Chicken Little

Chicken Little

1. A children’s fable about a young chick who, in the traditional version, believes the sky is falling after an acorn hits her head. Also known by other names including The Sky is Falling.
2. The main character in this story, a hysterical young chick (alternatively named Chicken Licken under a different title) or, by extension, someone that resembles the character.
   • 1982, Donald A. Marchand and Forest W. Horton, Information Management in Public Administration, Info Resources Press, →ISBN, page 118

     With so many “Chicken Littles” running around claiming the sky is about to fall, the men at the top normally cannot do much until “Henney Penney” [sic.] and “Foxy Loxy” have also started screaming for help, or there is a convergence of alarm signals from a number of unrelated sources within the organization.

   • 1995, 12 Monkeys

     Dr. Railly, you've given the alarmists a bad name. […] Surely there's very real and convincing data that the planet cannot survive the excesses of the human race. […] Proliferation of atomic devices, uncontrolled breeding habits, pollution of land, sea and air, the rape of the environment. In this context, isn't it obvious that Chicken Little represents the sane vision, and that Homo sapiens' motto, "Let's go shopping," is the cry of the true lunatic?

• Henny Penny
• Wikipedia article on Chicken Little