Summary

Chapter 4 is titled “The Selfishness Cure.” The image at the top of the page shows the little boy named Dick Thompson holding several toys possessively to his chest while being turned partway away from the reader. Dick is a very well-mannered little boy who is good in every way except that he refuses to share things with others. His mother, Mrs. Thompson, is at a loss for how to make him be more willing to share. One day, Mrs. Robertson buys a large box of peppermint sticks and tells Dick he is to share with all the other children in the neighborhood, including the little children. She reminds him that Mrs. Burry, another of their neighbors, is very fond of peppermint and she instructs him to give Mrs. Burry two.

Dick thanks her politely for the peppermints and takes the box outside. He puts...