A mother lark taught her young ones that a work is done only when one depends on oneself, not on others.

The story begins: In a large corn field a mother lark had built her nest. She lived there with her little ones as the corn slowly ripened.

The Story

Once a mother lark made her nest in a field of ripening corn. She lived there happily with her young ones. Every morning she flew out in search of food and returned in the evening.

As the days passed, the corn grew ripe and golden. The little larks could not yet fly, so they stayed in the nest all day while their mother was away.

Before leaving each morning, the mother lark told her children to listen carefully to whatever the farmer said, and to tell her everything when she came back.

One day the farmer came to look at his corn with his son. "The corn is ripe now," he said. "I will ask my neighbours to come and help me harvest it tomorrow."

When the mother returned, the frightened young ones told her about the farmer's plan. But the mother lark smiled and said, "There is no danger yet. We need not move today."

The next day the neighbours did not come. Again the farmer said he would call his friends and relatives to reap the corn. Once more the mother lark told her children not to worry.

Day after day the corn stood uncut, for the neighbours and relatives never came. The mother lark remained calm, for she knew such help rarely arrives.

At last the farmer grew tired of waiting. He said to his son, "We will not depend on others any longer. Early tomorrow we ourselves will cut the corn with our own hands."

When the mother lark heard this, she said, "Now it is time to leave. When a man makes up his mind to do his own work, the task will surely be done." That very night she moved her young ones to a safe place, and the next morning the farmer reaped his corn.

Moral: Self-help is the best help. / God helps those who help themselves.