Two earth worms were strenuously trying to wriggle out of a sodden portion of earth towards a dry pebbly area. A hen approached them. “You two amuse me. Now tell me why you two are hurrying away from a cosy wet place. Quickly, before I gobble you two.”
Please lady these humans have soaked the place with soap water after washing their clothes. So, we are looking for a good, damp place to burrow in.
“Sorry to hear that. Anyway I will quickly put you out of your misery”.
“Please lady, do not hurt us. We know that you are hungry after sitting on those lovely eggs. Eagerly waiting to see your sweet fluffy little chickens." Mother hen was amazed and also sorry. "Come, I will take you both to a moist place.” She took them, each by its beak and gently placed them on a patch of moist earth.
“Thank you lady. We are also trying to find a place to begin our own families. Your males are called cock birds. But we are all called earthworms. No he or she. We live dangerous lives. Some humans break our bodies and use the pieces as fish bait. We are afraid to come out of the earth. Humans and many others trample us. We get cut up into pieces when humans till mother earth. We are gobbled up by you know who and many other birds."
“I am so sorry, now tell me. How come you all have a proud name. Our mother Earth’s name.” “Yes dear lady, we are very proud. We are named so, because we are the closest to Mother Earth. We live within her body.
The hen was terribly moved. “Just call me mother, mother hen. Not lady.” "Thank you mother hen. We are proud of our name Earth Worms. There are many worms living on Mother Earth but we are called Earth worms. Earth and humans know that we enrich the soil. Our droppings on Mother Earth cause plants to grow well and healthily. Just like your droppings. Your droppings are a rich fertilizer. We wait eagerly till they decay in the soil, so that we could build our homes in a very rich soil." “This is fantastic,” said mother hen. “Please go on” .
“Dear mother hen, we know what happens to your eggs as soon as they are hatched. We know that you are not, always given the joy of pecking the eggs and calling the young ones to come under you. We know that humans use other ways of hatching the eggs. But we know what happens after you lay the eggs. Fried eggs, half boiled and full boiled eggs. Omlettes.
Then chicken broth. When you are old you too end up on their dining tables.”
“True, true my silent ones, because we make a lot of noise. Especially our men folk.You know we have to protect ourselves from humans and many others. So we have been gifted with loud voices. You know our males make a big noise “Cock a doodle do,” very early in the morning for our humans to get up in the morning. “Well, well my darlings, you too know about our musical voices.”
"My darling little ones, you know that we live dangerous lives from birth till death and my sweet friends of Mother Earth and her name bearers, I shall tell all my people what you told me. Beautiful.
"They will never ever harm you. However always try your best to be in the bosom of Mother Earth. We will guard you." “Thank You, my darling mother hen, our wishes and love to the little ones you will soon have, your cute chicks.”
“Thank you, I wish you the same”
They went their ways happy.