over that fault," said the Fox, "but how can I overlook this great sin? You go into the water and swim about and beat up the waters and defile them. Then comes a believer and wants to perform his ablutions before prayer, and finds the water all dirty and impure."

As he spoke he darted at the Waterfowl, and, seizing her throat, strangled and ate her.

Then he called up the Hoopoe, "Do you remember, when you were sitting on the branch of the tree, what senseless words you uttered? Whence do you get this fine name of yours, 'Messenger of the Prophet Suleman'? And how can you boast of the love which exists between you and the sons of men?"

"Well," said the poor Hoopoe,  you must admit that I was in charge of the water-wheels for the holy Suleman's army, and that I used to fly in the van and find water and camping-grounds for them."

"O, you son of a burnt father!" said the Fox, "if in very truth you have skill in finding water, let us see it now: find me some."

The Hoopoe alighted on the ground and began to peck at the earth with her beak to make water come forth, thereupon the Fox pounced on her from behind and made one mouthful of her. But from out of the Fox's mouth the Hoopoe raised her voice and said, "Master Fox, I have one piece of good advice to give you. Open your ears to it."

The Fox wanted to say, "Say on," but when he opened his mouth wide like a water-jar the Hoopoe flew off. As she was hurrying off she happened to pass an approaching army, and a Royal Falcon was flying in the van above them. The Hoopoe flew up to the Falcon and said, "Where are you off to?"

The Falcon answered, "O, Messenger of the Prophet Suleman, this army is marching forth on business."

"What business?" asked she.

"Our great King's daughter lies very ill,
And crowds of doctors surround her still.
This they prescribe with thought and with care:
The Gall of a Fox and the Heart of a Hare,
and now for three days we have been searching and have only just caught a hare, but so far we haven't lighted on a fox."

"That's all right," said the Hoopoe, "I've got a fox's earth close at hand. Come along and I'll show you."

Then the Hoopoe flew ahead and the Falcon and the horsemen followed behind till they came near the Fox's hole. The Hoopoe went to the mouth of it and called out, "Master Fox, you have shown me such great kindness that I am overwhelmed. Now I have come back to make you some return for it. There's a huge army coming along, and they'll certainly wreck your home. If you have any wish to save your life you must fly at once."

The Fox came to the door of his hole and saw that the Hoopoe was speaking the truth: the army was there all right. He tried to escape, but the horsemen saw him and loosed their hounds on him. He fled till he was weary, but at last the hounds overtook him and tore him to pieces. Then the horsemen came up and took his gall-bladder for the King's daughter.

And now my story has come to an end, but the sparrow never got home.

Cowell-Francis-Neil. The Flight of the Animals

From The Jataka; or, Stories of the Buddha's Former Births, edited by E. B. Cowell, H.T. Francis and R.A. Neil.

This is ATU 20C. Animals Flee in Fear of the End of the World (TMI Z43).

For the Buddha's framing of the tale, see the full text at Sacred Texts.

THE FLIGHT OF THE ANIMALS

Once upon a time when Brahmadatta reigned in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as a young lion. And when fully grown he lived in a wood. At this time there was near the Western Ocean a grove of palms mixed with vilva trees. A certain hare lived here beneath a palm sapling, at the foot of a vilva tree [bel tree]. 

One day this hare after feeding came and lay down beneath the young palm tree. And the thought struck him: "If this earth should be destroyed, what would become of me?" 

And at this very moment a ripe vilva fruit fell on a palm leaf.

(vilva fruit)

At the sound of it, the hare thought: "This solid earth is collapsing," and starting up he fled, without so much as looking behind him. 

Another hare saw him scampering off, as if frightened to death, and asked the cause of his panic flight. 

"Pray, don't ask me," he said. 

The other hare cried, "Pray, Sir, what is it?" and kept running after him. 

Then the hare stopped a moment and without looking back said, "The earth here is breaking up." 

