The holidays had arrived, and there was to be a special treat for Mark, Andrew, and Susan. Mother had bought tickets to a puppet show!

On the big day the whole family—even Dad—went downtown. A soft snow was falling as they walked past the gaily decorated stores to the theater where many other children were gathering.

It was a marvelous afternoon! The puppet show was about Pinocchio, and the puppets were almost as big as real boys and girls. And they walked and danced and talked just like real boys and girls too. So much like them, in fact, it was hard to believe they weren't actual people.

But when the children looked closely, they could see that the puppets were only dolls, and that strings were attached to them—strings to lift their knees, move their heads, wave their arms, and make them act just like real people. After the performance was over the audience applauded, and the men and women who had so expertly handled the puppets from above the stage came down and took a bow, holding the collapsed and drooping puppets under their arms. And the children could see how the puppets were not self-acting at all, but only moved when the strings were pulled.

Not long after, there was a stormy Saturday, and the three children had to stay in the house all day. Susan got out the Parcheesi game, and they all sat down to play. Soon Andrew said indignantly, "Hey, it's my turn!"

"You weren't watching, so you missed your turn," said Susan.

"You goofed!" teased Mark.

Andrew felt very angry. "You're not fair, and I'm not going to play," he said, sweeping all the markers off the board.

Mark and Susan yelled their protests. The cozy living room suddenly seemed as dark and stormy as the weather outside. Mother came quietly into the room.

"I want to ask each of you a question," she said. "Are you a real girl or boy, or are you a puppet?"

The question was so unexpected they were silent for a moment.

"Why, Mother," said Susan, "you know we aren't puppets. We're real children!"

"I know," said Mother warmly. "But for a moment it sounded as if there were some noisy puppets in here. What is the difference between a real boy and a puppet, Mark?"

"Well," said Mark thoughtfully, "puppets can only act when the strings are pulled. Real boys and girls do their own moving and talking and thinking."

"Would you say puppets are not self-governed, while real children are?" asked Mother. The children agreed.

A copy of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures was on the lamp table, and Mother asked Susan to get it. When there was trouble, the family was used to turning to the Bible and this other book of their church—the Christian Science textbook by Mary Baker Eddy. Susan opened to the right place, and together they found where it says: "God has endowed man with inalienable rights, among which are self-government, reason, and conscience. Man is properly self-governed only when he is guided rightly and governed by his Maker, divine Truth and Love." ^{Science and Health, p.106;}

Susan's eyes brightened. "I see!" she exclaimed. "We're only being self-governed when we are doing good and being guided by God. If we seem to think we want to do something that's not right or happy—like quarreling—we're not being self-governed, we're being puppets! We're letting evil pull the strings."

"I guess if we aren't doing the right thing we're being 'handled' by evil, just as the puppets were handled by the puppeteers," said Andrew.

"That's right, Andrew," agreed his mother, "and who wants to be a puppet? How much better to act from the basis of 'self-government, reason, and conscience.' "

"I agree," said Mark firmly. "Come on, let's finish our game." Mother smiled at him, remembering what Christ Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." ^Matt.5:9.

And a happy game of Parcheesi filled the rest of that Saturday afternoon.