The Ranch Quarrel

Short story

By Jennifer James

once upon a time in a far away land there lived a farmer, his wife and their two children. They lived on a ranch and on that ranch were some animals. There was a donkey, a dog, a cat, a rooster, a cow, two laying hens and a goat. The farmer's name was Mr Brown, now Mr. Brown loves his family and his animals dearly and treats them all with respect.

Each morning Mr. Brown came out, he would tell the animals how happy he was to have them and how important they were to him, until one day the rooster got so bossy he began telling everyone that he was more important than all of them.

"Out of all of you, I am the most important one." Said rooster.

"How come?" Ask the two hens.

"Because I crow in the morning and the family knows when to rise."

"Ah." said the two hens but we lay eggs so the family can get their proteins, so we are the more important ones."

Then one hen call dog and told him what rooster had said.

"Oh no," Said dog, "I am the most important one because I bark so master knows someone is coming and sometimes it may be a friend or an enemy."

Then dog call cow and told her what rooster and hen were saying.

"I am far more important to this family than all of you combined." Said cow.

"Why do you think so?" Ask hen.

"Well," Said cow, "I and I alone give milk to the family and milk provide them with calcium and calcium give them strong bones and teeth."

Then cow call donkey and told him what rooster, hen and dog were saying.

"Mercy mi father." said donkey

"if anyone should be talking about who is more important from who is not, is me. I am the most important in this family."

"How come?" ask dog, sounding annoyed.

"Because I am strong." said donkey.

"I am the one who carry all that food to the market every week so that my master can sell the goods, get money and provide food for the family and I am the one who bring back food for all of you. If I ever stop working all of you would die of hunger, so tell me now, who is more important?"

"Let me tell you something." Said cow.

"If you stop working, master would get someone else to take the food to and from the market, do you really think master would let us die? I don't think so, so think again."

Cat who was nearby taking a nap woke up from the sound of the others and sat there listening , when he could not take the arguing any longer he said.

"Listen here, listen here, I know I am more important than all of you."

"How can, you, be more important than all of us?" Every one ask in union.

"Out of all of us, you are the smallest one, how can you possibly be of any use around here?" Ask rooster.

"Well, I catch the rats and all the mice around here, so that they don't walk in yours and master's food, I keep you all from catching Leptospirosis and I also catch lizards which Mrs. Brown is afraid of, so all of you better get that in your head."

By this time the disagreement was getting noisy and caught the attention of goat, he came closer and one by one they told him what the argument was about he listen carefully then said.

"Listen my dear friends, we are all important to this family, everyone have their different role to play, each of us depend on each other, just as how this family depends on us. We are all special because God made us, so let us all stay together and work together, for together we stand and divided we fall."

"Here, here, here," Said cow.

"That sounds like a good idea."

"Listen up everyone." Said rooster.

"let us try to forget we had this little disagreement, let us love each other the way God loves us."

So they all agree to work together and to serve the family as best as they could and no one ever tried to over ride the other again.

Every one realized that they are important in their own way.

The end