The Broadway, Walsall

A tale of two puppies
Once upon a time the was a little village populated with busy hardworking people and their animals. Dogs cats and chickens roamed from house to house and children played together in the woods behind the houses. The wise woman was the only person who had the time to keep an eye on things like which cat was having kittens because her busy days were passed and she enjoyed a gentler pace of life. This of cause was why she was wise!
One spring a litter of puppies were born and after a few weeks given to various familys, after a few months the village was much less harmonious, there was barking, food being stolen, things being chewed up and mess everywere. People were moaning and throwing buckets of water at puppies or even lashing out at them. The wise women noticed with some concern and so she watched.
The wise women saw that not all the puppies were a problem, only two cause trouble bt all got blamed, because people only noticed the ones that misbehaved and after all they all looked alike. She saw that the two puppies with problems each had a different pattern of behaviour.
One puppy barked all the time and jumped up, often nocking things over and getting in the way, this puppy she called Have.
The other puppy was sneaky and was always into peoples cottages pinching food or things to play with, this puppy she called Havenot.
She visited the two homes in which the puppies lived and quietly observed what went on. In have's home she noticed whenever he made pest of himself he was given things to keep him quiet and make him leave people alone. The more of pest he made of himself the more food and toys he got.
In Havenot's home she noticed he was ignored, and shouted at if he got in the way, so he was quiet and slinked around. The only time he got fed was by sneaking scraps out of the bin.
The wise woman asked the two families if she could 'borrow' their puppies for a few weeks and each was supprised and glad to say yes. So both Have and Havenot moved in with the wise women. She started helping them straight away. Have had been unintentionally taught by his family to make a lot of noise and be a pest to get what he wanted, the more of a pest the better. Not suprisingly he expected everyone to give him what he wanted. The wise women ignored his barking and jumping up, and would only feed him or play with him if he was queit and well behaved. He didnt get evrything he wanted but he did get more attention, and was soon much happier puppy.
Havenot had been unintentionally trained by his family that the only way to get what he wanted was to steal it.  He had learned to be a sneak thief, and unsuprisingly stole from other people as well. The wise woman feed him on time in his own bowl gave him his own bowl and refused to allow him to keep anything he he stole. He learned he could get more by behaving and so he was soon a much happier puppy and didnt sneak anymore or steal.
She also taught them manners, happy puppies are generally well behaved and well mannered. When the two families saw the well behaved pupies living with the wise woman how on earth she had changed them and asked if she had used majic she smiled and invted them for tea. She gently explaind what she had done, how and why. She said they could have the puppies back if they would love them treat them well and continue to train them as she had been doing. They agreed.
The puppies grew into fine strong well hehaved dogs and were a credit to their families and a harmonious addition to the village. The wise women was pleased with herself for avoiding the chaos that would have come if the puppies had grown up behaving badly, stealing, making a fuss and distroying things.
That would have been quiet a different story, and we know that story already, dont we boys and girls !