Comparing and Contrasting Themes in Stories by the Same Author

Kevin liked to do things his own way, but sometimes he was foolish. His older sister, Moira, tried to reason with him, but he wouldn’t listen.

One day, Kevin made an unusual sandwich for a hike. He spread peanut butter on the bread and added mustard, sour pickles, and honey. “Kevin, that will taste disgusting,” said Moira.

On top of the mountain, Kevin ate it anyway. His mouth puckered up and his eyes started watering, but Kevin claimed it was delicious.

The next day in the park, Kevin was playing with his remote-controlled car. He zoomed it this way and that, and then ran the car toward the pond. Moira said, “Kevin, you’ll ruin the car in the water!”

But Kevin ran the car into the water anyway. Of course, it sank to the bottom. When he fished it out of the water, it would not work. He said, “I was tired of playing with the car anyway.”

After school on Monday, Kevin and Moira walked home together. There were black clouds in the sky. “Where is your raincoat?” Moira asked. “You’re going to get wet today.”

“It’s at school,” Kevin said, “but who cares? I like to get wet.”

Then halfway home, rain poured down in sheets. Kevin got soaking wet and became chilled. The next day he woke up with a sore throat and missed his soccer game.

“I’ll say one thing for you, Kevin,” said Moira. “You do things your way!”

Long ago, a man was traveling with his donkey to the market. The journey was long and went over a large mountain. The donkey carried a heavy load, but the man told him that after they sold the goods, his trip home would be easy.

They slowly climbed up the mountain. There was no road, and the trail was steep and narrow. When they reached the top, they stood on a cliff and peered at the market down below in the valley.

“It won’t be long now, dear donkey,” the man said.

The donkey looked down and saw the town. The sight of the market made his heart beat faster. He knew there was hay waiting for him at the marketplace. So he tore away from the rope that the man held and headed for the cliff, thinking that was the quickest way down.

“No, donkey, no,” the man yelled, “you’ll get hurt!” But the donkey did not listen. The man grabbed the donkey’s tail to stop him from going off the cliff, but he was no match for the donkey. The donkey fell and rolled all the way to the bottom, bruising every bone in his body.

The man sighed and said, “Those who won’t listen to reason are bound to suffer.”