The Lark And Her Young Ones
A Lark had made her nest in the early spring on the young green wheat.
The brood had almost grown to their full strength and attained the
use of their wings and the full plumage of their feathers, when the
owner of the field, looking over his ripe crop, said, "The time has
come when I must ask all my neighbors to help me with my harvest."
One of the young Larks heard his speech and related it to his mother,
inquiring of her to what place they should move for safety. "There
is no occasion to move yet, my son," she replied; "the man who only
sends to his friends to help him with his harvest is not really in
earnest." The owner of the field came again a few days later and saw
the wheat shedding the grain from excess of ripeness. He said, "I
will come myself tomorrow with my laborers, and with as many reapers
as I can hire, and will get in the harvest." The Lark on hearing these
words said to her brood, "It is time now to be off, my little ones,
for the man is in earnest this time; he no longer trusts his friends,
but will reap the field himself."
Self-help is the best help.
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