7-year-old little Johnny comes down to breakfast. Since they live on a farm, his mother asks if he has done his chores.
“Not yet,” said little Johnny.
“There’ll be no breakfast until you’ve done your chores, young man,” she tells him.
Little Johnny gets a little sulky at this, so when he goes to feed the chickens, he kicks one of them to take out his frustration on something.
He goes to feed the cows, and while doing so he kicks a cow. On the way back to the house he goes to feed the pigs, and kicks a pig who happens to get in his way.
He goes back in for breakfast, but to his surprise, his mother only gives him a bowl of dry cereal.
“How come I don’t get any eggs and bacon? Why don’t I have any milk in my cereal?” he asks.
“Well,” his mother says, “I saw you kick a chicken, so you don’t get any eggs for a week. I saw you kick the pig, so you don’t get any bacon for a week either. I also saw you kick the cow, so you aren’t getting any milk for a week.”
Just then, his father comes down for breakfast and almost trips over the cat. His father regains his balance, turns around and kicks the cat halfway across the kitchen.
Little Johnny looks up at his mother with a smile, and says, “Are you going to tell him, or should I?”