An Old English Folk Tale, by Florence White Williams
A Little Red Hen lived in a barnyard. She spent almost all of her time strutting about the barnyard in her picketty-pecketty fashion, scratching everywhere for some worms to eat. She dearly loved fat, delicious worms and felt they were absolutely necessary to the growth of her children. As often as she found a worm she would call “Cluck-cluck-cluck!” to her little chickees. When they were gathered about her, she would distribute choice tidbits.
The Cat usually napped lazily in the barn door, not even bothering to scare the Rat who ran here and there as he pleased. And as for the Pig who lived in the sty—he did not care what happened so long as he could eat and grow fat.
One day the Little Red Hen found a corn kernel. She bit it gently and found that it was different from a worm and tasted wonderful. She planted it and watched it grow. Then she had the corn ground into beautifully aromatic yellow flour.
So after her children were fed and made sweet and fresh for the day, she hunted up the Pig, the Cat, and the Rat. Confident that they would surely help her one day she sang out, “Who will make the cornbread?” Her hopes for help were dashed! For the Pig said, “Not I,” the Cat said, “Not I,” and the Rat said, “Not I.” So the Little Red Hen said, “I will then,” and she did.
Feeling that she might have known all the time that she would have to do it all herself, she went out and put on a freshly pressed apron and a spotless cook's cap. First of all she set the dough on a cutting board. When it was ready, she brought out the baking tins. She shaped the cornbread into rounded squares and put them into the oven to bake.
All the while the Cat sat lazily by, giggling and chuckling. And close at hand the vain Rat powdered his nose and admired himself in a mirror. In the distance could be heard the long-drawn snores of the dozing Pig.
At last the great moment arrived. A delicious odor wafted warmly upon the autumn breeze. Everywhere the barnyard citizens sniffed the air with delight. The Red Hen ambled toward the source of all this excitement.
Although she appeared to be perfectly calm, in reality she could only with difficulty restrain an impulse to dance and sing, for she had done all the work on this wonderful cornbread. Small wonder that she was the most excited person in the barnyard! She did not know whether it would be fit to eat, but—joy of joys! —when the lovely baked cakes came from the oven, they were done to perfection.
Then, probably because she had acquired the habit, the Red Hen called: “Who will eat the cornbread?” All the animals in the barnyard were watching hungrily and smacking their lips in anticipation, and the Pig said, “I will,” the Cat said, “I will,” the Rat said, “I will.” But the Little Red Hen said, “No, you won't. I will.” And she did.
So when you see the possibility of helping others, are you in it for the cornbread? Will you say, “Not I” or will you say, “I will”? Or are you simply applying the principles of “Love, Grow, Serve”? It’s your choice.
08/20/23