THE STORY OF THE LITTLE RED HEN

-- A METAPHOR 

       Once upon a time, a little red hen scratching about the barnyard discovered many grains of wheat which had fallen through the cracks in the granary floor. Excitedly she called the others in the barnyard to share her find and said: “If we plant this wheat we shall have bread to eat. Let’s all work together and plant it!” The rooster said: “Not me!” So did the cow, the pig, the goose and the duck. “Then I will,” said the little red hen, and she went ahead by herself and did it. The wheat grew tall and ripened into golden grain.

       Again the little red hen, excited by the prospects of a golden harvest, called the others in the barnyard. “Who will help harvest the wheat?” she asked. “My workmen’s compensation disability prohibits manual labor,” said the goose. “It’s again Union rules,” said the pig. “I would lose my unemployment benefits,” said the duck. “It’s not my job classification,” said the cow. “Why work when the living is so easy,” said the rooster. “Then I will,” said the little red hen, and she went ahead and did it all by herself again.

       Finally, it came time to mill the flour and bake the bread. “Who will help me?” asked the little red hen. “That would be overtime for me,” said the cow. “I’d lose my welfare benefits,” said the duck. “I would need cross-training first,” said the pig. “I have applied for permanent disability and can’t risk losing my status by working,” said the goose. “Who needs bread anyway?” said the rooster. “Then I will,” said the little red hen. She chored hard again and baked six crispy golden-brown loaves and set them on the wall, while the others were watching her.

       Soon all in the barnyard were asking for a share of the bread. “No, I did all the work. I will enjoy the fruit of my labor,” said the little red hen. “Unfair to the disabled,” said the duck. “Excess profits,” said the cow. “Capitalist leech,” said the pig. “I demand equal rights,” said the goose. “Redress our grievances,” said the rooster.

       When they saw that their protests were not going to work, they called the network news. ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX sent camera crews. Following the TV cameras, scores of Senators and Congress men came to investigate the problem and milled about the barnyard, each hoping to have his statement on the unfairness of the situation broadcast on the evening news. The little red hen was nearly trampled, and her bread was impounded by court order, for distribution to the needy and deserving who – for many good reasons – were unable to work.

       “Don’t you feel guilty, trying to keep all the bread for yourself?” asked reporters of the little red hen. “But I alone worked for the bread!” she said. “Precisely why you should share the bread. The labor to produce it is itself sufficient reward,” the little red hen was told.

       When the wonder of the American enterprise system fully explained, the little red hen returned to scratching in the barnyard, keeping that what she found a closely guarded secret. Frequently she traded grain and other valuables in the underground economy; all the time her neighbors wondering why she never baked bread again. 

Scoopified Catalog issue Nr. 12, Winter 2008/9, p. 51

Scoopified

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Bellingham, WA 98227