The Little Red Hen – 2012 Version
“Who will help me plant my wheat?” asked the little red hen.
“Not I.” said the cow, the duck, the pig and the goose
”Then I will do it by myself.” She planted her crop and the wheat grew and ripened.
”Then I will do it by myself.” She planted her crop and the wheat grew and ripened.
“Who will help me reap my wheat?” asked the little red hen.
“Not I,” said the duck. “Out of my classification,” said the pig. “I’d lose my seniority,” said the cow. “I’d lose my unemployment compensation,” said the goose.
“Then I will do it by myself,” said the little red hen, and so she did.
“Who will help me bake the bread?” asked the little red hen.
“That would be overtime for me,” said the cow. “I’d lose my welfare benefits,” said the duck. “I’m a dropout and never learned how,” said the pig. “If I’m to be the only helper, that’s discrimination,” said the goose.
“Then I will do it by myself,” said the little red hen. She baked five loaves and held them up for all of her neighbors to see. They wanted some and, in fact, demanded a share but the little red hen said, “No, I shall eat all five loaves.”
“Excess profits!” cried the cow. “Capitalist leech!” screamed the duck. “I demand equal rights!” yelled the goose. The pig just grunted in disdain. And they all painted ‘Unfair!’ picket signs and marched around and around the little red hen, shouting obscenities.
Then the farmer came out. He said to the little red hen, “You must not be so greedy.”
“But I earned the bread,” said the little red hen.
“Exactly, “That is what makes our free enterprise system so wonderful. Anyone in the barnyard can earn as much as he wants. But under our modern government regulations, the productive workers must divide the fruits of their labor with those who choose to remain idle.”
And they all lived happily ever after, including the little red hen, who smiled and clucked, “I am grateful, for now I truly understand.”
But her neighbors became quite disappointed in her. She never again baked bread because she joined the ‘party’ and got her bread free. And all the Progressives smiled. ‘Fairness’ had been established.
Individual initiative had died but nobody noticed; perhaps no one cared so long as there was free bread that someone else was baking.
IS THIS A GREAT BARNYARD OR WHAT?
1 comment:
This is just right on! Sad, isn't it?
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