If I were an early bird, this plump little fellow would look like a tasty morcel to me! What one might call a good start to the day. I’m sure there’s a moral to be learnt here somewhere.
Ahh, yes, of course :
The early bird gets the worm.
We all know that the world belongs to those who get up nice and early. Get up early and life can but smile for you.
However, there is a darker side to this story… one of personal disaster… the early (perhaps even earlier) worm gets eaten! Of course we automatically associate ourselves with the bird. The moralists of old conveniently failed to complete their comforting proverb. It should read :
The early bird gets the worm.
But the early worm gets eaten!
In other words know yourself! If you are a bird, get up early. If you are a worm, stay in bed a little longer and let other worms get eaten!
And, for the mice amongst us, here is some food for thought :
The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
Wikipedia entry on the earthworm
Watch “Darwin’s Worm” a short video made by Jean Painlevé on the virtues of the earthworm.
