“Eagle or Chicken”

by Dr. Larry Morris

Once a naturalist visited a farmer. He happened to walk by the farmer's chicken coop and there he discovered a young eagle amongst all the chickens. The farmer had no idea how the eagle happened to wind up in his chicken coop, but he was willing for the naturalist to set the eagle free. The naturalist picked the eagle up in his arms and said to it, "You're an eagle, not a chicken—fly!" He then threw the eagle up in the air. The eagle flapped its wings a few times and fluttered back to earth and went back inside the chicken coop. The naturalist then went in, got the eagle and took it up to the roof of the chicken coop and threw it up in the air and yelled, "You're an eagle, not a chicken—fly!" The eagle flapped its wings and again fluttered to the earth and went back into the chicken coop. This time the naturalist went in and got the eagle, put it in his car and drove out to a vast canyon. He picked the bird up and told it "You're an eagle, not a chicken—fly!" and then gently threw it into the air. The eagle flapped its wings, soared into infinite space and disappeared from sight.