A Little Piano

Once upon a time there was a little boy who wanted to play the piano.  His mother offered to find him piano lessons, so he could learn to play.  But first, she wanted him to promise her that he would practice every day.

"Oh, no," he said.  "I don't want to practice the piano.  I just want to play a little piano."



His mother thought it might be best to wait until he was older, and so, despite his pleas, she waited, and saved her pennies until, one day, with many jars of pennies, she went out and bought a beautiful piano.




The little boy sat down at the keys, and plinked and plunked and banged and thumped.  He did it every day.  And every day he sounded worse and worse.

So his mother again suggested piano lessons.  But first, she wanted him to promise her that he would practice every day.


"Oh, no," he said.  "I don't want to practice the piano.  I just want to play a little piano."

And on he went, plinking and plunking and banging and thumping until his mother thought she could stand it no longer.

Then, one day, while the piano was being tuned from all that plinking and plunking and banging and thumping, the little boy went outside to play. 



While crawling through the garden, he came upon a magic lamp.



The little boy knew exactly what to do.  He rubbed the lamp, and a genie appeared.



(What?  You think I can find a photo of a REAL genie?  Get real!)

The genie bowed.  "Master, I am at your command," he said.  "I have the power to grant you only one wish, so think carefully, before you speak."

"But I know exactly what I want," the boy insisted.  "I just want--"

Here, the genie stopped him.  "Once your wish is granted," said the genie, "many things in your life will change as a result.  Be careful."

But the boy was insistent,  "I know what I want!  I know what I want!  I know what I want!" he said.

The genie sighed, for he knew of the difficulties that could occur with one so impatient.

"I must caution you," said the genie.  "Often, those who want something quickly, without doing the foundation, can be disappointed with the results."


The boy's protestations grew louder.  He jumped up and down.  He stomped his foot.  "I know what I want!  I know what I want!  I know what I want!" he insisted.

The genie bowed, and gave in.  "Your wish is my command, Master," he said.  "What is it you desire?"

The boy answered, "I just want to play a little piano!"

Alacazam-kazoom!  The genie swept his arm around the garden.  The world swirled and tilted.  Clouds filled the air. 



In the distance little notes could be heard ~ the tinkling notes of a piano.



When the clouds parted, the genie was gone.  So was the garden.  The little boy found himself standing before a little piano.



In fact, there were little pianos everywhere.



And the little boy was now a LITTLE boy ~ one small enough to play a little piano.

Just as he sat down to enjoy the fulfillment of his wish, what should appear but a tiny piano teacher, and she said to him, "If you're going to play that little piano, first you're going to have to do a BIG amount of practicing."

And so he sat down and practiced, just like his teacher said.  There was nothing else to be done in that magical piano-filled place.



Meanwhile, back at home, finally free from her son's wheedling and pleading, his mother sat down at her beautiful piano and practiced and played all day long.



(Some days the genie even came to listen.)

Want to play a little piano?  That can be arranged.