Grimm's Household Tales

In former times, when God himself still walked the earth, the fruitfulness of the soil was much greater than it is now. Then the ears of grain did not bear fiftyfold or sixtyfold but four or five hundredfold. Then the grain grew from the bottom to the very top of the stalk, and the length of the ear matched the length of the stalk. People, however, are made in such a way that when they are too well off, they no longer value the blessings that come from God but grow indifferent and careless. One day a woman was passing by a field of grain when her little child, who was running beside her, fell into a puddle and dirtied the child’s dress. At this the mother tore up a handful of the beautiful ears of grain and cleaned the dress with them.

When the Lord, who just then came by, saw that, he was angry and said, “From now on the stalks of grain shall bear no more ears. People are no longer worthy of heavenly gifts.” The bystanders who heard this were terrified, and they fell on their knees and prayed that he would still leave something on the stalks, even if the people were undeserving of it, for the sake of the innocent birds that would otherwise have to starve. The Lord, who foresaw their suffering, took pity on them and granted the request. So the ears were left as they now grow.