A Parable for Children Reluctant to Look up Things in Reference Books

This is inspired by Laurence Simon's bedtime stories and my own children's groaning every time they have to look up something in a book.

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Once upon a time, there were two children, a girl and a boy. They were walking along a path in the forest. The girl was carrying a Children's Dictionary and the boy was carrying a complete set of the 1959 World Book Encycolpedia.

Children
As they were walking, they came across a sign that said "Crocodiles Ahead." Neither knew what a crocodile was.

"Should we look it up?" asked the girl.

Crocodiles
"Look it up?" groaned the boy. "No! That's the worst thing ever!"

"You're right," said the girl. "It's so horrible that I'd rather do anything than have to do that."

And so they did not look up the word crocodile and kept walking. A short while later they were both devoured.

THE END

Possible morals to the story:

• The World Book Encyclopedia is too heavy and weighs you down if you are attacked by wild beasts.


• The crocodiles were hungry and needed to eat the children. Mother Earth is satisfied with the result.


• Stay out of the forest if you want to remain alive. Instead of taking walks, stay inside and play video games.

Please post your version(s) of the moral of this story in the comments.

For more family fun, visit this week's Carnival of Family Life.