The Little Red Hen
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Lauri Anne Jacobs
The Little Red Hen is a fable we all read as children in school. The little red hen asks her lazy farm animal friends to help with various tasks because she wants to bake some bread. They refuse, so she does all the work herself. When the bread is done and smelling wonderful, all her friends want some of her bread. She refuses and eats it all alone. She tells them she will only share the fruits of her labor with those who helped her, and none of them helped. This story illustrates hard work and self-initiative, and the wisdom of the proverb “You reap what you sow.” The results of your actions will determine your outcomes.
This is a children’s fable, but there is a lot of truth and life lessons in this story. This is the case in everyday life on macro and micro levels, whether we realize it or not. Take welfare for instance; it is a good, life-saving thing for those truly in need and unable to care for themselves, but at the same time, it enables other able-bodied people to be lazy and depend on the hard-working taxpayers to meet their needs. Welfare is an example on a macro level. A good example on a micro level is making your children work to earn something they want. One may work hard and earn the reward, while the other is lazy and does not want to put in the work. The one that did not work gets mad when their sibling who worked will not share their reward.
When thinking of this fable, I am reminded of the parable of the Ten Virgins in the Bible. The virgins who represent Christians are awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom, which is symbolic of Christ’s second coming. Five were wise and prepared by procuring oil ahead of time and bringing extra oil, while the other five were foolish and did not prepare by obtaining or bringing any extra. When the bridegroom arrived, the foolish virgins were locked out because they were out buying more oil. They did not put in the work and preparation ahead of time, so they tried to skate by at the last minute by buying oil then. They ended up having to face the horrible consequences of their actions.
Noah is another one who falls into this category. He knew God was sending the rains to flood the earth so he started preparing and doing the work to build the ark so he, his family, and the pairs of animals could survive and replenish the earth. It had never rained before, so everyone thought he was crazy, or as they say now, a conspiracy theorist. They carried on eating, drinking, and giving in marriage with no work or worries. When it started to rain, they were beating on the ark wanting to receive the fruits of Noah’s work and obedience, but the door was sealed. I consider Noah the first conspiracy theorist. Many of us, myself included, are called just that. We put in the work to research and study what is really going on behind the curtain. Some people ignore us and some mock us, but when it starts to rain, or when that bread gets done, they will be wanting the fruits of our hard work.
At the end of the story, the little red hen tells her friends she did all the work by herself so she will eat the bread all by herself. Do not be like the little red hen’s friends and miss out by refusing to help. Instead, get in and do your part for the better good of all. This is a fable, but the life lesson woven in this tale is one we can all learn from. This world could be a much better place if we all did our part and helped each other. You do not want to be locked out when the Bridegroom comes, or miss the boat when it starts to rain.
