Little Red Hen’s timely warning by Don Frost

            The Democratic Party is sliding further and further Left, flirting ever more audaciously with its soul mates in the Socialist Party, sending Socialists to both chambers of Congress. Even the “liberal” press has stopped pretending the party has no affinity for Socialism.

            In light of this, it is appropriate to recall what someone said about the party at least 55 years ago: “. . . under the name of ‘liberalism,’ . . . one day America will be a Socialist nation without knowing how it happened . . . the Democratic Party has adopted our [Socialist] platform.”

            Snopes says this may have been said by Norman Thomas, six-time Socialist Party candidate for president, in a 1944 speech. The rumor-busting website can neither prove nor disprove he said it. But it does confirm that someone said it in 1965 or perhaps even earlier. Therefore, it cannot be dismissed as the recent rantings of “Right-wing conspiracy theorists.”

            “Liberals” view a Socialist future with glee. Conservatives view it with horror and say of those “liberals,” “Careful what you wish for.”

            Which brings us to “The Little Red Hen.” This is an American fable that can be traced back to Mary Mapes Dodge, who published the story in St. Nicholas Magazine in 1874. It was intended as a tale for children to illustrate the virtue of hard work, pluck, and determination. In view of the Democratic Party’s no-longer-deniable kinship to Socialism and the upcoming presidential election, a retelling of the fable is appropriate. Over the years there have been countless versions of it. I like this one:

            Once upon a time there was a Little Red Hen who lived on a wealthy farm that was the envy of the county. One day, while scratching about in the barnyard, she discovered some grains of wheat.

            She called to her neighbors and said, “If we work together and plant this wheat, we will have some fine bread to eat. Who will help me plant the wheat?”

            “Not I,” said the cow. “Not I,” said the duck. “Not I,” said the goose.

            “Then I will,” said the Little Red Hen, and she did.

            In due course the wheat began to sprout, but then a severe drought struck the area.

            “Who will go down to the creek to help me bring water up to the wheat crop?” asked the Little Red Hen.

            “Not I,” said the cow. “Not I,” said the duck. “Not I,” said the goose.

            “Then I will,” said the Little Red Hen, and she did.

            The wheat grew tall and ripened into golden grain. “Who will help me harvest the wheat?” asked the Little Red Hen.

            “Not I,” said the cow. “Not I,” said the duck. “Not I,” said the goose.

            “Then I will,” said the Little Red Hen, and she did.

            When it came time to grind the wheat into flour, the Little Red Hen asked her neighbors, “Who will help me grind the wheat into flour?”

            “Not I,” said the cow. “Not I,” said the duck. “Not I,” said the goose.

            “Then I will,” said the Little Red Hen, and she did.

            When it came time to prepare the flour for baking, the Little Red Hen asked, “Who will help me bake the bread?”

            “Not I,” said the cow. “Not I,” said the duck. “Not I,” said the goose.

            “Then I will,” said the Little Red Hen, and she did. She baked four loaves of fine bread and held them up for her neighbors to see.

            “I want some,” said the cow. “Give me my share,” said the duck. “I need some,” said the goose.

            “No,” said the Little Red Hen. “I am weary from all my work, so I think I will rest and eat the four loaves myself.”

            “Insensitive!” cried the cow. “Bigot!” cried the duck. “Selfish fiend!” cried the goose. And they proceeded to picket the Little Red Hen, demanding justice.

            Finally the farmer, alarmed by the commotion in his barnyard, came to investigate. When he learned what caused the trouble he said, “You must not be greedy, Little Red Hen. You must give your fair share.”

            “But I earned the bread,” the Little Red Hen protested. “I did all the work. Everyone refused to help me.”

            “That is true,” said the farmer. “But this is a progressive farm where all are equal and no one is better than anyone else. If someone has more than his neighbors, he must share it with them; from everyone according to his ability, to everyone according to his need.

            “Look at the needy cow. See the disadvantaged duck. Look at the less fortunate goose. It would be cruel not to give some of your bread to them; after all, it’s only your fair share. So I will take three of your loaves and give one each to the cow, the duck, and the goose, and you can keep one for yourself.”

            “I understand,” said the Little Red Hen, defeated. But she smiled as she watched her neighbors feast on her bread. And everyone was content as tranquility returned to the barnyard.

            But the farmer, the cow, the duck, and the goose all wondered why those were the last loaves of bread the Little Red Hen ever baked.

            Socialism.