Jane and envy
Six year-old Jane liked to always have everything for
herself. As the youngest among the siblings, she would
get all she wanted out of them with some crying and some
tears.
She was never satisfied with anything. Whenever her
brother got a present, she would immediately get angry,
lock herself in the bedroom, and not leave until someone
came to pick her up and take her into the living room.
When she got the living room, it was common for her
brother, Tulio, to give in to Jane, who continued to cry
without consolation.
On this day she had cried a lot without anyone having
pitied her. Then Jane approached her brother and,
hugging him, said:
- Tulio, you are my brother and I love you very much!
And you could give me that gift you got from Grandma
Martha, couldn’t you? I would very much like to have
something like that!
And Tulio, looking at his sister, not knowing what to
do, agreed:
- All right, Jane. I will give you this gift that I got,
but it is the last time this happens. You are a selfish
girl and you only think of yourself. I will not give you
what I get, do you understand? Mom told me that you
abuse when you want something! So again, I will not give
you anything in the future. I'll give you what you asked
for this time, but it's the last time, ok?
- Yes, Tulio. I understood, thank you!
A few days later, at school, Tulio won a raffle and
received a teddy bear that was beautiful!
When she saw it, Jane approached him, sweetly, and said:
- Tulio, my brother, can I hold your beautiful teddy
bear in my arms a little? Just a little!...
- All right, Jane! But it's only this time! But it's not
yours, it's mine! You got it?
- Got it. Rest assured - Jane said, leaving the room
smiling.
Tulio, pleased to have won the raffle, did not worry
much about his sister. Later, he remembered the toy he
had won in the morning and went to Jane's room to ask
for its return.
- Tulio, let me play with it some more! I will not break
it, believe me!
And Jane asked so much that her brother exited Jane's
room, leaving her to play with the teddy. Later he
returned to get the toy and, crying, his sister said
that the family dog had destroyed the teddy bear.
Very upset, Tulio complained to his mother, who calmed
him down, and then said she would buy him another toy.
That same day, the mother bought him a beautiful red car
with a horn!
Full of jealousy, Jane began to cry with
rage. Their mother put the girl on her lap and
explained:
- Soon you will have your birthday, Jane, and you will
get gifts; but now it was Tulio who celebrated his
birthday and it is only fair that he should receive
gifts!
Jane felt so angry that she could not stop crying. The
mother put her in her lap again and talked to her,
saying that soon it would be her turn to get gifts and
have a party. Her birthday was only 10 days away. The
girl calmed down and before long was playing again.
Upon waking up on the day of her birthday, Jane received
a hug from her brother, accompanied by a toy he had
received and which she liked very much.
- Didn’t I say you should be patient, Jane? Here's your
gift! Congratulations, my sister!
- I am so sorry, Tulio! You are very generous. Thank
you! I'll never do what I did to you again.
She stood up and gave Tulio a very big hug. And from
that day on, Jane learned her lesson and never again
argued with Tullio, understanding that everything has a
right moment in life, and that we should wait patiently
for our turn.
MEIMEI
Psychographed by Célia Xavier de Camargo
on 25/09/2017.
Translation:
Johnny Silveira / silveirajohnny@yahoo.com