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| Miss Dottie (3) & brother, Roger (2) |
October 11, 2012
Every now and then, I remember stories my mother read to me when I was little. One of my favorites was the story of the little red hen. For some reason, this story stuck with me today. We live with a sense of entitlement and I want, I want, I want. Maybe we all need to be reminded of this story from so long ago.
Let's all take a trip down memory lane...
Let's all take a trip down memory lane...
The Little Red Hen
Once upon a time there was a little red hen. She lived with a pig, a duck and a cat. They all lived in a pretty little house which the little red hen liked to keep clean and tidy. The little red hen worked hard at her jobs all day. The others never helped. Although they said they meant to, they were all far too lazy. The pig liked to grunt in the mud outside, the duck used to swim in the pond all day, and the cat enjoyed lying in the sun, purring.
One day the little red hen was working in the garden when she
found a grain of corn.
"Who will plant this grain of corn?" she asked.
"Not I," grunted the pig from his muddy patch in the garden.
"Not I," quacked the duck from her pond.
"Not I," purred the cat from his place in the sun.
So the little red hen went to look for a nice bit of earth,
scratched it with her feet and planted the grain of corn.
During the summer the grain of corn grew. First it grew into a
tall green stalk, then it ripened in the sun until it had turned a lovely golden
colour. The little red hen saw that the corn was ready for cutting.
"Who will help me cut the corn?" asked the little red hen.
"Not I," grunted the pig from his muddy patch in the garden.
"Not I," quacked the duck from her pond.
"Not I," purred the cat from his place in the sun.
"Very well then, I will cut it myself," said the little red hen.
Carefully she cut the stalk and took out all the grains of corn from the
husks.
"Not I," grunted the pig from his muddy patch in the garden.
"Not I," quacked the duck from her pond.
"Not I," purred the cat from his place in the sun.
So the little red hen took the corn to the mill herself, and asked the miller if he would be so kind as to grind it into flour.
In time the miller sent a little bag of flour down to the house where the little red hen lived with the pig and the duck and the cat.
So the little red hen took the corn to the mill herself, and asked the miller if he would be so kind as to grind it into flour.
In time the miller sent a little bag of flour down to the house where the little red hen lived with the pig and the duck and the cat.
"Who will help me to make the flour into bread?" asked the little red hen.
"Not I," grunted the pig from his muddy patch in the garden.
"Not I," quacked the duck from her pond.
"Not I," purred the cat from his place in the sun.
"Very well," said the little red hen. "I shall make the bread myself." She went into her neat little kitchen. She mixed the flour into dough. She kneaded the dough and put it into the oven to bake.
Soon there was a lovely smell of hot fresh bread. It filled all the corners of the house and wafted out into the garden. The pig came into the kitchen from his muddy patch in the garden, the duck came in from the pond and the cat left his place in the sun. When the little red hen opened the oven door the dough had risen up and had turned into the nicest, most delicious looking loaf of bread any of them had seen.
Soon there was a lovely smell of hot fresh bread. It filled all the corners of the house and wafted out into the garden. The pig came into the kitchen from his muddy patch in the garden, the duck came in from the pond and the cat left his place in the sun. When the little red hen opened the oven door the dough had risen up and had turned into the nicest, most delicious looking loaf of bread any of them had seen.
"Who is going to eat this bread?" asked the little red hen.
"I will," grunted the pig.
"I will," quacked the duck.
"I will," purred the cat.
"Oh no, you won't," said the little red hen. "I planted the seed, I cut the corn, I took it to the mill to be made into flour, and I made the bread, all by myself. I shall now eat the loaf all by myself."
The pig, the duck and the cat all stood and watched as the little red hen ate the loaf all by herself. It was delicious and she enjoyed it, right to the very last crumb.
I don't know about you, but I have worked hard my entire life. There have been times that I felt selfish spending money on myself rather than giving to others. Completing the cottage (my Woman Cave) was one of those times that I felt that way ... but, you know what? I am enjoying every moment I spend in my little oasis!
Day is done ... the cottage is quiet. Sadie is asleep on the chair next to me. I laugh ... she must be dreaming! She holds her breath then snorts, woofs, and her little feet move back and forth. Oh, I love my Scottie dog!!
Sleep well, my Readers. Always know you have a special place in my heart and that I pray for you each day...
Miss Dottie
PS Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.~~Proverbs 6:6
I don't know about you, but I have worked hard my entire life. There have been times that I felt selfish spending money on myself rather than giving to others. Completing the cottage (my Woman Cave) was one of those times that I felt that way ... but, you know what? I am enjoying every moment I spend in my little oasis!
For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.~~II Thessalonians 3:10
Day is done ... the cottage is quiet. Sadie is asleep on the chair next to me. I laugh ... she must be dreaming! She holds her breath then snorts, woofs, and her little feet move back and forth. Oh, I love my Scottie dog!!
Sleep well, my Readers. Always know you have a special place in my heart and that I pray for you each day...
Miss Dottie
PS Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.~~Proverbs 6:6
Great book and also great reminder. For us busy bees the proverb is easy to live by!
ReplyDeleteXXOO~
Jane