A Lark had made her nest in the early Spring on the young green wheat.
The brood had almost grown to their proper strength, and attained the
use of their wings and the full plumage of their feathers, when the
owner of the field, overlooking his crop, now quite ripe, said, "The
time is come when I must send to all my neighbors to help me with my
harvest." One of the young Larks heard his speech, and told it to his
mother, asking her to what place they should move for safety.
"There is no occasion to move yet, my son," she replied; "the man who
only sends to his friends to help him with his harvest is not really in
earnest." The owner of the field again came a few days later, and saw
the wheat shedding the grain from excess of ripeness, and said, "I will
come myself to-morrow with my laborers, and with as many reapers as I
can hire, and will get in the harvest." The Lark on hearing these words
said to her brood, "It is time now to be off, my little ones, for the
man is in earnest this time; he no longer trusts to his friends, but
will reap the field himself."
_Self-help is the best help._