By Bill Conley
Moral of the Story:
Good
manners are more than just polite words—they show others that you are
thoughtful, respectful, and kind. When we say “please,” we acknowledge that
what we’re asking for is a gift, not a demand. When we say “thank you,” we
express gratitude and appreciation, which builds stronger relationships with
those around us. Learning to use these simple words helps us grow into people
others enjoy being around and teaches us to value kindness in every
interaction.
In the heart of a lush green jungle,
where the vines curled like ribbons and the sun danced on the leaves, lived a
bright blue parrot named Penny.
Penny was known far and wide for her
brilliant feathers and her loud, cheerful voice. She could mimic anything—from
monkey chatter to the rumble of a distant waterfall. But there was one thing
Penny hadn’t quite learned yet: good manners.
She never said “please.”
She never said “thank you.”
She just squawked what she wanted and expected to get it.
“BANANA!” she’d shout at the monkeys
high in the trees.
“WATER!” she’d squawk at the elephants by the river.
“MOVE!” she’d bark at the turtles sunbathing on the rocks.
And most of the time, the jungle
animals, though a bit annoyed, would give her what she wanted just to quiet her
down.
One sunny morning, Penny flapped her
wings and flew down to Mango Grove, where the ripest, juiciest fruit hung low
and golden.
She spotted Monty the Monkey
munching on a mango. “MANGO!” Penny shouted. “Gimme!”
Monty paused, raised an eyebrow, and
took another slow bite of his fruit.
“You could ask nicely, you know,” he
said between chews.
“Ask nicely? I’m a parrot. I talk
all the time. I don’t need to ask—I just tell!” Penny replied with a laugh.
But Monty shook his head. “Words are
one thing. Manners are another. Try saying ‘please.’”
Penny rolled her eyes. “Fine. MANGO.
Please.” Her voice was flat and forced.
Monty sighed and handed over the
mango, but Penny noticed something new in his face—disappointment.
As Penny flew off with her mango,
she passed by Greta the Giraffe, who was nibbling leaves from a tall tree.
“WATER!” Penny squawked, seeing the
water trough nearby.
Greta blinked slowly. “Excuse me?”
“I said water. I’m thirsty!” Penny
repeated.
“Did you say the magic word?” Greta
asked gently.
“Magic? I’m not a magician. I’m a
parrot,” Penny replied.
Greta smiled kindly. “The magic word
is ‘please.’ And when someone gives you something, you say ‘thank you.’ It
shows you’re grateful.”
Penny fluttered her feathers. “Why
does everyone care so much about these words?”
“They’re not just words, dear,”
Greta said. “They’re a sign of respect. They let others know you value their
kindness.”
Penny flew away, confused and just a
little embarrassed.
Later that day, she swooped into
Turtle Bay. She saw Toby the Turtle pulling a basket of berries.
“BERRIES!” Penny yelled, landing
beside him.
Toby stopped, breathing heavily.
“Hi, Penny. Could you say that a little more politely?”
Penny was tired. Hungry. And annoyed.
“I don’t have time for this. Just give me the berries!”
Toby slowly turned back to his
basket. “Then I don’t have time either,” he replied quietly.
Penny’s beak dropped open.
“No berries?” she asked.
“No manners, no berries,” Toby said.
The next morning, Penny sat alone on
her branch. No mango. No water. No berries. Just a grumbly belly and a lot to
think about.
Maybe Monty, Greta, and Toby were
right. Maybe being loud and flashy wasn’t enough. Maybe… maybe manners did
matter.
She looked down at a group of baby
monkeys playing on the ground.
One of them stumbled and dropped a
toy.
Another monkey picked it up and
said, “Here you go!”
The first monkey beamed. “Thank
you!”
“You’re welcome!” came the cheerful
reply.
Penny tilted her head. That small
moment felt… warm. Friendly. Kind.
She decided to try something new.
That afternoon, she flew to Mango
Grove and spotted Monty.
“Hi Monty,” she chirped.
Monty turned, surprised. “Well,
hello.”
Penny puffed up her feathers. “Could
I please have a mango?”
Monty smiled wide. “Of course you
may, Penny.”
She took the mango gently in her
talon. “Thank you!”
Monty clapped his hands. “Well now!
That’s the Penny I like to see!”
Next, she flew to the river and saw
Greta.
“Hi Greta. May I please have a sip
of your water?”
Greta bent her long neck and smiled.
“Yes, you may.”
“Thank you, Greta,” Penny said,
dipping her beak.
“Lovely manners, Penny. Keep it up,”
Greta replied.
Feeling lighter than ever, Penny
flew to Turtle Bay. She saw Toby stacking berries.
“Hi Toby. You look busy! May I
please have one of those berries?”
Toby looked up in surprise, then
grinned. “Of course!”
“And thank you so much,” Penny
added.
From that day on, the jungle sounded
a little sweeter.
“Please!” echoed through the trees.
“Thank you!” fluttered through the air.
And Penny? Well, she was still loud.
Still colorful. Still cheerful.
But now, she was also polite.
And she discovered something
amazing—when you use kind words, the whole world listens better.
Poem: Moral to the Story
“Please” and “thank you” are more than just sound,
They carry respect wherever they’re found.
They open hearts and build up trust—
Use them daily, and show you’re just.
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