All his life the young eagle did exactly what prairie chickens do. He pecked for insects and grubs in the earth. He clucked and cackled exactly like a prairie chicken. And when he flew it was always in a cloud of feathers and only for a few yards at most.

After all, that's how prairie chickens fly.

The years passed and the eagle grew old. One day he saw a magnificent bird gliding high in the cloudless sky. Gracefully the huge bird rode the air currents, hardly moving his great golden wings.

"What a beautiful bird!" exclaimed our eagle to his prairie chicken friends. "What is it?"

"That's an eagle, the king of birds," clucked his neighbor. "But you better forget about it. You'll never be an eagle."

And so the eagle forgot all about the magnificent bird and died, thinking he was a prairie chicken.

Have you ever thought you were less than you could be, like the eagle who thought he was a prairie chicken?

Let's be cheerful, bright and happy, Let us laugh.

Laugh--and let the face be brighter, Laugh -- and let the heart be lighter; Then the life will be the whiter -- Let us laugh.

When the world is frowning at us, Let us laugh.

When our foes with venom spat us, Let us laugh.

Spatting back is rather riling, but there's nothing more beguiling to an enemy than smiling -- Let us laugh.

When dire tribulations meet us, Let us laugh.

Troubles laughed at won't defeat us, Let us laugh.

Laughing's better far than whining -- laughter is the silver lining, proving that life's sun is shining -- Let us laugh.

When the tempter tries to lead us, Let us laugh.

Merry hearts will heavenward lead us, Let us laugh.