Chicken Picken's

Summary

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Stories Podcast: "Chicken Pickens" (October 19, 2025)

Host: Amanda Walden
Producer: Ellie Hines
Written by: Daniel Hines

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Episode Overview

"Chicken Pickens" is a lighthearted, imaginative retelling of a classic fable centered on Vicki, a teeny tiny little itty bitty baby chick with a big love for corn and even bigger determination. The story follows Vicki’s adventure after she finds a sparkling diamond ring and tries to trade it for her dream—a whole kernel of corn all to herself. Full of wit, warmth, and whimsical repetition, the episode teaches lessons about value, honesty, and kindness, all while keeping things fun and kid-appropriate.

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Key Discussion Points & Story Beats

1. Introduction to Vicki the Chick (02:38–04:37)

• Vicki is described as the smallest of her siblings—"teeny tiny little itty bitty"—with a similarly tiny voice.
• Her greatest wish: to one day eat a whole corn kernel by herself, although her mom reminds her it’s currently as big as her head.
• Quote: “She had hatched just a few days earlier and she was nothing more than a handful of yellow fluff bright as the sunshine hitting a sunflower on a sunny day.” (02:44, Amanda Walden)

2. Discovery of the Diamond Ring (04:37–05:47)

• While pecking for corn, Vicki finds a glowing object, quickly identifying it as a diamond ring from a lullaby (“Hush, Little Baby”).
• She decides maybe the ring could be traded for corn.
• Quote: “Vicki knew in her teeny tiny little itty bitty heart of hearts that she could definitely eat a whole kernel.” (04:16, Amanda Walden)

3. Vicki’s Trip to the Farmer’s Market (08:10–09:09)

• The market is described from Vicki’s small perspective—overwhelming, wondrous, and full of potential.
• Vicki visits the corn vendor, excited at the mountain of corn on display.

4. Failed Barter: The Dishonest Vendor (11:34–12:59)

• Vicki tries to trade the ring for corn with a stall woman, who instead tries to take the ring without reward.
• Vicki refuses to be tricked, escapes with the ring, and continues on her quest.
• Notable exchange:
  • “For nothing,” said the woman. “Who will believe a chick thief?” (12:29)
  • “Vicki shouted, and she leapt off the woman's table, the ring held tight in her beak.” (12:45)

5. The Jewelry Trader (13:34–15:15)

• At another table, a kind man appraises the ring, offering “$1,000.”
• Vicki doesn’t understand what money is:
  • “What is a dollar?” (14:43, Vicki)
  • She tastes a $10 bill: “Blech. No thank you. These taste terrible. Why would I want a thousand of them?” (15:11, Vicki)
• Vicki gives up on money as a “reward.”

6. The Corn Stall (15:55–17:15)

• The corn vendor offers Vicki “three bushels” for the ring, but Vicki, not knowing what a bushel is and frustrated by all the confusion, refuses and storms off.
• Quote: “Now I don't want to get robbed and I don't want ugly paper and I don't want a bushel, whatever that is. I want corn.” (17:05, Vicki)

7. The True Owner and a Reward (17:15–18:30)

• Vicki finds the farmer's wife searching for her lost ring.
• Without hesitation, Vicki returns the ring.
• The farmer’s wife showers Vicki with gratitude and promises a special reward.

8. Vicki’s Happy Ending (18:30–19:12)

• From that day forward, the farmer's wife brings Vicki a whole corn kernel every morning as a thank-you.
• Vicki achieves her dream, feeling loved and satisfied.
• Quote: “And from that day on, every morning the kindly woman would bring Vicki a corn kernel of her very own as a reward for finding her ring, and Vicky ate them until she was stuffed, round as a fuzzy yellow tennis ball and happy beyond all belief.” (18:53, Amanda Walden)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On ambition:
  “One day I'll eat a whole kernel.” (04:37, Vicki)
• On value and misunderstanding money:
  “Blech. No thank you. These taste terrible. Why would I want a thousand of them?” (15:11, Vicki)
• Resolution and moral:
  “You found it! She cheered, picking Vicki up and showering her with teeny tiny little itty bitty kisses. You're the best little chicken ever. You need a reward. What kind of reward would you like?” (18:23, Farmer’s Wife)
• Moral takeaway:
  Returning what doesn’t belong to you brings real rewards—sometimes exactly the kind you’ve wished for.

