[ WP ] A traditional short story with a moral , set in modern times .

There once was a boy named Klaus. He did well in school, and had good manners, and like any other boy, he played video games and used the internet. He was especially the favourite of the teachers because of his well-pressed shirts and neat appearance, courtesy of his father who was a maker of business suits. 
 
 His parents knew he used the internet, but they did not know what sites he visited, for he cleared his browser history every night. One afternoon, his mother thought to ask him; `` Klaus, what *do* you do on the internet?'' 
 
 Klaus replied, `` Oh, it is nothing. I look at funny cat videos, and research for schoolwork.'' 
 
 `` But why must you clear your browser history every night? Father thinks you are acting suspicious, and it bothers me, too.'' 
 
 Klaus gave his mother some excuse for doing so, saying that clearing the browser history would prevent the computer from getting infected with a virus. His mother, having no knowledge of computers, only half-believed him, for he answered too nonchalantly, as though he had rehearsed this reply a thousand times. 
 
 The weeks passed and the mother grew curious. The boy Klaus was doing fine at school, and his recent report card showed straight As. But she noticed that he hardly ever left his room, and seemed to be always sitting at his computer. Her imagination ran wild. 
 
 One night, unable to think straight after 4 bottles of'mommy-wine', she flung open the door to Klaus's room. Horrified at what she saw, she screamed. 
 
 The boy was sat on his bed, fiercely sucking his thumb. 
 
 The computer screen glared in a million shades of beige, and terrible sounds filled the air. The mother slammed the computer shut and knocked it to the floor in a rage, but still Klaus would not stop sucking his thumb. 
 
 She screamed for him to stop, hurling all manner of words at his blank face. But still he would not stop sucking his thumb. 
 
 She threatened him with punishment from his father, who was not home: `` Wait till your father hears about this; he will take away all your electronics, and restrict your internet usage!'' But still he would not stop sucking his thumb. 
 
 When she realized he had been sucking his thumb every day, and simply would not stop no matter what she said, she stormed out of the room. 
 
 When she returned it was with the biggest pair of scissors she could find in her husband's work-room; in one loud *snip* she cut off Klaus's thumb. 
 
 `` There! Now you have no thumbs!'' she said, and went to get more wine.
