The Eagle and the Chickens

Many years ago, I heard a story that I like to share with my students.

Once upon a time, an eaglet fell from its nest. A farmer was working in his fields, saw the baby eagle, and took it home to nurse it back to health.

Some time passed, and a naturalist travelling through the area saw a huge eagle among this farmer's chickens, so he rushed to the farmhouse, pounded on the door, and shouted, "Farmer! There's an eagle with your chickens!"

The farmer came to the door and calmly said, "That's not an eagle. That's a chicken."

The naturalist was stunned. "Look, I've studied nature my whole life. I even have a college degree! I know the difference between and eagle and a chicken, and there is an eagle with your chickens!"

"No, he thinks he's a chicken, so he's a chicken," the farmer answered.

"That doesn't make sense," said the naturalist, so the farmer led him to the field to watch, and sure enough, the big, beautiful eagle was scratching and pecking just like the chickens.

"See, he thinks he's a chicken, so he's a chicken," the farmer repeated.

"That's just not right," the naturalist said. "Give me a chance to show him that he's an eagle."

"Go ahead."

So, the naturalist picked the eagle up, looked into its eyes, and said, "Eagle! Thou art an eagle. Unfold thy wings and fly."

Then he threw the eagle into the air. The eagle simply fluttered around and returned to resume scratching an pecking with the chickens.

"See. He thinks he's a chicken," the farmer repeated.

"Let me have another chance," the naturalist asked.

"Go ahead."

This time the naturalist carried the eagle to the top of the farmhouse, looked it in the eye, and said, "Eagle! Thou art an eagle. Unfold thy wings and fly!" Then he threw the eagle off of the roof.

The eagle fluttered around, saw the chickens, and returned to the ground to scratch and peck.

Once again, the farmer pointed out, "See. He thinks he's a chicken."

The naturalist thought for a minute, and then he said, "Give me one more chance to show him he's an eagle," and the farmer agreed.

The next day, before the sun came up, the naturalist drove to a mountain top. As the sun began to peek over the horizon, the naturalist took the eagle by the beak and forced him to face the dawn. "Eagle," he whispered in the great bird's ear, "Thou art an eagle. Unfold thy mighty wings, and fly!"

Then he threw the eagle off of the cliff. The eagle began to flutter, searching for his companions, the chickens, and then he looked into the sun, unfolded his wings, and soared into the sunrise.

After I tell this story, I say, "When I first heard this story, I thought I was the eagle, but over the years, I realize that I'm the naturalist. You are the eagles, and it's my responsibility to make you look into the sun, unfold your wings, and fly.