Three sons discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly mother. The first said, "I built a big house for our mother."The second said, "I sent her a Mercedes with a driver."The third smiled and said, "I've got you both beat. Remember how mom enjoyed reading the Bible? And you know she can't see very well. I sent her a remarkable parrot that recites the entire Bible. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse, and the parrot recites it." Soon thereafter, mom sent out her letters of thanks. She wrote one son, "the house you built is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house." She wrote to another, "I am too old to travel. I stay most of the time at home, so I rarely use the Mercedes." "Dearest Donald," she wrote to her third son, "you have the good sense to know what your mother likes. The chicken was delicious." 三個兒子商量給年邁的媽媽買什麼禮物好。 大兒子說，“我給媽媽建一幢大房子。”二兒子說，“我給她買一輛奔馳。”三兒子笑着說，“你們的禮物都不好。還記得媽媽多喜歡讀聖經嗎？現在她視力不大好看不了了。我送她一隻鸚鵡，會背誦聖經的。媽媽只要起個頭，它就可以接着背下去。” 不久之後，媽媽分別給三人發了感謝信。她給大兒子寫道，“你建的房子太大了，我只能住一間屋，可是要打掃整幢房子的衛生。”她給二兒子寫道，“我太老了，沒法出門旅行。大部分時間呆在家裏，很少用車。”“親愛的，”她跟小兒子說，“媽媽的心思你最明白，那隻小鳥的味道美極了。”
