Virtues-- Patience

Mothers are known for their patience. A mother can endure the un-endurable for her child. A mother can stand tantrums, that would send fathers into a hair-ripping/plucking gall, and still smile about it.

Little monkey had been looking forward to his mum making him a bowl of choco-cream-cornflakes-goo (for want of a better name), since he left for school. The thought of the delicious cocoa concoction melting on his tongue and sending him into a tizzy kept him going the whole day, and now that he was home, NOTHING could come between him and the bowl of the astoundingly unhealthy preparation that he knew mummy monkey would have ready for him to gobble down. By the time he parked his bi-cycle in the garage he was as ravenous as ravens can be (for those going "HUH?", get used to it, will you?). He BURST through the living room door, flinging his backpack on the sofa. He raced from room to room calling out to mother-monkey. She finally emerged from one of the rooms. By now Little monkey was bobbing around like Jay Leno's head. "MOOOOMMM, I'M READDDYYYYYYY TO EEAAAAT", he YELLED. "First go and have a wash. Then you'll enjoy your food even more", replied Mother Monkey. "BUT MOOOMMMM....", he complained, but stopped short because he knew she was right. So off he went to the bathroom, with cleaning-up being the last thing on his mind. He was out in 43.75 seconds and saw mommy standing in the doorway with a gentle smile on her face. As he moved closer he saw that she was holding out something to him. He felt a tumult of emotions. He thought to himself, "OHHH BOY OH BOY, THERE IT IS.....YA-FREAKING-HOOOOO.......OH BOY AM I GONNA HAVE FUN EATING THIS..........BANANA...........er.......BANANA???". "BUT MOM, I thought you were going to make me a bowl of choco-cream-cornflakes", protested little monkey. "Little Monkey, bananas are good for you. Bananas are what we all eat", said Mother Monkey, peeling the banana for Little monkey to eat, but little monkey reacted angrily retorting, "I WON'T EAT THIS BANANA!!!". Mother Monkey tried to explain just how GOOD a banana is for little monkeys, but Little Monkey was in no mood to listen. He felt cheated, robbed, beguiled, bilked, conned, scammed, swindled, hoodwinked (Thank you, Roget. that'll be all). Mother monkey stood there in front of him, coaxing the Little capuchin monkey to eat the banana.

"C'mon, Little monkey, eat it sweetie"

"NO, I WON'T"

"C'mon, baba"

"NOPE"

"pllleeaaassee" (still smiling)

"NIET"

"aaww...my DAAARRLING sonnyy....I KNOW you'll eat it"

"NEIN"

....after a minute of this Little Monkey sat in a corner, sulking with banana paste smeared ALL OVER his face.

Sigh...Mothers are known for their patience. A mother can endure the un-endurable for her child...