A Lark who had Young Ones in a field of corn nearly ripe, was under
some fear lest the reapers should come and cut it down before her young
brood were fledged, and able to remove from the place; wherefore, when
she flew abroad in the morning to seek for food for them, she charged
them to listen to what the Farmer said about shearing. On her return,
her young family opened all their little throats at once, to inform her
that the Farmer had sent to his neighbours to reap the corn the next
morning. Is that all? said the old Lark, then there is no danger. When
she went abroad again the next morning, she left the same instructions
as before. At night, she found her Young Ones more alarmed than at
first; for the Farmer had applied to his friends, earnestly requesting
them to begin the harvest the next day. She received this intelligence
as calmly as before, and took no other precautions the next day, than
repeating the same orders. In the evening, they told her that the
Farmer had been charging his son to get the sickles ready, for it was
in vain to wait for other people, and that they would cut the corn
to-morrow themselves. Nay, then said the old Lark, we must be off as
soon as we can; for when a man undertakes to do his business himself,
it is not so likely that he will be disappointed.