(gap: 2s) Once upon a time, in a small English town, the days were filled with sunshine, laughter, and the gentle chime of the sweet shop bell. Children played merrily in the fields, their voices ringing out as they ran and tumbled in the grass. Families strolled along the cobbled streets, and brothers and sisters shared happy moments at home, their hearts light and free.
(short pause) In the heart of the town stood a little sweet shop, its shelves lined with jars of colourful sweets and stacks of comics. The kindly shopkeeper watched over her treasures with a careful eye, for she knew that sometimes, even the best of children could be tempted.
(pause) One bright afternoon, two boys, Tom and Peter, crept into the shop with mischief in their minds. While Tom distracted the shopkeeper by pointing at the highest shelf, Peter reached for a bag of toffees. But just as he slipped it into his pocket, the shopkeeper returned, her face stern and her arms folded. The boys’ hearts thudded in their chests as they realised they had been caught.
(short pause) “Stealing is very wrong,” said the shopkeeper firmly. “You must learn that there are consequences for such behaviour.” She led the boys to the back room, where her daughter, Mary, watched with wide eyes. The shopkeeper sat on a sturdy chair and called Tom first. She placed him over her knee and, with a strong and steady hand, delivered six sharp smacks to the seat of his trousers. Each smack rang out clearly, and Tom’s eyes filled with tears as he promised never to steal again.
(pause) Next, it was Peter’s turn. He, too, was placed over the shopkeeper’s knee, and he received six firm smacks, each one a lesson in honesty and respect. By the end, both boys were crying softly, their cheeks wet and their hearts full of regret. The shopkeeper spoke kindly to them, explaining that she punished them not out of anger, but to help them grow into good and trustworthy young men.
(pause) The boys apologised sincerely, and the shopkeeper forgave them, but she reminded them that if they ever stole again, the punishment would be even sterner. The sign on the door, “No Stealing,” gleamed in the afternoon light as the boys left, rubbing their sore bottoms and vowing never to be dishonest again.
(short pause) Not far away, at the local preparatory school, discipline was also taken very seriously. The matron, Miss Rose, was tall and strict, with sharp blue eyes and a Mason & Pearson hairbrush that gleamed ominously on her desk. The boys respected her, for they knew she was fair, but she would not tolerate naughtiness.
(pause) One evening, after lights out, a boy named Edward was caught whispering and giggling with his friends. Miss Rose entered the dormitory, her footsteps echoing in the corridor. She called Edward to the tiled bathroom, where the other boys listened in anxious silence.
(short pause) “Edward, you know the rules,” said Miss Rose. She sat on the edge of the bed and beckoned him over. With trembling hands, Edward placed himself over her knee. Miss Rose raised the hairbrush and delivered eight sound smacks to his pyjama-clad bottom. Each smack was firm and clear, and Edward’s face contorted in pain as he tried not to cry. But by the sixth smack, tears rolled down his cheeks, and by the eighth, he was sobbing quietly, promising to behave.
(pause) Miss Rose helped Edward to his feet and told him gently that she expected better from him. Edward returned to his bed, his bottom stinging and his heart full of resolve to be a better boy. The other boys watched in silence, understanding that rules must be obeyed, and that discipline, though harsh, was given with care.
(short pause) The next morning, Edward and the other boys made their beds, brushed their hair, and washed their hands, all under the watchful eyes of the matron and the nurse. The school was filled with the sounds of learning and laughter, but everyone remembered the importance of honesty, respect, and obedience.
(pause) In those days, children knew that if they were naughty, a spanking was certain to follow. Whether it was six smacks from the shopkeeper or eight from Miss Rose’s hairbrush, each one was a lesson meant to help them grow into good, kind, and responsible people.
(short pause) And so, in the little town, the children played and learned, sometimes making mistakes, but always guided by the firm and loving hands of the grown-ups who cared for them. The memory of a sore bottom faded quickly, but the lessons of honesty and respect lasted a lifetime.
(pause) And that, dear children, is how we learned that discipline, though sometimes harsh, is always given with love, and that every spanking, every tear, and every promise to do better helps us to grow up strong and true.
