# I know your little secret

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Joke
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-joke-i-know-your-little-secret
- Themes: humour, children, pocket money
- Life situations: needing a laugh, kids and money

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A boy learns a pocket-money trick: tell sister 'I know your little secret' and collect $20; try Mum for $50; Dad for $100. Monday morning he tries the milkman — who puts down the milk and says 'Son, okay…'

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

there this one kid oh he was always having a hard time getting money from his parents you know for for pocket money so he talked about it with his friend his friend said look I've got this amazing trick it works every time so he told him the trick and that evening when he came home from school he went out to his sister he looked her in the eye and he told his sister I know your little secret he was making up he didn't know anything but his sister didn't know she said oh my God you don't do you said sister said how much he said $20 so sister gave him $20 but don't tell Mom and Dad okay I won't tell Mom and Dad he said it works so you can go out to anybody and say I know your little secret and they get so embarrassed how much 20 bucks so it worked so it worked so well the next day he tried it on his mom he went out to his mom and said Mommy I heard at school about your little secret you didn't please don't tell Daddy 50 bucks mom so he gave 50 bucks to his kid and of course on the weekend went up to Daddy found daddy alone and said Daddy I know your little secret too oh my God who told you we know everything at school sons of other people and daughters you know they we talk oh my God please don't tell Mommy 100 bucks and so his father had it over 100 bucks and thinking somebody else on a Monday morning just on the way to school he saw the Milkman so he went up to the Milkman who delivered milk and said Milkman I know your little secret and the Milkman put down the milk and said Son okay

## Teaching point

A joke about blackmail that ends before it gets worse — and about not needing tricks for love.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

A boy discovers 'I know your little secret' extracts cash from his sister, mum and dad, then tries it on the milkman. Ajahn Brahm moves quickly to his own father, who paid pocket money by playing cards and always losing on purpose. Kids treasured the time more than the money. Give your children your hours.

## Source

- [Bringing Up Children | Ajahn Brahm | 09-12-2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANrqHO24Ttw) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 53:23 to 55:37: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANrqHO24Ttw&t=3203s