The Lark and Her Young Ones

A Lark made her nest in a field of young wheat. As the days passed, the wheat stalks grew tall and the young birds, too, grew in strength. Then one day, when the ripe golden grain waved in the breeze, the Farmer and his son came into the field.

“This wheat is now ready for reaping,” said the Farmer. “We must call in our neighbours and friends to help us harvest it.”

A couple of young Larks were very afraid, because they knew that if they didn’t leave their nest in time, they’d be in big trouble. When their mother came back with food, they told her what they had heard.

“Do not be frightened, children,” said Mother Lark. “If the Farmer said he would call in his neighbours and friends to help him do his work, this wheat will not be reaped for a while yet.”

A few days later, the wheat was so ripe, that when the wind shook the stalks, a hail of wheat grains came rustling down on the young Larks’ heads.

“If this wheat is not harvested at once,” said the Farmer, “we shall lose half the crop. We cannot wait any longer for help from our friends. Tomorrow we must set to work, ourselves.”

When the young Larks told their mother what they had heard that day, she said:

“Then we have to leave right away. It is safe to say that when a man decides to do his own work and not get help from anyone else, there will be no more delays.”

When the Farmer and his son cut down the grain the next morning, they found an empty nest.