

Tom and Ben are friends. They like to play with cars and balls. One day, they find a big box of cookies in the kitchen. They are very hungry and want to eat them all.
"Let's take the cookies and hide in the garden," Tom says. "We can eat them and no one will know."
"OK," Ben says. "But we have to be quick and quiet."
They take the cookies and run to the garden. They find a wide tree with thick branches. They climb up the tree and sit on a branch. They open the box and start to eat the cookies. They are very sweet and crunchy.
"These are the best cookies ever," Tom says. "We are so lucky to find them."
"Yes, they are," Ben says. "But maybe we should save some for later. We might get sick if we eat too many."
"No, we won't," Tom says. "We can eat them all. They are ours. We don't have to share with anyone."
They eat and eat and eat. They eat until the box is empty. They feel very full and happy. They smile at each other and wipe their mouths.
"That was fun," Tom says. "Let's do it again tomorrow."
"OK," Ben says. "But we have to hide the box. We don't want anyone to find out."
They throw the box down the tree and jump down. They run back to the house. They think they are very smart and clever.
But they are not. The next day, they wake up with a big problem. They have a bad stomach ache. They feel very sick and unhappy. They can't play with cars and balls. They have to stay in bed and drink water. They cry and moan.
"What happened to us?" Tom asks. "Why do we feel so bad?"
"Maybe it was the cookies," Ben says. "Maybe we ate too many. Maybe we were greedy and selfish."
"Yes, maybe you were," a voice says. It is Mom. She is standing at the door. She looks very angry and sad. She has the empty box in her hand. She knows what they did.
"Did you take the cookies from the kitchen?" she asks. "Did you eat them all by yourselves?"
Tom and Ben nod. They are very ashamed and sorry. They know they did something wrong.
"Those cookies were for your sister's birthday party," Mom says. "They were a special treat for her and her friends. You ruined her surprise. You were very naughty and mean."
Tom and Ben feel very bad. They love their sister. They don't want to make her sad. They wish they could take back what they did.
"We are sorry, Mom," they say. "We are sorry, sister. We made a mistake. We won't do it again. Please forgive us."
Mom sighs. She is not happy, but she loves them. She knows they are young and they need to learn.
"I forgive you, boys," she says. "But you have to gain your sister's forgiveness too. You have to do something nice for her. You have to show her that you care. And you have to share with others. Sharing is caring. Do you understand?"
Tom and Ben nod. They understand. They want to be good and kind. They want to be better friends. They hug Mom and say thank you. They hug each other and say sorry. They learn their lesson.
The end.
