The House with Chicken Legs – A Scary bedtime Story for Kids

Hey there! Are you ready for a fun and spooky bedtime story? It is about The House with Chicken Legs.

Today’s tale is about something extraordinary — a house with chicken legs! Yes, you read that right!

A house that doesn’t sit still… it walks around on giant chicken legs and takes its owner to new places without even asking!

This story is a little scary, a little magical, and a whole lot of exciting. You’ll meet a mysterious witch, a wandering house, and some surprising twists.

But don’t worry — it’s just the right amount of spooky for brave little readers like you!

So, snuggle up, keep the lights low (not too dark!), and let’s begin this weird and wonderful bedtime adventure!

Parental Caution

Parents, a quick heads-up!

This tale is just spooky—think gentle shivers, not full-on nightmares.

It’s perfect for kids around 8–10 years old (like scary stories for 9-year-olds) and even those in 5th grade who enjoy a little ghostly fun.

If your little one is extra sensitive to eerie sounds or shadowy scenes (what we might call ghost stories for 5th graders), you might want to read along or keep the room light enough for comfort.

Ready? Let’s step inside the wandering house if everyone feels brave and cozy!

Short History of the Story

Did you know that the idea of a house with chicken legs comes from ancient stories told in places like Russia and Eastern Europe?

These are called Slavic folktales, and people used to tell them long ago, before TV or the internet!

Those stories feature a magical and sometimes scary old witch named Baba Yaga. She lives in a witch’s house with chicken legs, which can stand up and walk around the forest.

The house has no front door unless you say a secret magic word. Pretty cool, right?

Baba Yaga isn’t your usual witch. Sometimes she’s helpful, sometimes she’s tricky, and sometimes she’s downright spooky!

Her chicken legs house has become so famous that many books and modern stories still use it today. That’s how the idea of the house with chicken legs folklore is still alive and exciting for new readers like you.

The House with Chicken Legs – Let’s Read

Once upon a time, deep in a quiet forest, the trees whispered secrets to each other.

“Did you hear that?” a traveler might ask, looking around nervously.
And someone else might reply, “It’s just the wind… or maybe Baba Yaga’s house moving again.”

Because in those woods, they say a strange house wanders on giant chicken legs. It walks from place to place, never settling. Some believe it’s a myth. Others? They’ve seen the footprints.

A girl named Marinka lives inside that magical, walking house—and her life is anything but ordinary.

Meet Marinka and Her Walking House

“Wake up, sleepy woodpile!” Marinka laughed, patting the wooden wall.

With a loud creak, the house groaned as if stretching after a long nap. It rose to its feet—giant chicken legs covered in feathers, claws digging into the earth—and took a few slow steps forward.

“Not the mountains again,” Marinka muttered, rubbing her forehead. “Can’t we go somewhere with people? Just once?”

She was twelve. She had wild curls, wide eyes, and big dreams. But she didn’t go to school. She didn’t play with kids. She lived with Baba Yaga, her grandmother, in this magical house.

“You’ll learn the ways, child,” Baba Yaga often said. “It is your path to guide the dead.”

“But what if I don’t want that path?” Marinka would whisper to herself.

She loved her grandmother but didn’t want a life filled only with ghosts and shadows. She wanted birthday parties, friends, and laughter.

And maybe… a home that didn’t walk away in the middle of the night.

Baba Yaga: The Soul Keeper

Baba Yaga might’ve looked scary to outsiders—long nose, sharp eyes, a voice like wind through dry leaves—but she was gentle in her own way.

When spirits knocked on the door at night, she’d light candles and set out warm soup.

“Come, dear ones,” she’d say softly. “Tell us your story before you go.”

Marinka would help, but she’d always sneak a glance out the window, wishing she were talking to living people instead.

One evening, she sighed, “Why do they all have to be dead?”

Baba Yaga put a hand on her shoulder. “Because the living still have time. The dead? They need us.”

Marinka looked down. “But what about what I need?”

The Spirit Gate and the Broken Rule

While Baba Yaga slept one night, Marinka stood before the spirit gate, its shimmering light humming quietly.

She hesitated. “Just a peek outside,” she whispered. “Just to feel normal.”

But when she stepped through, she felt the magic shift. The air changed.

By morning… Baba Yaga was gone.

“Gran?” Marinka’s voice trembled. “Are you joking again?”

Silence.

She searched every room. Called into the trees and cried until her eyes stung.

And then, slowly, the house rose.

“No,” she said. “Please don’t go…”

But the house turned. It took one step, then another. And Marinka knew—it wasn’t wandering. It was searching.

