This fable has two morals. The first is general and umbrella-like: When your nine-year old is in good spirits at the breakfast table, GO WITH IT. Rarely does he make me laugh during breakfast, but today he did.
"Mom, " he announced, "I made up a story with a moral. It goes like this:" (Imagine his voice lowering a couple octaves here, and his normal language becoming more formal.)
"There was once a painter who painted a portrait of a king. When he finished, the painter turned the picture around for the king to see. 'Lovely!' said the king. But then the king looked more closely. 'WHY DID YOU PAINT A MOLE ON MY CHIN?' he roared. Then, he proceeded to cut the painter's head off."
"Can you tell what the moral is?" said R.
"Don't paint the mole on the king's face?" I said.
"Nope!"
"Then what's the lesson?"
"Don't put disgusting things in pictures!"
