Once upon a time there was a little red hen who scratched around the barnyard until she uncovered some grains of wheat. She called her friends together and said, If we plant this wheat, we shall have bread to eat. Who will help me plant it?Not I, said the cow.
Not I, said the duck.
Not I, said the pig.
Not I, said the goose.
Not I, said the duck.
Not my classification, said the pig.
I’d lose my seniority, said the cow.
I’d lose my unemployment compensation, said the goose.
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, said the little red hen. She baked five loaves and held them up for her neighbors to see. They all wanted some–in fact, demanded a share. But the little red hen said, Now I can eat the five loaves myself.
Excess profits! yelled the cow.
Capitalist leech cried the duck.
I demand my equal rights shouted the goose.
The pig grunted. Then they hurriedly painted unfair picket signs and marched around, shooting obscenities.
The government agent came and said to the little red hen, You must not be greedy.
But I earned the bread, said the little red hen.
Exactly, said the agent. That is the wonderful free-enterprise system. Anyone in the barnyard can earn as much as he wants. But, under regulations the productive workers must divide their product with the idle.
And they lived happily ever after. But the little red hen’s neighbors wondered why she never again baked bread.
Last Updated on April 3, 2010 by Chuck Marunde
