Debates just like ‘Little Red Hen’ story

I watched part of the Democratic debates last week, and a story I used to read to my children came to mind. Any of you old enough to remember the “Little Red Hen” can ad lib along the way.

The little hen is scratching in the barnyard when she comes across a pile of grain.

‘Who will help me gather up this grain?”she asks. “Not I,” replied the other animals. So she did it herself! “Who will help me grind this grain into flour?” she asks. Again the same answer, “Not I.” So she did it herself! “Who will help me bake this flour into bread?” she asks. And again the same answer, “Not I.” So she did it herself! When she had baked the bread, and proud of herself for all she had accomplished, she showed the others.

They all said how good it was and that she needed to share it with them.

The duck, and the pig, and the goat all were pleased that she had done this.

Duck explained that there were hundreds of baby ducklings that would need free swimming lessons when they go to college, and the piglets were tired of the same old mud hole, and goat, well he was looking forward to all the healthy weed(s) he could eat.

They explained that they would need her to give them the bread so that they could receive all the free stuff they had been promised.

The little hen was most bewildered by this thought process that by not helping, they are entitled to share her bread!

And the moral to the story is, when the little hen cannot find any more scratch, and cannot bake any more bread to take care of herself, where do you think she is going to end up? Does this sound familiar?

Just a thought.

ARLETA HARRISON Yuma