The Ears of Wheat
(A classic tale from the Brothers Grimm)
Ages upon ages ago, when angels used to wander on earth, the ground was more
fruitful than it is now. Then the stalks of wheat bore not fifty or sixty
fold, but four times five hundred fold. They grew from the bottom to the
top of the stalk. But the men of the earth forgot that this blessing came
from God, and they became idle and selfish.
One day, as a woman walked through a wheat-field, her little child fell into
a puddle and soiled her frock. The mother tore off a handful of the wheat-ears
and cleaned the child's dress with them.
Just then an angel passed by and saw her. Wrathfully he spoke:
"Wasteful woman, no longer shall the wheat-stalks produce ears. You mortals
do not deserve the gifts of Heaven!"
Some peasants who were gathering wheat in the fields heard this. Falling
on their knees, they prayed and begged the angel to leave the wheat alone,
not only for their sakes, but also for the little birds who would otherwise
die of hunger.
The angel took pity and granted a part of the prayer. And from that day to
this, the ears of wheat have grown as they do
For answers to these questions, click
Answer the following questions:
What was the land like when the story
Why did it change?
How did the peasants react?
What was the angel's response?
According to the story, what happens when people
forget to be grateful?
What does this story teach?
Talk About It
Talk about the following questions. There are no right or wrong
Do you think the woman meant to cause any
Was the angel's anger justified? Why or why
Do you think people become idle and selfish
when they quit being thankful? Why or why not?
Write About It
Some stories are written just for fun. Others,
like this story, are written to communicate a truth or teach a lesson. Think
of a lesson you would like for people to learn or remember. Now, write a
short story that communicates that lesson.
Use the Internet or an encyclopedia to find the answers to these
Who were the Brothers Grimm?
What is wheat used for today?
Have an idea you want to share?
E-mail it to firstname.lastname@example.org!
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