Juanito was one of many children who lived in a very quiet town, where one could feel peace and joy in any place in its streets. However, Juanito wasn’t like his other companions. He was a gentle child and had many friends. He loved drawing and dancing. He also went to sleep early and used hot water while bathing.
Juanito was a normal child except for one thing: he was a liar. Every morning he would wake up, and after bathing, he would go to have breakfast. His mother would prepare fried eggs for breakfast every day, but he didn’t like it and didn’t tell his mother that. Instead, he would give it to his dog Max whenever no one was present. When his mother asked him about the food, he would tell her that he had eaten it all and that it was good.
When Juanito reached his school, his teacher would ask to see the homework, but he would lie when he hadn’t done it, telling his teacher that he forgot it at home. At home, he would tell his mother that he had done his homework while he was watching TV or playing on the computer at that time when no one saw him.
Juanito also lied to his friends, as he had many lying stories. Until the day came when his matter was discovered, and one of his friends knew that he was a liar. Then his mother noticed that he hadn’t done his homework as he used to say. Also, the teacher found exercises that weren’t solved inside his bag. At that time, Juanito realized the bad effect of his lies, as there was no longer anyone who trusted his words at all, and there was no longer anyone who believed any story he told. Therefore, he realized that lying is a very bad habit.
The moral of the story: Lying leads to the destruction of its owner, as it makes those around him lose trust in his words even if they were true. Therefore, a human must tell the truth whatever the circumstances.
Translated from Spanish titled: Juanito y sus mentiras