THE STONE AND THE WORM
(A stone lay in a field. A farmer and his son were talking near by.)
Farmer. That was a fine rain we had this morning.
Son. Yes, indeed! A rain like that makes everybody glad.
Farmer. I have been wishing a long time for such a rain as that.
Son. It was better than gold.
(As they walked away, a worm crept out from under the stone. The stone called to the worm.)
Stone. Friend Worm, did you hear what those men were saying?
Worm. Yes, they were saying how good the rain was.
Stone. What has the rain done, I should like to know? It rained two hours and made me all wet.
Worm. That didn't hurt you.
Stone. Yes, it did. But it hurts me more to hear everybody saying how fine the rain was. Why don't they talk about me? I have been here for hundreds of years. I hurt nobody. I wet nobody. I stay quietly where I am put. Yet nobody ever has a kind word for me.
Worm. Stop your talk. This rain has helped the wheat and made it grow. And the wheat will help the farmer. It will give him bread. What have you ever given to anybody?
