THE YOUNG THIEF AND HIS MOTHER
A young Man had been caught in a daring act of theft and had been condemned to be executed for it. He expressed his desire to see his Mother, and to speak with her before he was led to execution, and of course this was granted. When his Mother came to him he said: "I want to whisper to you," and when she brought her ear near him, he nearly bit it off. All the bystanders were horrified, and asked him what he could mean by such brutal and inhuman conduct. "It is to punish her," he said. "When I was young I began with stealing little things, and brought them home to Mother. Instead of rebuking and punishing me, she laughed and said: "It will not be noticed." It is because of her that I am here to-day."
"He is right, woman," said the Priest; "the Lord hath said: "Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old he will not depart therefrom."
اللص الصغير وأمه
أُلقي القبض على شاب يقوم بعملية سرقة جريئة وحُكِمَ عليه بالإعدام، فعبَّر عن رغبته برؤية أمه والتكلم إليها قبل أن يساق للإعدام، فتم تلبية طلبه.
عندما جاءت أمه قال لها: "أريد أن اهمس لك بشيء" وعندما دنت بأذنها منه كان على وشك اقتلاعها.
ارتاع المتفرجون من تصرفه و سألوه عن سبب هذا السلوك الوحشي واللا إنساني، فأجاب: "عقاباً لها، لأنني عندما كنت صغيراً بدأت بسرقة أشياء صغيرة وكنت أحضرهم للمنزل وبدلاً من تأنيبي وعقابي كانت تضحك وتقول: "لن يلاحظ ذلك أحد". وبسببها أنا هنا اليوم."
"إنه محق أيتها المرأة،" قال الكاهن؛ "يقول المسيح:
"دربوا الطفل على الطريق الذي يجب أن يمشي فيه وعندما سيكبر لن يغادر هذا الطريق."
