"O, little white hen, where are you going?" asked the fox.
"Quirrichi, quirrichi," replied the little white hen, "I am going to the royal palace to carry a letter to the king."
"Indeed, little white hen," said the fox, "I should like to go with you. Give me your permission to accompany you on your journey."
"I shall be glad to have you go with me," said the little white hen. "It is a very long journey to the royal palace where the king lives. Wouldn't you like me to carry you in my little brown basket?"
The fox climbed into the little brown basket. After the little white hen had gone on for some distance farther she met a river. Once upon a time the little white hen had done the river a kindness. He had, with great difficulty, thrown some ugly worms upon the bank and he was afraid they would crawl back in again. The little white hen had eaten them for him. Always after that the river had been her friend.
"O, little white hen, where are you going?" the river called out as soon as he saw her.
"Quirrichi, quirrichi, I am going to the royal palace to carry a letter to the king," replied the little white hen.
"O, little white hen, may I go with you?" asked the river.
The little white hen told the river that he might go with her and asked him to ride in the little brown basket. So the river climbed into the little brown basket.
After the little white hen had journeyed along for a time she came to a fire. Once upon a time, when the fire had been dying the little white hen had brought some dried grass. The grass had given the fire new life and always after that he had been the friend of the little white hen.