And at this the second hare ran after the other. And so first one and then another hare caught sight of him running, and joined in the chase till one hundred thousand hares all took to flight together. 

They were seen by a deer, a boar, an elk, a buffalo, a wild ox, a rhinoceros, a tiger, a lion and an elephant. And when they asked what it meant and were told that the earth was breaking up, they too took to flight. 

So by degrees this host of animals extended to the length of a full league.

When the Bodhisatta saw this headlong flight of the animals, and heard the cause of it was that the earth was coming to an end, he thought: "The earth is nowhere coming to an end. Surely it must be some sound which was misunderstood by them. And if I don't make a great effort, they will all perish. I will save their lives." 

So with the speed of a lion he got before them to the foot of a mountain, and lion-like roared three times. 

They were terribly frightened at the lion, and stopping in their flight stood all huddled together. The lion went in amongst them and asked why they were running away.

"The earth is collapsing," they answered.

"Who saw it collapsing?" he said.

"The elephants know all about it," they replied.

He asked the elephants. "We don't know," they said, "the lions know." 

But the lions said, "We don't know, the tigers know." 

The tigers said, "The rhinoceroses know." 

The rhinoceroses said, "The wild oxen know." 

The wild oxen, "the buffaloes." 

The buffaloes, "the elks." 

The elks, "the boars." 

The boars, "the deer." 

The deer said, "We don't know, the hares know." 

When the hares were questioned, they pointed to one particular hare and said, "This one told us."

So the Bodhisatta asked, "Is it true, Sir, that the earth is breaking up?" 

"Yes, Sir, I saw it," said the hare.

"Where," he asked, "were you living, when you saw it?"

"Near the ocean, Sir, in a grove of palms mixed with vilva trees. For as I was lying beneath the shade of a palm sapling at the foot of a vilva tree, methought, "If this earth should break up, where shall I go?" And at that very moment I heard the sound of the breaking up of the earth and I fled."

Thought the lion: "A ripe vilva fruit evidently must have fallen on a palm leaf and made a "thud," and this hare jumped to the conclusion that the earth was coming to an end, and ran away. I will find out the exact truth about it." 

So he reassured the herd of animals, and said, "I will take the hare and go and find out exactly whether the earth is coming to an end or not, in the place pointed out by him. Until I return, do you stay here." 

Then placing the hare on his back, he sprang forward with the speed of a lion, and putting the hare down in the palm grove, he said "Come, show us the place you meant."

"I dare not, my lord," said the hare.

"Come, don't be afraid," said the lion.

The hare, not venturing to go near the vilva tree, stood afar off and cried, "Yonder, Sir, is the place of dreadful sound," and so saying, he repeated the first stanza:

From the spot where I did dwell

    Issued forth a fearful "thud;"

What it was I could not tell,

    Nor what caused it understood.

After hearing what the hare said, the lion went to the foot of the vilva tree, and saw the spot where the hare had been lying beneath the shade of the palm tree, and the ripe vilva fruit that fell on the palm leaf, and having carefully ascertained that the earth had not broken up, he placed the hare on his back and with the speed of a lion soon came again to the herd of beasts.

Then he told them the whole story, and said, "Don't be afraid." 

And having thus reassured the herd of beasts, he let them go. 

Verily, if it had not been for the Bodhisatta at that time, all the beasts would have rushed into the sea and perished. It was all owing to the Bodhisatta that they escaped death.

Alarmed at sound of fallen fruit

    A hare once ran away,

The other beasts all followed suit

    Moved by that hare's dismay.

They hastened not to view the scene,

    But lent a willing ear

To idle gossip, and were clean

    Distraught with foolish fear.

They who to Wisdom's calm delight

    And Virtue's heights attain,

Though ill example should invite,

    Such panic fear disdain.

These three stanzas were inspired by Perfect Wisdom.

