The Whistle
A Children's Story About Ben Franklin
Two hundred years ago there lived in Boston a little boy whose name was Benjamin
Franklin.
On the day that he was seven years old, his mother gave him a few pennies.
He looked at the bright, yellow pieces and said, "What shall I do with these coppers,
mother?"
It was the first money that he had ever had.
"You may buy something, if you wish," said his mother.
"And then will you give me more?" he asked.
His mother shook her head and said: "No, Benjamin. I cannot give you any more. So you
must be careful not to spend these foolishly."
The little fellow ran into the street. He heard the pennies jingle in his pocket. How rich he
was!
Franklin.
On the day that he was seven years old, his mother gave him a few pennies.
He looked at the bright, yellow pieces and said, "What shall I do with these coppers,
mother?"
It was the first money that he had ever had.
"You may buy something, if you wish," said his mother.
"And then will you give me more?" he asked.
His mother shook her head and said: "No, Benjamin. I cannot give you any more. So you
must be careful not to spend these foolishly."
The little fellow ran into the street. He heard the pennies jingle in his pocket. How rich he
was!
Boston is now a great city, but at that time it was only a little
town. There were not many stores.
As Benjamin ran down the street, he wondered what he should
buy. Should he buy candy? He hardly knew how it tasted.
Should he buy a pretty toy? If he had been the only child in the
family, things might have been different. But there were fourteen
boys and girls older than he, and two little sisters who were
younger.
town. There were not many stores.
As Benjamin ran down the street, he wondered what he should
buy. Should he buy candy? He hardly knew how it tasted.
Should he buy a pretty toy? If he had been the only child in the
family, things might have been different. But there were fourteen
boys and girls older than he, and two little sisters who were
younger.
What a big family it was! And the father was a poor man. No wonder the lad had never
owned a toy.
He had not gone far when he met a larger boy, who was blowing a whistle.
"I wish I had that whistle," he said.
The big boy looked at him and blew it again. Oh, what a pretty sound it made!
"I have some pennies," said Benjamin. He held them in his hand, and showed them to the
boy. "You may have them, if you will give me the whistle." "All of them?"
"Yes, all of them."
"Well, it's a bargain," said the boy; and he gave the whistle to Benjamin, and took the
pennies.
Little Benjamin Franklin was very happy; for he was only seven years old. He ran home as
fast as he could, blowing the whistle as he ran.
"See, mother," he said, "I have bought a whistle."
"How much did you pay for it?"
"All the pennies you gave me."
"Oh, Benjamin!"
One of his brothers asked to see the whistle.
"Well, well!" he said. "You've paid a dear price for this thing. It's only a penny whistle, and
a poor one at that."
"You might have bought half a dozen such whistles with the money I gave you," said his
mother.
The little boy saw what a mistake he had made. The whistle did not please him any more.
He threw it upon the floor and began to cry.
"Never mind, my child," said his mother, very kindly. "You are only a very little boy, and
you will learn a great deal as you grow bigger. The lesson you have learned today is never
to pay too dear for a whistle." Benjamin Franklin lived to be a very old man, but he never
forgot that lesson.
Every boy and girl should remember the name of Benjamin Franklin. He was a great
thinker and a great doer, and with Washington he helped to make our country free. His life
was such that no man could ever say, "Ben Franklin has wronged me."
owned a toy.
He had not gone far when he met a larger boy, who was blowing a whistle.
"I wish I had that whistle," he said.
The big boy looked at him and blew it again. Oh, what a pretty sound it made!
"I have some pennies," said Benjamin. He held them in his hand, and showed them to the
boy. "You may have them, if you will give me the whistle." "All of them?"
"Yes, all of them."
"Well, it's a bargain," said the boy; and he gave the whistle to Benjamin, and took the
pennies.
Little Benjamin Franklin was very happy; for he was only seven years old. He ran home as
fast as he could, blowing the whistle as he ran.
"See, mother," he said, "I have bought a whistle."
"How much did you pay for it?"
"All the pennies you gave me."
"Oh, Benjamin!"
One of his brothers asked to see the whistle.
"Well, well!" he said. "You've paid a dear price for this thing. It's only a penny whistle, and
a poor one at that."
"You might have bought half a dozen such whistles with the money I gave you," said his
mother.
The little boy saw what a mistake he had made. The whistle did not please him any more.
He threw it upon the floor and began to cry.
"Never mind, my child," said his mother, very kindly. "You are only a very little boy, and
you will learn a great deal as you grow bigger. The lesson you have learned today is never
to pay too dear for a whistle." Benjamin Franklin lived to be a very old man, but he never
forgot that lesson.
Every boy and girl should remember the name of Benjamin Franklin. He was a great
thinker and a great doer, and with Washington he helped to make our country free. His life
was such that no man could ever say, "Ben Franklin has wronged me."
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