The bird said to the worm, "I'm sorry, but I must eat you."
"Why must you eat me?" cried the worm.
"Because my babies are depending on me to bring them food. Would you have them starve merely because you do not want to be eaten?"
"Would you, likewise, have my little wormlets be stranded without their father? They too, depend on me for their survival," replied the worm.
"That may be true," said the bird, "but a bird is much more important in the life cycle."
"Is that so? How do you figure?"
"It's simple, really. A bird goes around eating all the nasty little pests that plague everyone. We're responsible for populating fishing ponds and pollinating flowers. In essence, we create life," spouted the proud bird.
"Only by destroying lives."
"Hmmmph," came the bird's reply.
"Worms also enable life to happen. We burrow through farm fields, infusing the soil with oxygen and nutrients. Because of this, farmers eat the crops and are therefore, able to live. So while you may give life to flowers, we give life to the entire human population." The worm was just about to wiggle away when the bird stopped him.
"That may be so, but my chicklets are still hungry, and I'm still going to eat you." The bird stepped forward and lunged at the poor worm. Just as he thought he was going to be eaten, a loud shot rang out and the bird fell over.
"We'll stuff this bird and have some of that fresh corn on the cob for dinner, son," boomed a man's voice.
"And potatoes with gravy?" came the gleeful reply.
