Looking back over the use of lay/lie and all its forms, I realize that it might be better to only concentrate on one form at a time. So today I’d like to start with Henrietta.
When you set something down, that “something” is the object of the verb. It’s the thing you do something to.
Henny sets down an egg. She LAYS it down, so that egg is the object of the verb “to lay.”
Henrietta is showing us the eggs she LAID. It is her job to LAY eggs.
When she first came to the henhouse, she learned from Ms. Biddy, who LAID down the law.
“Now listen here, Henny,” Ms. Biddy said. “You must LAY an egg every day.”
“Butbawkbawkbawk I just LAID one,” said Henny. “I’ll LAY another one tomorrow. But bawk how about you? Are you still LAYING an egg a day?
“When you’ve been LAYING eggs as long as I have,” Ms. Biddy clucked, “it just comes naturally. I have LAID eggs my whole adult life. That’s why I have the right to LAY down the law for you young chicks.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” Henny clucked. “LAY, Lady LAY!”