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Episode Flow by Timestamp

• [02:38] The adventure begins: Vicki’s love for corn and underdog charm is introduced.
• [04:37] Vicki finds a “priceless” ring.
• [08:10] At the bustling farmer’s market.
• [11:34] First failed trade with the dishonest vendor.
• [13:34] Hilariously literal misunderstanding with the jewelry trader.
• [15:55] The final straw: Vicki’s exasperation with the corn stall.
• [17:15] The heartwarming conclusion: returning the ring and earning just the right reward.

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Tone & Style

The episode is warm, playful, and engaging, layering gentle humor with simple but resonant lessons. The repeated phrase—“teeny tiny little itty bitty”—serves both as a storytelling hook and a reminder of Vicki’s perseverance despite her size. The story’s gentle, circular structure is comforting for kids, and the resolution emphasizes kindness, honesty, and the joy of simple things.

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For Parents and Kids:
This episode is perfect for sparking discussions about honesty, understanding value, asking for help, and the rewards of doing the right thing. It also opens up imagination to a “chick’s-eye view” of the world, making big subjects feel accessible and fun.

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Transcript

[Amanda Walden]

Hello.

[Ellie Hines]

Welcome to Stories Podcast.

[Amanda Walden]

I'm your host, Amanda Walden. Today's story is called Chicken Pickens, an.

[Ellie Hines]

Adaptation of a classic fable written for.

[Amanda Walden]

You by Daniel Hines.

[Ellie Hines]

We have Stories podcast merch, [e-mail] shop. We're also on Cameo for all of your personalized video message needs. And don't forget to follow us on Instagram oriespodcast. If you send us a drawing of your favorite scene or character, we'll share.

[Amanda Walden]

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[Amanda Walden]

Thanks. Enjoy the episode. Chicken Pickens Once upon a time, there was a teeny tiny little itty bitty baby chick named Vicki. She had hatched just a few days earlier and she was nothing more than a handful of yellow fluff bright as the sunshine hitting a sunflower on a sunny day. Her voice was as small as she was a little pip pip peep that floated through the air like one of her fine downy feathers. Vicky had a handful of fuzzy teeny tiny little itty bitty baby chick brothers and sisters, and they were nice enough, but as teeny tiny little itty bitty as they were, Vicky was even teeny tiny little itty bittier. So she got pushed around when it came time to eat. And that bothered Vicky because while she hadn't been around the big wide world very long, she'd been around just long enough to learn one very important fact. She loved corn. Yep, yeah, and yes siree, there was nothing like corn. When she was a baby, she ate it in tiny cracked pieces, and now that she was a slightly older baby, she ate corn kernels broken into chunks. One day she hoped to have an entire kernel of corn all to herself, but she always had to share, and her mom told her, Vicky chicky, a corn kernel is the size of your head. You can't eat it. But Vicki knew in her teeny tiny little itty bitty heart of hearts that she could definitely eat a whole kernel. So it was one beautiful fall morning that the little chicky Vicky was pecking around the farmyard, eating little pieces of cracked corn with her little beak and dreaming of a giant whole golden kernel to herself.

[Vicki (Character)]

One day I'll eat a whole kernel.

[Amanda Walden]

Like mom, she said to herself.

[Vicki (Character)]

I'll get a whole kernel and I'll eat it and I will be full for a week. I'll be. Oh, what's that?

[Amanda Walden]

Her little eye had spied something glowing golden, half buried in the dirt of the farmyard.

[Vicki (Character)]

Could it be corn?

