Yodel Learns His lesson

My name is Yodel .  I live with my mother and father in the jungles of Helbula. It is very hot and humid and it rains every day before supper.  In our back yard my father planted  a banana tree and  it was my job to pick the bananas . There was only one problem.  I LOVED bananas and I usually ate more then I picked.  My mother told me that if I ate too many bananas I would get a big belly ache.

My father's birthday was in a week and I wanted to buy him a new "monkey suit".  I thought, if I could pick all the bananas and take them to the marketplace, I could sell them and earn enough money to buy my daddy's present. Without asking or telling  my mother what I was going to do, I took a big grocery cart and started to fill it with bananas from our back yard. As soon as it was full, I started into town. My mind was so set on getting a present for my dad, that it never occurred to me that I was doing anything wrong.  I was very excited and in great anticipation of all the money that I was going to earn for my daddy's birthday present.


On the way to the market I met a lion, "Hey, Yodel where are you going with all those bananas ? I told him my story and asked him if he wanted to buy some bananas. the lion responded saying," You got to be kidding, Yodel. I am a lion and lions don't eat bananas."   I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask. He might know  someone who would buy bananas.
                                                  

I started into town again and on my way a met an giant turtle slowly strolling down the middle of the road. When he saw me he asked,"Hey, Yodel, where are you going with all the bananas?"  Again I told my story.  The turtle was very impressed that I wanted to do such a nice thing for my father, but, he too didn't eat bananas and went on his way.  I was beginning to wonder, who would buy my bananas?

What I didn't know was that my mother had gone, out into our back yard for some bananas for supper and when she saw all the bananas were picked, she thought someone had stolen them.  She called my father at work and he immediately left to come home. What happened next I never expected.


After the giant turtle was on his way, I continued to push the cart towards town.  Just before I was about to reach the marketplace, I saw my dad coming down the road.  "Oh no, "I thought to myself, "He is going to find out that I am going to buy him a birthday present. Where can I hid?"  Off to one side of the road there was a big ditch. As I quickly pulled my cart into the ditch, I tipped the cart over and half the load of bananas felled out.  I tried to picked up the bananas as fast as I could, but, when I looked up, standing over me was my dad.  I was terrified.  I knew I was in big trouble.  How was now I going to keep my secret about his birthday present?

"So you are the one who stole all our bananas in the back yard," his father sternly spoke.  "You pick up all the bananas immediately and head back home."


"But Dad, you don't understand.  I needed to sell the bananas." I said hopefully.  Daddy softened his tone to listen to my explanation. "It is like this daddy.  I wanted to buy you a  new monkey suit for your birthday.  I thought if I picked bananas and sold them in town, I would have the money for your present."  Daddy was very appreciative of my kind gesture to buy him a birthday present, but not this way.


"Yodel, I am very happy that you wanted to buy me a new monkey suit, but you don't have to steal to buy it. Stealing is always wrong.  Why didn't you ask your mother for help?" asked his daddy. 

On his way home, I had a lot to think about.  I realized that it was wrong to steal, even though it was for something good.  That night before I went to bed, daddy came into my room with a big surprise, "Yodel, your mother and I were talking and we both think that you have learned your lesson.  However, what you didn't know was we needed someone to pick the ripe bananas and to take them to the marketplace". Daddy slipped an envelop under my pillow, turned off my light and kissed me good night.

What do you think was in the envelop?