ATU 20C-D. Animals Flee - The Animals on a Pilgrimage

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At this site:
Cowell-Francis-Neil. The Flight of the Animals (India)
Jacobs. Henny-Penny (England)
Edwards. The Sky is Falling (Antigua)
Schiefner. The Flight of the Beasts (Tibet)
The Fox's Pilgrimage to Mecca
Crane. Cock that Wished to Become Pope
(more to come!)

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This is a big change: originally the Z-series in Thompson would have made this a 2000-series in the ATU (it was 2033 in the old Aarne-Thompson catalog), but instead in the ATU it is now 20C. Because 20A and 20D are also of interest, I have listed them here also. (There is no 20B.)

also: B296 (animals on a journey), K1024 (eliminate one by one)
J1812 (frightened by noise)
B296.1 (rooster on pilgrimage to Rome)

20A Animals Caught in a Pit Eat One Another Up. A number of animals (fox, wolf, bear, hog, rooster, hen, goat, cat, nare, mouse) go on a journey (a pilgrimage) together to seek their fortunes. They try to jump over a pit but all into it instead. When they grow hungry, the fox proposes that they eat the one amongst them with the ugliest name (who can sing highest or loudest, who can howl the longest, who is the youngest or smallest). Thus all the animals are eaten one after another until only two (fox and wolf) remain or only the fox is left.

20C. Animals Flea in Fear of the End of the World. A chicken (cat, mouse) is frightened by a nut (acorn, leaf) that falls on its head (tail) or another animal is frightened by a noise (a fart). The chicken thinks this is a sign of an approaching war (the end of the world, the sky is falling down), and flees in panic together with the rooster (they go to tell the king about the disaster). They meet other animals (e.g. goose, hare, dog, bear, wolf, fox) who come to share their fear and go along with them. The misunderstanding is cleared up, or the animals fall into a pit. In some variants they arrive at the fox's den. The fox invites them inside and eats them.

20D. Pilgrimage of the Animals. A rooster wants to go to Rome in order to become pope. his wife accompanies him, along with more and more other animals. They meet the fox, who invites them to rest in his den. He asks them to sing, and eats them one by one afterwards. Often the fox pretends to go on a pilgrimage (to a convent). Other animals (chicken, duck, goose, magpie, sparrow) go along with him. The fox asks to hear their confessions or accuses them of sings which are characteristic of the different kinds of animals. Then the fox eats them as a punishment. In some variants the fox tells the rooster (partridge, lark) that he has become religious and repents his past actions, or he dresses as a nun. Then he reproaches the rooster with his sons (his polygamy) and offers to hear his confession. When the rooster comes near, the fox catches him and gobbles him up. Or the rooster escapes by a ruse.

additional information:

Wikipedia: Henny Penny
Ashliman: End of the World / Sky Is Falling 20C / 2033
Cock and Hen that Went to the Dovrefell. Asbjornsen and Moe, East o' the Sun (Dasent at Baldwin)
Africa: Kidd Savage childhood (1906) 240 No. 9 [online at Hathi]

African-American: (Georgia) Harris Nights 108. No. 20 [online at Hathi]

0020 Eat the Smallest First:
Booss Scandinavian: End of the World + Little Chicken Kluk
Lion in the Well. Abrahams, Afro-American
Six hungry beasts: Lang Crimson (Finnish)
0020A Animals in a Pit
Beasts in a Pit: Afanasyev
0020D Cock as Pope
Nun Vixen. Megas, Folktales of Greece
Plop (Tibet) - Clarkson and Cross / World

ASHLIMAN:
End of the World / Sky Is Falling 20C / 2033
The Story of Chicken-Licken (England, James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps).
Henny-Penny and Her Fellow Travelers (Scotland, Robert Chambers).
The End of the World (Ireland).
The Cock and the Hen That Went to Dovrefjell (Norway, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe).
The Little Chicken Kluk and His Companions (Denmark, Benjamin Thorpe).
The End of the World (Flanders, Jean de Bosschère).
Brother Rabbit Takes Some Exercise (African-American, Joel Chandler Harris).