22. The Larks in the Wheat-Field

Once a Lark and her little ones lived together in a nest in a field of ripened wheat. The mother bird was afraid the reapers might come before the young larks could fly. So every morning when she went for food she told them to listen carefully to all they heard and tell her when she returned. On the first evening they said, “We heard the farmer tell his son to ask the neighbors to help reap the wheat.” “Oh, no danger yet,” said Mother Lark. The next evening they said, “We heard the farmer tell his son to ask his uncle and cousins to help reap the wheat.” “Oh, no danger yet!” said the mother. On the third evening they said, “To-day we heard the farmer say to his son, ‘To-morrow we will reap the wheat ourselves!’” “Then,” cried the mother, “we must fly away at once, for the wheat is sure to be cut now. When a man makes up his mind to do a thing himself, it is more likely to be done.” She took her young ones away at once, and the next day the wheat was reaped by the farmer and his son.