A Journey Across Lands

The journey took Marinka across deserts with burning skies, through icy forests where wolves howled at night, and into cities where nobody noticed a house with legs standing quietly on the hill.

• She talked to spirits.
• She helped one old man tell the story of his lost love.
• She sang lullabies to a frightened ghost-child.

She even met another guardian—a kind, smiling woman named Tasha, who said:

“You’re not your grandmother. You’re you. And that’s enough.”

Each place, each spirit, each step made Marinka stronger. The house creaked and groaned, but it listened. When she cried, its walls grew warm.

When she smiled, its windows sparkled in the sunlight.

They weren’t just traveling—they were healing.

Becoming a Marine

One night, Marinka stood at the gate again. But this time, she didn’t sneak out.

She carefully opened it, smiled at the waiting spirit, and said, “I’m Marinka. I’ll help you find peace.”

No black robes. No scary voice.

Just kindness. Just her.

The house settled beside her like a cat curling up to rest. She whispered, “I think I understand now.”

It thumped its feet gently in reply.

From that day on, Marinka wasn’t trying to escape her path—she was shaping it in her own way.

The House Walks Again

One evening, as stars blinked awake in the sky, the house creaked, stretched, and stood tall again.

Marinka stood at the doorway, cloak around her shoulders, lantern in hand.

“Ready, old friend?” she asked.

The house tapped one foot and lifted the other.

They were off again—to help the next soul, find the next story, and begin a new adventure.

And if you ever hear a soft thump-thump deep in the woods…
If the ground trembles just slightly beneath your feet…

Look around.

You might see a house with chicken legs, and a girl standing proudly at the door—her heart full of purpose, and her story still unfolding.

The Scariest Part of the Story – When the Gate Glowed

Alright, ready for the creepiest moment? Let’s go back to the night Marinka broke the rules.

It all started quietly. The house had settled down for the night. The stars were out. Baba Yaga had gone to rest, and Marinka was alone… but her heart was racing.

She wanted—no, needed—to know what life outside was like. So, she crept to the spirit gate—a glowing arch that shimmered with otherworldly light.

It usually only opened when a spirit was ready to pass on. But tonight, Marinka reached for it.

The moment her fingers touched the edge… something happened.

The air turned icy. Not cold like winter, but cold like sadness. Like forgotten memories and voices that hadn’t been spoken in years.

The wind outside howled. The trees bent low, as if warning her to stop.

But she didn’t.

The gate flickered, then burst open in a blinding flash.

And then—silence.

The house trembled. The walls groaned. And when Marinka looked around… Baba Yaga was gone.

No footsteps. No door creaking. Just… gone.

And worst of all? The house with chicken legs didn’t move. It stood there, silent and still, as if holding its breath.

With the glowing gate, the sudden vanishing, and the frozen house, that moment was the most terrifying thing Marinka had ever faced.

Not because it was full of monsters, but because she felt truly, deeply alone.

Funny Sleeping Tips After a Spooky Story

So, you’ve just finished a story about glowing gates, walking houses, and mysterious forests—spooky but exciting, right?

Now it’s time to settle down and get ready for bed. Here are some funny and friendly sleeping tips to help you calm your nerves and drift off with a smile.

• Count smiling ghosts instead of sheep: Instead of the usual “1 sheep, 2 sheep,” why not count adorable little ghosts wearing pajamas and waving goodnight? Picture them floating gently across your room like sleepy bubbles. Trust us—it’s way more fun.
• Tuck in your toes—just in case: It’s a well-known fact (okay, maybe just in storybooks) that keeping your toes under the blanket keeps all spooky things away. Toes tucked = 100% monster-proof. It’s science. Kind of.
• Tell the monsters a joke: If you feel like something might be under the bed, don’t panic—crack a joke instead! Try saying, “Why don’t skeletons fight each other? Because they don’t have the guts!” That should make even the creepiest creatures giggle and vanish.
• Sing a silly lullaby: Humming a funny tune before bed can help chase away the spooks.

Make a “No-Spooks-Allowed” sign.: Draw a sign that says “No spooky shadows, only giggles allowed” and stick it on your bedroom door.

Even ghosts know how to follow rules—especially polite ones written in crayon.

And finally, hug your favorite stuffed toy, snuggle into your blanket, and remember—spooky stories are just stories.

You’re safe, cozy, and about to dream of marshmallow clouds, friendly owls, and chicken-legged houses that walk toward adventure, not fear.

Follow-Up Questions For This Story