The Eagle and the Prarie Chicken

Once there was an eagle egg that rolled out of its nest and ended up in the nest of a prarie chicken. The prarie chicken, not being a particularly smart animal, didn't notice the difference, and treated the egg as one of her own. When the egg hatched, none of the prarie chickens noticed any difference with the eagle chick. As time went on, the eagle grew up like a prarie chicken. He flapped around on the ground and pecked at plants and insects just like the other prarie chickens. Never once did it cross his mind that he was anything other than a prarie chicken.

One day as he was out pecking at some insects he noticed a shape in the sky. He watched as the majestic bird soared on the wind currents with such ease. The bird was the most beautiful thing the eagle had ever seen. His heart went out to the bird, and he suddenly felt this urge to jump up and fly up there with him! Another prarie chicken noticed him staring at the sky and followed his gaze to the bird above them. Shaking his head he flapped himself over next to the eagle.

"What is that?" The eagle asked. His heart was filled with wonder. He could feel the skies pulling at him like never before.

"That's an eagle, son." The prarie chicken replied.

"Don't you wish you could be up there with him? Wouldn't that be great?!" The eagle chick was full of excitement.

Suddenly the prarie chicken hopped in front of the eagle and stared him straight in the eye. With a stern voice he said, "Son, don't even start thinking about that. Those are dangerous thoughts. Hope is no good down here on the praire. We have to live by common sense. That, my boy, is an eagle, king of the birds. And you will never be anything more than a prarie chicken."

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