The Boy Who Cried Wolf--A 6-year-old's Interpretation

Ok, so when my 8-year-old daughter gets hurt, she really lets up a wail.  It can be a paper cut, and you'd think she's dying.  So I recently told her and her 6-year-old brother the story of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf."  My son, in particular, listened with rapt interest.

(Ok, I know that picture is not of a wolf.  It's my 3-year-old with our dog.  But I LOVE that picture, so I thought I'd throw it in here anyway.)

The other day, I was sitting on our back deck while the kids played in the yard.  My 6-year-old was under the deck, playing in the rocks with his 4-and-3-year-old sister and brother, when I heard him tell them, "Let me tell you the story of the boy who cried wolf!"

I perked up, and he continued, "There was a boy out in the field, and he yelled, 'Wolf!  Wolf!'  And all the people came running.  And he said, 'HaHa, you look sooooo funny!'  So they went away.  Then, the next day, he went out in the field and yelled, 'Wolf!  Wolf!'  And all the people came running.  And he said, 'Haha, you look soooooooo funny!'  So they went away.  So the next day, he went out and cried, 'Wolf!  Wolf!'  And nobody came, but two big wolves came and ate him up!  So never go out in the field and cry, 'Wolf! Wolf!'"

My 4-year-old asked with awe in her voice, "Why not?"

To which my 6-year-old, in all his wisdom, reponded, "Because when you go out in the field and cry 'Wolf!  Wolf!' it calls the wolves, so they hear you and come and eat you!"

*Sigh*  So much for that object lesson.  I can only imagine what his little 6-year-old boy's mind does to other lessons I try to teach him...