Learning is Communication, Storytelling

Learning Is Communication "The sky is falling", said Chicken Little in a panic and ran to his friend Cocky Locky with the bad news. Together they ran and gathered four more friends - all running to tell the King the alarming news. He, being the authority, surely could do something about it. However, when they reached the seventh friend, Foxy Loxy, the running stopped. Foxy Loxy ran along for a while but never with the intent of reaching the King - he led them to his den from which they never returned - the sky really had fallen on them in the shape of a big jaw with sharp teeth." The old children's classic is known to all of us and has been used as metaphor for many modern 'panicky situations,' especially for spreading bad news like wildfire and trusting authority blindly. What if the story had happened differently? It could have, if instead of running in panic there had been talking, listening, and learning. Here is our story of Chicken Little: Chicken Little slept under an oak tree when an acorn hit his head and woke him. He fell into a panic and ran to his friend Cocky Locky, crying:
	"The sky is falling, the sky is falling! We must run and inform the King!"
	tried to be calm and asked: "What makes you think so?"
	"I felt it falling on my head."
	"Where were you when this happened?"
	"Under the oak tree - I really felt the bump, Cocky Locky!"
	"I believe you, Chicken Little, but something else could have hit you, something falling from the tree ..., let's find out before we run to the King."
	"You know, you are right - let's go and ask Ducky Lucky - she is a wise old duck."
	And they joined hands, walked to the pond where Ducky Luckylived, and told her the story. Ducky Lucky listened carefully and finally said:
	"Let me call my friend Drakey Lakey who lives also on this pond; he is very, very smart - together we will find out what hit you, Chicken Little."
	Drakey Lakey joined them and all four were discussing what could have hit Chicken Little while sleeping under the oak tree.
	"You were asleep, Chicken Little, you might have felt the bump much stronger than had you been awake - besides you would have seen what hit you."
	"That's right - I didn't think of that. Did you, maybe hear a sound, Chicken Little, when - whatever it was - hit you?"
	"Did I hear something? I don't think so - it is possible; but I certainly didn't see what bumped me."
	"Yes, yes - I see so many possibilities! It could have been a branch or an acorn falling from the tree; - a bird's wing touching you while flying by; - a chipmunk jumping on you; - someone could have thrown a stone; - friend Mole could have dug up dirt and some of it hit you; - and it could have been the sky falling or something falling from the sky!"
	They became pensive in the face of so many possibilities and were thinking for a long time; but Chicken Little couldn't be thoughtful for too long: "My head hurts and I want to find out what hit me!"
	"Right you are, little one - and we all will help you finding out. The two wisest members of the barnyard beyond the pond are Goosey Loosey and Turkey Lurkey. Let's consult with them."
	They all joined hands and marched to the barnyard. Goosey Loosey and Turkey Lurkey listened to the story, pondered over the many possibilities of what might have hit Chicken Little, and if they should inform the King. Then Goosey Loosey spoke in her warm, grandmotherly voice:
	"First of all, Chicken Little, don't be afraid! If the sky had started to fall we all should have felt it by now - look up - it's spreading all over us!"
	Everybody sighed in agreement and wonderment about Goosey Loosey's wisdom as she continued:
	"Secondly, I believe, we need to go on searching and find out what happened to you, Chicken Little, and why your head is still hurting. We've learned about so many possibilities, but there might be more."
	At this point Turkey Lurkey cleared his throat and everybody was looking at him expectantly as he spoke:
	"Goosey Loosey is right - we've thought of everything possible. The King has advisors who know more - let's go to see him and find out."
	The decision was made, they all joined hands and started on the way to the castle. In the middle of the road appeared Foxy LoxyAll stopped in their tracks, not feeling too much at ease. Foxy Loxy, after all, was sometimes a friend and sometimes not. He was curious about their destination and they told him the story. Oh, Foxy Loxy thought he was clever, saying:
	"Well, going to the King is a good idea - I will come with you. But, I think I have a better solution which would save you the long travel. Would you consider following me to my den, so that I can show you?"
	The offer left them speechless until Cocky Locky found his voice:
	"You killed my brothers and many members of my family. Why would I go to your den?"
	"Same here, same here!"
	"Foxy Loxy, do you really think we don't know your game? You might be able to get one of us, when alone and not thinking. But we are together and THINKING."
	Foxy Loxy disappeared in a flash and the group of friends continued on their way to the King. Upon arrival the guards of the castle did not want to let them in. It took all of Turkey Lurkey's persuasion to get an audience with the King. Finally they appeared before him. The King seemed impatient. Yet the longer he listened to their story the more attentive he became.At last he looked at Chicken Little for a long moment and ordered:
	"Come here!"
	Chicken Little followed the command shyly - and then felt the King's hands touching and probing his head feathers. There was a plop! and the King held a big acorn in his hands which had been buried in Chicken Little's thick feathers. The friends felt great relief and gratefulness, most of all Chicken Little whose head had stopped aching. Turkey Lurkey stepped forward and spoke for the six friends:
	"We thank you, King, for helping our friend Chicken Little - finding the cause and relief of his pain." "We thank you more for what you taught us: we were only speculating on the possible causes of our friend's affliction. We should have first investigated what was right in front of us." "You are wise and you are kind! Thank you and peace be with you and us all!"
	On the way home - dancing, laughing and happy - they met Foxy Loxy again, but paid no attention to him. He, however, could tell by their behavior that he would not be able to outsmart them any longer. Very thoughtfully he followed them at a distance. We leave the interpretation of our Chicken Little story to each reader - but every character has learned something by way of communication: listening, reflecting, talking, doing - including the King and Foxy Loxy.

	To elaborate on the message of this story, please visit the theatre crystal.