The Intransigent Chicken

Reading ... Litlle story

There was once a chicken that was never satisfied with anything. It lived at odds with the world and didn’t forgive the slightest offense, even if unintentional.
It spent its time complaining about life and criticizing everything that was made by the others animals in the farm. No one would get away without receiving criticism from this chicken.
If a duckling got hurt, the chicken would immediately say:    
- You deserve it! Why would Mrs. Duck let its babies loose?
If a puppy was stung by a bee because it placed its nose in the trunk of a tree, it would immediately say:
- You got what you deserved! Why is the puppy sticking its nose where it shouldn’t?
If a kitten unwittingly spilled the bowl of milk, she would say:
- This is what happens when you don’t receive good education! You end up becoming quite clumsy!
She would criticize all the animals of the farmyard. Besides, if anyone offended the chicken, would never get its forgiveness.
 One day, she was organizing her hen house and didn’t see that one of the baby chicks disappeared.
When the chicken realized the little chick went missing, it got terrified and began crying out for him:
- Chicky! Chicky! Where are you?
Chicky disappeared. The chicken asked her neighbor Lady Owl, but nothing.
Nobody knew anything where the chick was.
Everyone was concerned about Chicky. Ms. Cow suddenly remembered seeing it across the pasture on the way to the creek.
The animals ran and felt quite surprised and delighted with the scene they saw.
The baby chick had fallen into the water. Chicky was struggling as it didn’t know how to swim. It got stuck in some plants on the other side of the creek which, although narrow, was impossible to reach.
The duckling, who was excellent swimmer, had already tried in vain to rescue the little chick. The duck was very weak unfortunately; not able to fulfill the task.
The puppy and the kitten had an idea. The puppy, which was the strongest, would hang on a tree branch beside the stream and hold one of the kitten's paws at the same time. The kitten then stretched ... stretched ... stretched until reaching Chicky by the neck. Once Chicky was pulled tightly, it would be free from the branches that held him.
It was such a massive relief! Chicky was soon was in the arms of his Mother Hen, who was feeling relieved.
- Thank God! I don’t know how to thank you all for the help you gave me! – The chicken said, with tears in the eyes.
She thought for a little while and said, feeling a little bit embarrassed:
- I've always been so intolerant with all of you! But, I will never criticize anyone anymore. You never know when we'll also need the help and forgiveness of others. Today, due to my lack of attention, my son almost lost his life. Instead of censuring me, you helped me. I want you to forgive me for all I have done already, as I hope God will forgive me too.
From this day forward, Mrs. Hen has become a good creature; patient, tolerant and understanding towards the faults of others and never criticizing anyone.

                                                    AUNTIE CÉLIA

Source: O Consolador – Weekly Spiritist Magazine
Author: Célia Xavier Camargo
Translation: Carolina von Scharten, London, linked to BUSS - The British Union of Spiritist Societies
Thanks Carolina Von Scharten