So, my aunt (hee hee) has inspired me to
make a list of the books I remember best from childhood, and the lessons they taught me. I'll see if I can link to them as well - I wonder how many of these books anyone will recognize...
1. Socks for Supper by Jack Kent - An old couple who has eaten nothing but turnips for a long time begin trading socks for milk and cheese with a young couple who has a cow - and no apparent need for socks. The old woman gets the yarn by unravelling the old man's sweater - and the young woman uses the knitted socks to knit a sweater for *her* husband. In the end, the young woman's sweater is too big for her husband, so she gives it to the old man for Christmas, having noticed that he didn't have one anymore.
What's the lesson? Generosity without condescension is inspiring. The young couple doesn't need socks, but they don't give the milk and cheese away for free. They accept the old couple's paymeny of socks, so that the young woman can do something nice for her husband. In the end, the old couple gets the milk and cheese for free, since all their yarn is returned to them, and there's something deeply satisfying about the way it all works out.
2. The Simple Prince, by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Jack Kent - A Prince is tired and bored with the life of luxury. He heads off to a farmer's cottage, in search of the Simple Life, and finds that it takes more work than he is prepared for just to get butter, bread and tea - he has to churn the butter, cut wood for the fire, knead the bread dough, draw water for the tea, and so on, until he is so exhausted that he falls asleep. Upon waking, he runs away, back to the waiting arms of his servants, whom he now treats with respect and politeness. He never does get to eat the bread, butter and tea that he made.
What's the lesson? Simplicity is Work. Complexity in life is the result of too much leisure time. Well, OK, I'm cheating here. that's the lesson I'm getting out of it now. When I was a kid, the lesson was about gratitude to people who did your work for you. So I was sure to say thank you to my mother when I noticed her making my life easier, but somehow, I think that wasn't really the point of the book, since I still expected my mother to do everything for me.
3. Piggy Bank Gonzalez, also by Jack Kent - A piggy bank tires of his boring existence, and hits the road with a group of mariachi pigs, only to have them take advantage of his wealth and leave him to take the blame when they're out of money.
Simple lesson here - pigs are evil.
4. But No Elephants - A hard-working grandma type lady is conned by a slick talking pet salesman into buying numerous pets that turn out to be helpful. She manages to hold off on the elephant, not seeing any way that it could be useful, but the pet salesman leaves it outside her door to starve and freeze. She eventually takes it in, where is eats all her food, and puts the whole crew in danger of starving and freezing to death in the long winter - until the elephant carries the whole house on his back to a warmer climate where they all live happily ever after.
What's the lesson? Move to California.
I'm drawing a blank on more stories I read as a child. I moved pretty quickly on to longer books that were more entertaining than edifying. When it comes down to it, it looks like the lesson I applied most completely to my life was the last one.
