When Mother Hen wanted them to come home she would call, "Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck!" and all the little chicks would come running to the coop.
One hot summer afternoon, Mrs. Hill was sitting on the back porch mending stockings. All the big hens were scattered around the place—some in the garden, some in the cornfield, some in the farmyard—scratching for bugs and worms.
Suddenly there was a great cackling and scurrying among the fowls. Those in the garden ran and cackled, those in the cornfield ran and cackled, those in the farmyard ran and cackled. They all ran as fast as they could to the hen house.
Mrs. Hill, hearing the commotion, stood up and looked around to see what was the matter.
There in the sky coming toward the farmyard, was a large gray hen hawk.
Old Mother Hen heard the cries of the other fowls and knew there was danger, so she called her chicks to come home. "Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck!" went Mother Hen.
All the little chicks tried to run home to the chicken coop. They ran as fast as their little short legs could carry them.
Little Yellow Chick could not run fast. He tried very hard, but stumbled over a chip near the wood-pile.
The hawk up in the sky with his sharp eye saw Little Yellow Chick and flew straight toward him.
Old Mother Hen could not help Little Yellow Chick, for she could not get out of the coop.