81. The lie (Listen and Read)

Yesterday I told a lie.

I don't feel very good about it.

I was bouncing a ball in the kitchen,

and the ball bounced up and broke a cup.

It was one of my mother's best cups,

so I was afraid that she would be mad.

I put the broken cup back on the table, and I didn't tell anyone that I had broken it.

That night, my mother asked who had broken the cup.

My brother said, "not me".

My sister said, "I didn't do it".

I said, "I didn't break the cup",

but I was lying.

My mother said that we would all be punished, if someone didn't tell the truth and say who broke the cup.

I still did not tell her that I had broken it.

She gave us one more chance, and she said she wasn't mad about the cup,

she just wanted us to be honest.

I still didn't say anything.

My brother, sister and I all got sent to our rooms.

We had to stay in our rooms all morning.

My brother said it wasn't fair.

I felt very bad because my brother and sister were being punished because of me.

I went to my mother and told her that I had broken the cup.

She said that she was not upset about the broken cup.

She knew that it was an accident.

She was disappointed in me because I hadn't come forward and told the truth.

She said that she wouldn't have punished me if I had been honest with her.

I told my brother and sister that I was sorry.

I felt bad because they were punished because I was dishonest.

I told my mother that I was sorry that I had lied to her.

I told her that I had learned a lesson.

Honesty is the best policy.

It is better to tell the truth.

It is not a good feeling when people don't trust you.

I have learned that lying just hurts people.

Sometimes it is hard to be honest, but it is the best way to be.