A Tale Of Two Sons Poem by Hannington Mumo

A certain man had two sons;
One obeyed his father's instruction,
But the other did whatever he thought best:
To his parents' words he paid no attention.

When it came his time of death
(This he knew by his failing health) ,
To the naughty one he gave two-thirds,
And the rest to the good son, wife and guards.

All the others lodged complaints,
Asking the old man why he had behaved so funny,
By rewarding the disobedient youth
And forgetting the good son and his mommy.

In reply the old man said
That the young rascal had gotten the least,
Because to the rest he'd given money and a blessing
But the little brutal beast
Only got some few pennies.

He said that he pitied the notorious son,
And feared that no one else under sun
Could ever give him anything,
And was thus alleviating his suffering!