Well, it’s about clucking time.
Many online have recently realized that one of the most timeworn jokes in the English language is a clever, existential double entendre.
The iconic one-liner, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” — the answer being, “To get to the other side” — is more than just an anti-joke, turns out.
The punchline, many have explained, is that that the chicken became road kill and reached the “other side,” better known as the afterlife.
“Hang on a damn second. You’re telling me that the chicken who crossed the road was KILLED and went to “the other side??” THATS THE JOKE?” one X user posted in December.
“All these years, I thought that little f—er was just crossing the road,” she added in a viral commentary peppered with fowl language.
Many commented over how shocked they were to learn the hidden truth. One admitted they understood it after reading a joke to their children once.
“I don’t know whether to be sad, cry, confused, impressed, or feel really stupid,” another wrote.
“I must admit, I kind of appreciate the closure on this whole chicken crossing the road business.”
Another user couldn’t comprehend the life-altering revelation after learning the dark meaning behind the children’s rhyme: “This little piggy went to the market.”
It is believed that the first piggy’s purpose for going to market was to be served as a meal — rather than being treated to a day trip.
The second one, who stayed home, wasn’t mature enough to be eaten, while the third — the one who had roast beef — still needed to be fattened.
The fourth piggy, who had none, was already plump enough, and the fifth, who cried “wee! wee! wee!” all the way home, is lamenting its unfortunate fate.
“When I was a kid, I genuinely thought that “this little piggy went to market” meant it actually WENT to market, like I thought it went shopping,” an X user squealed.
“No wonder the last one went screaming all the way home,” another user commented.
