A Thief Born Early

Two boys, both blond and blue of eye were playing at the Lorelei. As foreign ships passed near the cliff bold flags in morning frost were stiff. The elder brother, to annoy had brought with him his latest toy. A fire engine, painted red (at night it parked beneath his bed) , had been reward for A's and B's and from his belt hung silver keys. You'd wind the spring to set the stage and soon the motor would engage, the truck went wild, with bells and whistles and raced through grass and forest thistles. The boy, whose birthday was outstanding, at first was timid, then demanding. Though younger by a year and some he suddenly was overcome by hot desire for the toy, which did not please the older boy. He grabbed and pulled the object free inserted then the silver key and launched the vehicle with skill in the direction of a hill. Meanwhile, the victim (his own brother) , was calling loudly for his mother, who, hearing cries of desperation abandoned her accustomed station, which was the stove, needless to say. She cooked and let the children play. The mother saw the boys ascending the cliff to where the path was ending, and from the windswept, rocky top the fire engine flew non-stop to raging waters far below the robber yelled 'Oh What A Show! ' A conference was soon convened, and grandpa, who disliked a fiend, explained the logic of the law which, in the end, the young boy saw. And when the engine was retrieved both boys and mother were relieved. A dent below the driver's door was quickly fixed. They found no more in damages, the truck was tough. Built in Berlin, which says enough. As grandpa who was still a teacher and had been acting like a preacher, explained to two bewildered boys about the ownership of toys. It soon sank in that what is mine cannot be dropped into the Rhine by other boys who may be strong. Thus, taking things is always wrong. Unless the item of desire is given freely, or for hire. The victim now put in the key and turned it quickly, just to see if damages had, during flight occurred to structures deep inside. If anything, the truck drove faster, had gone unscathed through the disaster. The boys grew up and soon forgot the incident, or did they not? So often, when a lesson's learned an inner quality is earned. And now and then a thief is cured at once, and you can be assured that little boys grow into men, remembering, just now and then, those dramas of their early days when parents showed them rules and ways. Don't ask me whether it be fact that, what the older brother lacked stems from the drama near the Rhine? In sweet revenge, he took what's mine.