We described the friendly neighborhood we lived in，and listened sympathetically as they lamented that theirs was just the opposite.

Saying our good-byes, we got in our cars and drove home.

后来，我们向他们道了别，开车回到了家。

As we approached our house，we were horrified to see that our new-found friends were pulling into the driveway next to ours.

One day a woman was walking along a grain field， and her little child， who was jumping along beside her， fell into a puddle and got his clothes dirty. The mother tore off a handful of the beautiful ears of grain and cleaned his clothes with them.

the Lord was just then passing by， and when he saw her doing this， he became angry and said， “From this time forth the grain-stalk shall bear no more ears of grain. Humans are not worthy of this heavenly gift.”

the bystanders who heard this were horrified， fell to their knees， and begged him to leave at least something on the grain-stalk， even if they did not deserve it， at least for the sake of the innocent chickens， who otherwise would starve to death.

the Lord， foreseeing the misery that would come， took pity on them and granted their wish. Thus the ear at the top of the stalk remained， just as it grows today.