HERE and NOW.
The Clever Son.

Here and now lives a poor toy maker. He has two sons. His youngest son, Quyan has learned from his dad. He is as good a toy maker as his dad. Quyan works every day making new toys.

Sly, his older brother, is idle and lazy. He has never made toys. He never does anything but sleep and eat.

Quyan makes tennis shoes and sneakers for playing basketball. He makes sneakers that help you run as fast as a jet...and jump as high as a rocket. Sly goes bare footed. He is too lazy to make shoes...not even for himself.

One day Quyan made a special pair of sneakers. Whoever wears these sneakers can go anyplace they wish, Quyan thought. At that, he put them on, and tied them tight.

Suddenly Quyan began to run. Up he ran. Up, up, up. In a flash the sky was beneath Quyan's feet.
Streets and roads below looked like ribbons netted upon multicolored fields. Buildings of a large city looked like toy buildings in his father's toy shop.

Quyan saw crowds of people scurrying around. They looked like ants. Cars, trucks, buses, and other automobiles looked like little speeding bugs. "WOW!" exclaimed Quyan. "I 'll have to make everybody a pair of these."

Before Quyan could catch his breath he was darting toward a place that looked like Disney Land, except that it was shinier. It sparkled like stars. Quyan saw a highlighted footpath that led up a grass hill and right into the glittering place. He jetted so swiftly along the daring footpath that his sneakers left puffy balls of smoke behind him.

Soon he came upon a little white house. Its roof was colored like a ripe cherry and shaped like the letter A.
A pretty lady opened the red door and stepped out in front of Quyan.

Screeech! Quyan came to a stop. He stopped close enough to see his mother's sparkle in her smile. She smells like Mon's flower garden, Quyan thought. She's got Mom's twinkle in her eyes. Wait! Wow! She looks like, Mom.

"Hi," Quyan chimed. "You look like Mom."

"Hi there," she replied. "I'm Mother Maiden. Your name is, Quyan. I read about you in a good book. You are a fine little lad. Welcome to my home. Here, you and I can share treats. Please come right on in.

Quyan saw cookies and cakes. He saw all flavored shakes. There were chocolate bars, and marshmallow stars. There were sodas to drink. And candy cotton pink. She had fresh milk...and bread and jelly. She's got all sorts of yummies for my belly, Quyan thought.
No two were the same. Quyan tasted so many. Too many to name.

"I like your little house," said Quyan, "and all that is in it. Thank you, yes, Mother Maiden. I'll stay for a minute."

"You may stay as my helper," she said, "and if you are a good worker, here and now, you can earn great blessings to take home and share with your family."

Quyan promised to be a good helper. And a hard worker too, like he was at home. And he kept his promise.

"You must rake our leaves when I ask you to, and you must water our flowers." said Mother Maiden. "When you water our flowers here, rain will fall on earth, and water the flowers there."

Quyan listened to Mother Maiden. He raked their leaves. He helped her paint their little blue fence. Then he turned their lawn sprinklers on and taught their puppy how to wrestle in the grass while tumbling in the spray. He fed their puppy and their kitten too. He watered their flowers when Mother Maiden asked him to do so. This made rain fall on earth and water our flowers here. Quyan helped every day, at home and away.

Mother Maiden Loved Quyan. She treated him like her own son. This made him listen to her more...and even more than more.

Then one day while they were at a picnic, Quyan said. "Mother Maiden...I love you. You are my friend, like Mom. You have been kind to me. Thank You. I've had a wonderful time living with you. But I miss Mom, Dad, and Sly. Would you mind if I go home to them?"

Mother Maiden's smile was as bright as midday sunshine. "Not at all," she replied. "but before you go, my dear...come."

She lead Quyan to a great door in the clouds. When it opened he saw a light that was as bright as Mother Maiden's smile. The light was warm...and it lead to the place where Quyan lived.

"Go, my dear child," said Mother Maiden. "Your family awaits you."

When Quyan walked through the doorway coins of pure gold rained upon him like April showers. They stuck to his clothes until he was completely covered with gold.

