24 Language Through Nature 



Lesson 6 

 WHY THE EARS OF WHEAT ARE SMALL 



A German Folklore Talc 



LONG ago the King of the Fields and Forests 

 walked about on this earth. All nature, from 

 the lowliest plant by the roadside to the giant oak 

 of the forest, rejoiced in his presence, for the great 

 King loved and cared for them all. 



In those days the stalks of wheat were very tall 

 and the grains of wheat grew up and down the 

 stalks from top to bottom. On every stalk there 

 were hundreds of plump, brown kernels. 



One day, when the golden wheat was ready for 

 the sickle, a mother and her little son were walking 

 through a wheat field and came to a pool of water 

 in the pathway. The child amused himself by 

 breaking off great stalks of wheat and throwing 

 them into the water. The mother stood near with- 

 out saying one word to stop him. 



Just then the King of the Fields and Forests 

 came by and saw the boy wasting the wheat. He 

 saw also the careless mother. The King was angr}^ 

 and called out in a voice like thunder, " Is this the 

 way you mortals waste the precious grain that is 