[Amanda Walden]

She asked, her eyes going wide and bright as new pennies. She hopped through the yard and came to the item in the dirt. It wasn't corn, but it was glowing a beautiful sunny yellow and had a big chunk of what looked like glass on it. The glass caught the sunlight and reflected little rainbows all over. It was the second most beautiful thing Vicki had ever seen, the first being, of course, corn.

[Vicki (Character)]

What is this?

[Amanda Walden]

She said, scratching in the dirt and then pulling it free. She looked at the strange object until she remembered what her mom had called it. It's a ring, she said.

[Vicki (Character)]

A gold and diamond ring.

[Amanda Walden]

Now, you might think it's strange that a mom chicken had told her chicks about a diamond ring, but it's not so strange as all that. Vicky's mom had sung her a song that your mom might have sung you. It goes, hush, little baby, don't say a word. Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird. Which made sense, since Vicki had several friends who were mockingbirds and several enemies who were birds. She liked to mock, but the second line is, and if that mockingbird don't sing, mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring. That hadn't made sense. Vicki and her brothers and sisters had peeped and pipped and even perped at their mom until she explained all about rings and diamonds and how humans thought that they were very valuable. Valuable. And now Vicki had one all to herself. She picked up the diamond ring in her little beak and carried it off into a corner of the farmyard by the old gate. The grass was always mowed short there, and the farmer's dogs kept the mean animals out, so it was a good spot for a teeny tiny little itty bitty chick to hide and think. I have this ring, she said to herself, thinking hard, but what I want is corn. It was a hard problem, especially when you had a teeny tiny little itty bitty brain. But eventually Vicky Chicky figured it out. She could trade the ring for corn. She had seen the farmer trade all sorts of things with people, usually vegetables for coins, but she'd also seen everything from furniture and, yes, even jewelry, traded for big bags of sweets or other fancy items like corn. So with that in mind, Vicky Chicky picked up the ring in her little beak and and tottered across the lawn. She tottered past the big cows mooing at their milking, then tottered past the pale pigs wallowing in their mud. She tottered past the horses stomping in their stables, and finally she tottered right down to the driveway and into the little farmer's market at the end of the lane. Now it was only a little farmer's market, just the locals all coming together once a week to sell to the.

[Ellie Hines]

City folks who drove out.

[Amanda Walden]

But to a teeny tiny little itty bitty chicky like Vicky, it seemed like the biggest, most impressive festival in the history of the world. There were stalls selling eggs, her mom's eggs, even though she didn't know it. And there were stalls selling fine homemade cheeses wrapped in paper. There was syrup and jams and bread and linens and crafts and just everything a little bird brain could think of and more. What a busy market, Vicki said to herself, looking all around and taking special care not to get stepped on.

[Vicki (Character)]

I wonder where I should trade my ring.

[Amanda Walden]

She looked left and she looked right, and she saw a woman who was selling ears of corn, all of them piled beautifully in a basket. Vicki peeped in delight and then hurried over to the booth, dodging humans and dogs and the occasional tripping toddler.

[Ellie Hines]

Now for a quick ad break. We'll be back with the rest of the story after this. If you'd like Stories Podcast and other favorite Kid Podcasts Ad free. Subscribe to Wondery Kids on Apple Podcasts. Autumn is in full swing and IXL helps keep homeschooling lessons structured and steady. Whether you're following a set curriculum or creating your own, IXL is an award winning online learning platform that fits seamlessly into homeschooling, especially this time of year. It offers interactive practice across math, language arts, science and social studies for every grade from Pre K through 12. IXL adapts to your child's level and gives them the right challenge at the right time. Whether your kid is reviewing third grade math or jumping into sixth grade reading, IXL meets them where they are and lets them move at their own pace.

[Amanda Walden]

And it keeps kids motivated.

[Ellie Hines]

Between the awards, challenges and little moments of celebration, IXL makes it easy to keep learning light and engaging. Over 15 million students use IXL and more than 75 research studies show it actually works. That's real peace of mind for homeschool parents. Make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and stories. Podcast listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl.com dragon Visit ixl.com dragon to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.