Mother Maiden hugged Quyan like she hugs her teddy bear. She had happy tears in her eyes. She kissed Quyan's reddened cheeks. That made Quyan's eyes get watery too. Quyan could not speak. Mother Maiden spoke.

"You have been a faithful helper. This is your reward for working to help your family. I thank you for helping me. I Thank You, Quyan."

"You are welcome, I'm sure," Quyan replied.

After they said goodbye, Quyan darted home quicker than I can say. There he met his father, his mother, and his brother walking to meet him. When they saw Quyan covered with gold, they couldn't believe their eyes.

Mother Maiden rewarded me for working and helping," Quyan said, "Now we never have to be poor ever again. You take the gold, Dad and Mom. You may have some gold too, Sly," Quyan offered.

Sly became so jealous of Quyan that his face frowned uglier than it had ever been.

"PHEW!" said Sly. "I'll go out and get my own golden coins. I'll get a bunch more than you've got. Just wait. You'll see. And I ain't sharing my gold with nobody, but me."

HERE and NOW
The Never Son.

Here and Now Sly decides to steal Quyan's sneakers. One day when no one was around Sly stole Quyan's sneakers. He put them on and tied them tight. The same thing that happened to Quyan happened to Sly. He found himself outside the little white house. Sly pounded on the red door.

"STOP!! "...A cranky voice hollered out from inside. "Who's that banging on my door?!"

"Yo! Where are you, Mother Mud, or what ever your stupid name is. How about some gold for me?"

An ugly old lady's face appeared in the window. "Come on in," she laughed with a cackle, "You'll get yours." Sly was uglier than the witch, so he wasn't afraid of her. He hurried inside.

Sly didn't see any sweet treats. He saw black cats, and red eyed vampire bats. "Where is my gold?" he grouched.

The witch was still cackling like a spooky chicken.

"First...you must work."

"Phooey! I ain't doin' no work."

"Then you're not getting any gold."

"NO? Why not? You gave Quyan gold."

"I gave Quyan an opportunity to earn gold...like I did you.
He chose to take advantage of the opportunity, and he did."

Sly's voice sounded like he was sucking a lemon.
"And he did," he mocked wrinkling his face.
"Well what so special did he do?"

"Quyan worked."

"Phew! That half witted moron, that's all he ever does.
Work, work, work. He works my nerves. What kind of stupid work
has Silly Willy done this time? What do you want me to do?"

"First of all, my dear child. You stole Quyan's sneakers.
You must return them to him with your apology.

PLUS...

Here and Now, you must promise that you will never steal again, Sly."
You said that you ain't doing no work. You must change your mind about that.
You must promise to work to help people help people.
And you must never, ever say ain't again."

"Bah! You sound like, Mom, and my teacher at school.
They're always telling me stuff like that."

"I'm your teacher too, telling you stuff like that too, my dear.

Sly threw his hands up in the air and kicked up a puff of dust.

"Okay. Okay. What do I have to do so you'll give me some
of your dumb gold?"

The lady pointed to the water hose in the garden.
"First...you must water the flowers."

Sly mumbled and he grumbled. He pretended to water the flowers.
But as soon as she went into her house he quit.
He curled up in the grass and fell into a deep lazy sleep.

Sly's snoring pierced the lady's ears. She had to stuff her ears with cotton balls.
When Sly woke up...and went inside the lady asked him...

"Did you water the flowers?"

"Of course I watered the flowers," he lied. "Now...where is my reward?
Make it lots of your gold, like you made, Quyan's...Mother Mud. Let me have it."

"Coming right up." She laughed through her long pointed green nose.
Her nose grew longer. It grew sharper and a big wart on it grew bigger.

She led Sly to a great door. When it opened it was as dark as black night outside.
Sly remembered what Quyan said happened to him when he walked through the doorway.
He hurried to pass through.

YES! Lazy Sly got his reward. Black muddy slime grime poured down on his head.The sticky mess spread out over him from his head to his toes.

"They don't call me Mother Mud for nothing," the old lady laughed.

Here and Now gooey black mud still covers Sly's lazy body. And it will never come off as long as he lies and steals. As long as he is mean and lazy. And as long as he says, ain't.