The Farm Chicken And The Wild Partridge

The Farm Chicken and the Wild Partridge

A chicken, while walking the edge of her farm, spied a wild partridge out in the tall grasses. The partridge was too busy hunting for beetles and seeds to notice the approach of the chicken.

"Ho partridge," clucked the chicken, "I see you are looking for food. But my you do go about it in such an odd manner."

"That is correct," replied the partridge, a little startled. "I am looking for a meal. But why do you call it odd? I usually have great luck in this patch of grass."

"Well well…" began the chicken, "we farm fowl have learned a better, more reliable way to get great quantities food with far greater ease than hunting. We do not even need to travel for our meals!"

"My, my, " spoke the partridge, " it sounds unbelievable!"

"It is really very simple. If, that is, you have been educated on the signs."

"Educated? Signs?" quizzed the partridge.

"That is right, we farm chickens are schooled from a young age on the superior way to find food. That is why," said the chicken, gesturing to the other chickens darting about the farm, "we are all so magnificently plump! You can see for yourself."

"I am curious. Do go on," pressed the partridge.

"We have learned," continued the chicken, beaming with pride to share her advanced knowledge with this backwoods partridge, "to listen for a piercing ringing noise. When we hear this noise, we run to the front of our coop where, without fail, a large mound of grain will have appeared."

"Amazing," said the partridge, " but I am not sure I know what a ringing noise sounds like – I do not think have heard one. Hence, I would not know when to run."

"That is because you have not been educated! Education may take work, but the benefits are worth it," boasted the hearty chicken.

Just then, the farmer clanged his triangle and all the chickens darted to the coop where they frenzied to peck up the scattered corn.

"That's it! That's the ringing!" exclaimed the chicken. "I must be off."

The partridge remained obscured in the tall grasses and watched in horror. His friend the chicken, flapping and clucking madly, was snatched up by the farmer who quelled her panic with a single sharp twist.

Chickens not so well educated would have acted more wisely.