[Nanimals Advertiser]

This is an ad for Nanimals. Hi Stories fans. Pets are great, but have you ever tried putting a parakeet in your pocket or a cat in your backpack? Spoiler alert. It won't go well, but Nanimals are the perfect pals to play with on the go. Nanimals are mini animal figures with heart meters that fill up the more you pet, feed and move them. They interact with you by making over 70 sounds and silly reactions. And if you have more than one, Nanimals will interact with each other too. You can connect them and swap their textured outfits to create different styles. Nanimals are tactile and tiny, making them a great toy to fidget with on the go. And since they come with a handy backpack clip, it's easy to take them anywhere. Nanimals collect and connect.

[Amanda Walden]

Hello, Vicki said when she got to the stall. Of course she was too small to hear, so she had to climb up on the tablecloth and stand right in front of the woman.

[Vicki (Character)]

Hello, can you hear me?

[Amanda Walden]

Oh, hello little chick, said the woman. What can I do for you today? I'm looking to trade for some corn, said Vicki. The woman looked at her skeptically. And you can probably imagine why the little baby chick was standing there peeping at her. And what could it possibly hope to trade? I don't think we can do business, said the woman. But I have this to trade, said Vicki, reaching into her puffy yellow feathers and pulling out the diamond ring. The woman at the stall gasped. Where did you get that? I found it, said Vicki. That's much too valuable for a teeny tiny little itty bitty chick like you, the woman said, reaching for the ring. Give that here for the corn? Asked Vicki. For nothing, said the woman. Who will believe a chick thief? Vicki shouted, and she leapt off the woman's table, the ring held tight in her beak. It was a long way down, but.

[Ellie Hines]

She was just a ball of fuzz.

[Amanda Walden]

And while her wings didn't fly yet, they could help her glide just fine. She hit the ground with a plop and then ran across the market, leaving the nasty woman far behind. Next she saw a man who had a whole table of random stuff, everything from toys and sports stuff to watches and jewelry like her ring. As she watched, the man took a ring from another woman and gave her a handful of something in return. Oh, the jewelry trader, said Vicki.

[Vicki (Character)]

He's the man I need.

[Amanda Walden]

With the ring tucked back in her feathers, she made her careful way across the market yard and onto the man's table. He looked at her and then smiled a wide smile. Hello, little chick, he said. What can Uncle Sal help you with today? I have this ring, said Vicky, pulling it out for the man to see. He smiled at the ring and then, with Vicki's permission, picked it up and looked it over. He looked at it far away and then looked at it up close with a little magnifying glass. Then he looked at it under the table in the dark and fully up in the sun. He buzzed it with some strange tool and then put it down in front of Vicki Chicky again. It's a real diamond ring and very nice quality, he said. The stone is small but clear. I could give you $1,000 for this ring right now. Interesting offer, said Vicki. Chicky.

[Vicki (Character)]

Very interesting offer.

[Amanda Walden]

Extremely, superbly interesting offer.

[Vicki (Character)]

I just have one question.

[Amanda Walden]

What's that?

[Vicki (Character)]

What is a dollar?

[Amanda Walden]

Asked Vicki, not sure if the little chick was joking or not. The man peeled a ten dollar bill off of his stack and laid it in front of the chicken. Vicki looked at it. Kinda pretty, sorta green. Then she smelled it. Very funky, not good at all. Finally she bent down and tasted a corner. Blech. No thank you, she said.

[Vicki (Character)]

These taste terrible. Why would I want a thousand of them?

[Amanda Walden]

They taste no. You can trade dollars for things you want, but teeny tiny little itty bitty Vicky had teeny tiny little itty bitty patience too, and she was already done listening. So she jumped off the table and walked away before she could hear the man explain that money could buy things like corn, which is of course all she wanted to buy to begin with. Finally Vicki saw a table that was practically bursting with corn. It had stalks of corn out front, ears of corn shucked and ready to go, and even jars of canned corn as relish and soup.

