Macaulay David - Why the Chicken Crossed the Road

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Why the Chicken Crossed the Road David Macaulay Houghton Mifflin Company
Boston

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For Tom Sgouros Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Macaulay, David. Why the chicken crossed the road. Summary: By crossing a road, a chicken sets off a
series of wild events, in which the Anderson twins
blow up their bathroom and the brave young Hooper lad
is rolled up and delivered inside an Oriental rug. [1. Humorous stories] I. Title.
PZ7.M1197Wh 1987 [E] 87-2908
ISBN 0-395-44241-9 Copyright 1987 by David Macaulay All rights reserved.

For information about permission
to reproduce selections from this book, write to
Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2 Park Street,
Boston, Massachusetts 02108. Printed in the United States of America RNF ISBN 0-395-44241-9
PAP ISBN 0-395-58411-6
HOR 10 9 8 7 6 5 4

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Why the Chicken
Crossed the Road One day a chicken ran across a road. This startled some cows, who stampeded over an ancient bridge, causing it to collapse onto a passing train. Desperate Dan, who was being taken to jail for stealing, escaped from the train, but not before helping himself to the contents of the safe. As he disappeared into the woods, his sack tore on some brambles, and one by one, his ill-gotten gains slipped through the hole. Spotting a shiny gold watch, a magpie swooped down and scooped it up.

But time does not fly. The watch was too heavy for the bird, who dropped it into the Fletchers' water tank, blocking the pipe. On her way up the ladder to investigate, Mrs. Fletcher saw smoke rising from the train, but since she didn't see the train itself, she promptly called the fire department. Napoleon Greasling, who was always practicing for the next fire, forgot to lower the ladder, so it snapped the electric line to the Zembo Ice Company. Although picturesque, the results snarled traffic and delayed Mrs. Although picturesque, the results snarled traffic and delayed Mrs.

Anderson's return home. Left to their own devices, the Anderson twins turned to science and substantially enlarged the bathroom. Stunned by the explosion, Clarella Sweet conducted a surprise inspection of Mel Toom's garbage truck. Ordered to rest for a few days, she reluctantly gave her nephew Rollo her ticket to the big game. Because the game was televised, Lulu Thump, the retired math teacher, happened to notice Rollo Sweet in the crowd and suddenly recalled his abominable behavior in school. On its way to the Institute for closer inspection, Miss Thump's find traveled past Fern's Carpet Shop, where Barney Fern became so distracted that he inadvertently rolled up his careless assistant in one of their finest Oriental rugs. Which is how the Hooper lad came to be delivered to the Clepcoe mansion. Assuming young Hooper had smuggled himself in to steal the famous Clepcoe jewels, Thompson was about to call the police when the frightened boy leapt out the window,

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