One day she found an egg. She called the children and said, "Children, children, we have nothing to worry about anymore; I have found an egg.

And being a wise woman, I shall not let us eat the egg, but I shall ask my neighbor permission to put it under her hen until it hatches into a baby chick.

And we shall not eat the baby chick, but shall let it grow until it lays more eggs which will hatch into more chicks.

But we will not eat even these. Since I am such a wise woman, I shall sell them and use the money to buy a cow.

But we shall not eat the cow. Instead, we will let it grow, and the cow will have baby calves.

And since I am such a wise woman, I shall sell them and use the money to buy a field.

And we will have fields, and cows, and calves, and chickens, and eggs.

And we will not be hungry anymore."

While the countrywoman spoke, she turned the egg round and round in her hands. Suddenly it slipped, fell to the ground, and broke.

We are all like the countrywoman. We make many vows and promises. We say to ourselves, "I promise to do this, and I promise to do that." But the days slip by, and our promises do not lead to action.

© KAR-BEN COPIES
Reprinted with permission