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| There
was a boy named Juan who was very lazy. He found it
difficult to do even the simplest things, and he especially
hated getting up in the morning. His mother did not
know what to do with such an insensitive child. She
knew she was spoiling him, but she did not know what
else to do with him, as he was her beloved only child.
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| Juan’s mother
did not know the limits of her own tolerance. One day,
Juan was playing outside the house, and she called him
in for a very simple task. "Juan!" she called
out. "Come in here and find the ladle for me!" |
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| "I’m coming,
Mother!" Juan cried, but he did not bestir himself
to even walk two paces toward the house. |
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| After
a while Juan’s mother grew suspicious, and when
she saw that the boy was not obeying her, she dragged
him into the house. "You find that ladle! I want
you to hand it over to me by the time I get back from
the marketplace!" Then she stormed off, leaving
the lazy little boy to make or break his fate.
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| Juan
did not try to find the ladle. He found instead a large
wooden spoon that was too shallow for anyone to use
as a good ladle. He said to himself, "This will
have to do." He played again until his mother came
home, and then he gave her the spoon, saying "I
can’t find the ladle, Mother. I’m too lazy.
This spoon will have to do!"
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| "Ooh,
you tardy brat!" his mother cried, and she proceeded
to beat Juan with his "makeshift ladle". Juan
became so frightened that he ran out of the house. Ah,
but Juan’s mother would not let him go scot-free!
She threw the spoon at him, and it stuck to the base
of his spine like a tail, to his mother’s surprise.
Then, instead of running any further, Juan swiftly climbed
a tree to escape his mother’s fury. Juan’s
mother strode to the tree and cried out to her naughty
child:
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| "Come down from
there! I still have to punish you!" |
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| But Juan did not make
any more complaints, or excuses. Only harsh chirping
sounds came from his throat. Hair had grown all over
his little body and he could no longer speak a word.
Juan had become the very first monkey! Apparently, Juan’s
mother did not have to punish him. He had already brought
the greatest punishment upon himself. |
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