Once upon a time, in the peaceful countryside, there lived a mischievous little boy. He had a rather unfortunate experience with an outhouse. You see, this outhouse was not at all pleasant to use. It was sweltering hot in the summer, freezing cold in the winter, and the smell…oh, the smell lingered all year round.

The outhouse was perched on the bank of a creek, and it became the boy’s secret mission to put an end to this unpleasantness. He dreamed of the day when he would push that wretched outhouse into the creek, banishing it forever.

One fine day, after a refreshing spring rain, the creek swelled, giving the boy the perfect opportunity to carry out his plan. With determination in his heart, he grabbed a large stick and began to push.

With each shove, the outhouse inched closer to the creek. The boy’s excitement grew as he realized that his dream was about to become a reality. And finally, with one mighty push, the outhouse toppled into the creek and began to float away, carried by the gentle current.

Little did the boy know that his mischievous adventure was about to catch up with him. That very night, after a hearty supper, his father solemnly announced, “Son, we are going to the woodshed.”

Dread washed over the boy as he knew all too well what awaited him there. The woodshed meant only one thing – a well-deserved spanking. The little boy couldn’t help but wonder why he was being punished.

Summoning up the courage, he timidly asked his father, “Dad, why are you taking me to the woodshed? What have I done?”

His father looked into the boy’s eyes and replied, “Someone pushed the outhouse into the creek today. And…it was you, wasn’t it, son?”

With a heavy heart, the boy admitted, “Yes, it was me.”

Thinking quickly, the boy remembered a story he had learned in school that day. He told his father about George Washington, who had chopped down a cherry tree but avoided trouble because he told the truth.

With a small smile on his face, the boy pleaded, “Dad, remember what we learned about George Washington? He didn’t get into trouble because he told the truth.”

His father paused for a moment, then replied with a gentle wisdom, “Well, my son, there is a small difference. You see, George Washington’s father wasn’t in that cherry tree.”

And with those words, the boy realized that his misadventure had consequences, even if he had told the truth. Although he couldn’t escape his punishment, the little boy learned an invaluable lesson about honesty and accountability.

And so, the mischievous little boy grew up to become a wise and responsible man, always remembering the day he pushed the outhouse into the creek and the lesson it taught him.