[Vicki (Character)]

Oh my corn.

[Amanda Walden]

Vicki said, running full speed to the table and practically throwing herself to the top of it. Why hello little chickadee, said the old woman behind the table. You like corn, I guess? Love it, said Vicki.

[Vicki (Character)]

I'm looking to buy some.

[Amanda Walden]

Do you have any money? Asked the kind old woman.

[Vicki (Character)]

I have this.

[Amanda Walden]

Vicki pulled the golden ring out of her feathers. It caught the sun very impressively, the gold flashing and the diamond gleaming like a burning rainbow. That is beautiful, she said. For this I could give you three bushels. Now Vicky didn't know this and you might not either, but a bushel is a big barrel of corn. So Vicki was being offered more corn than a little chicken like her could ever eat. But since she didn't know what the word meant, a bushel?

[Vicki (Character)]

No, I want corn. But a bushel.

[Amanda Walden]

I don't care about bushels, said Vicki, Chicky getting aggravated.

[Vicki (Character)]

Now I don't want to get robbed and I don't want ugly paper and I don't want a bushel, whatever that is. I want corn.

[Amanda Walden]

And with that she took the diamond ring and jumped down off the table. She stomped out of the booth and stomped out of the market and she stomped herself the whole way home. When she got there she went to go sit in her private little spot by the gate and was surprised to see the farmer's wife there. She was a wonderful lady and worked as a nurse in town. She helped with the animals and Vicki knew she sometimes had a little cracked corn in her pockets. Vicki walked up to the woman and saw she was pawing through the grass. It was strange behavior, so Vicki sat next to her to watch. Where is it? Where is it? She was saying. Then she looked over at Vicki and smiled. Oh, hello little chicken. Don't mind me. I just dropped my wedding ring this morning and I'm hoping to find it. The farmyard is so big though, it's probably gone forever. Hearing this, Vicki immediately pulled the ring out of her feathers and offered it up to the woman. It was a good thing that no one had bought it at the market. It had belonged to her farmer's wife all along. You found it. She. She cheered, picking Vicki up and showering her with teeny tiny little itty bitty kisses. You're the best little chicken ever. You need a reward. What kind of reward would you like? Vicki turned to her and smiled. And from that day on, every morning the kindly woman would bring Vicki a corn kernel of her very own as a reward for finding her ring, and Vicky ate them until she was stuffed, round as a fuzzy yellow tennis ball and happy beyond all belief. The End Today's story Chicken Pickens, was an adaptation of a classic fable written for you by Daniel Hines. It was edited and produced for you.

[Ellie Hines]

By Ellie Hines and performed for you.

[Amanda Walden]

By me, Amanda Weldon.

[Ellie Hines]

If you would like to support Stories podcast, you can leave us a five star review on iTunes. Check out all of our merch [e-mail] Shop Commission a special video on Cameo, follow us on Instagram oriespodcast or simply tell your friends about us.

[Amanda Walden]

Thanks for listening.

[Ellie Hines]

Autumn is in full swing and IXL helps keep homeschooling lessons structured and steady. Whether you're following a set curriculum or creating your own, IXL is an award winning online learning platform that fits seamlessly into homeschooling, especially this time of year. It offers interactive practice across math, language arts, science and social studies for every grade from Pre K through 12. IXL adapts to your child's level and gives them the right challenge at the right time. Whether your kid is reviewing third grade math or jumping into sixth grade reading, IXL meets them where they are and lets them move at their own pace.

[Amanda Walden]

And it keeps kids motivated.

[Ellie Hines]

Between the awards, challenges and little moments of celebration, IXL makes it easy to keep learning light and engaging. Over 15 million students use IXL and more than 75 research studies show it actually works. That's real peace of mind for homeschool parents make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and stories. Podcast listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl.com dragon Visit ixl.com dragon to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.