The Raspberry Rule

Once upon a time, in a cozy little house, lived a father, a son named Alex, and a daughter named Lily. The father was tall and strong, with a thick beard and kind eyes. He loved his children very much, but he had one big rule: “No picking raspberries!” One sunny day, Lily saw the bright red raspberries shining in the garden. They looked so delicious! She thought about how much Alex would love to taste them. “I will be careful,” she whispered to herself. But Alex was playing nearby. He had curly brown hair and bright blue eyes that sparkled with curiosity. “What are you doing, Lily?” he asked, running over to her. “I want to pick some raspberries for us!” Lily said with a big smile. “But Dad said we can’t!” Alex replied, looking worried. Lily thought for a moment. “But it’s just a few! We can share them!” Alex hesitated, but the thought of sweet, juicy raspberries made him feel brave. “Okay, let’s do it!” he said, his eyes shining with excitement. So, they tiptoed to the raspberry bushes, careful not to make a sound.

They picked the raspberries, their fingers stained red with juice. Lily filled her little basket, and soon it was overflowing with the sweet fruit. “Look, Alex! We have so many!” she giggled. Just then, their father walked into the garden. His eyes widened when he saw them. “What are you doing?” he asked, his voice stern. Lily’s heart raced. “We just wanted to share some raspberries, Dad!” she said honestly, holding out the basket. But their father shook his head. “I told you not to pick them! You both must leave the garden now!” Alex felt sad and scared. “But we were just being generous!” he said, trying to explain. Their father frowned, but Lily stood tall. “Dad, we were brave and shared something special. We didn’t mean to disobey you.” Seeing the honesty in their eyes, their father’s heart softened. “I understand, but rules are important. You must promise to follow them.” Lily and Alex nodded, their spirits lifting. “We promise!” they said together. From that day on, they learned the value of courage, stewardship, and honesty. And every time they saw the raspberries, they remembered the lesson of sharing and the love of their family.