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'''"Why did the chicken cross the road?"''' is one of the oldest and most famous [[riddles]] still in use in the English language. When asked at the end of a series of other riddles, whose answers are clever, obscure, and tricky, this answer's obviousness and straight-forwardness becomes part of the humor.

==Origin==
(contracted; show full)
:"Why did the chewing gum cross the road?" "Because it was stuck to the chicken's feet."
:"Why did the duck cross the road?" "Because the chicken was on holiday."
:"Why did the dinosaur cross the road?" "Because chickens weren't invented."
:"Why did the punk rocker cross the road?" "He was stapled to the chicken."
:"Why did the elephant cross the road?" "Chicken's day off."

Some variants do away with the chicken all:"Why did the vampire cross the road?" "Because it was stuck toge  ther, retaining only the road motif: chickens neck."

:"Why did the one-armed man cross the road?" "To get to the second-hand store."

Other variants employ [[anti-humor]] by giving a "rational" answer that is also absurd: "Why did the chicken cross the road?" "Because it had no [[frontal lobe]]."

The joke is reportedly codified into law in at least one municipality of the USA. A [[Quitman, Georgia]] ordinance prohibits chickens from crossing the road.<!-- It's a capital offense, and violators get fried. --><ref>Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts, ''Loony Laws & Silly Statutes'', Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1994. ISBN 0806904720</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite web|title="Why did the chicken cross the road?" (science/philosophy)|url=http://www.allauthors.com/archives/cat__creative_nonfiction_essays.html|work=allauthors.com|author=Robert Flach}}
* {{cite web|title="Jokes explained: Why did the chicken cross the road?"|url=http://www.insaneabode.com/roboterotica/jokesexplained/whydidthechicken.html|work=insaneabode.com|author=Ryan North|authorlink=Ryan North}}
* {{cite web|title=Why did the chicken cross the road? The story of a meme|url=http://www.roumazeilles.net/news/nw/news0056.php|work=roumazeilles.net|date=31 December 2006|author=Yves Roumazeilles}}

[[Category:Humor]]
[[Category:Jokes]]
[[Category:Chicken]]
[[Category:19th-century introductions]]

[[fr:Pourquoi le poulet a-t-il traversé la route ?]]
[[fi:Miksi kana ylitti tien?]]