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Yitzy and the Secret That Slipped Out

Ages 6-9 | Story and 9 activities

Yitzy has the best secret in the whole fourth grade.

His cousin Avrumi is getting a puppy for his birthday. It is a surprise, and Avrumi doesn't know. Yitzy's aunt has told him in a whisper. "Don't tell anyone," she says. "Not even Avrumi. We want to see his face on Sunday."

"I promise," says Yitzy.

He means it. He really does. But the secret is very big, and it fizzes in his chest like a shaken bottle.

On Thursday, Yitzy sits next to his friend Moishy on the bus. The seat bounces. The secret bounces too. He presses his lips together. He looks out the window. He counts the lamp poles.

"What's wrong with your face?" asks Moishy. "You look like you ate a lemon."

"Nothing," says Yitzy.

"You're hiding something," says Moishy. "I can tell."

The secret pushes against Yitzy's teeth. He wants to share it so badly. It will feel so good to say it. Moishy will be amazed.

"Okay, okay," Yitzy blurts. "Avrumi is getting a puppy! But you can't tell anyone, it's a surprise!"

The moment the words leave his mouth, his stomach drops. He claps both hands over his lips. But it is too late.

"A puppy!" says Moishy. "Wow! Does he know?"

"No! You must not tell!" says Yitzy.

"I won't," says Moishy. But he says it a little too quickly, and his eyes dart around the bus.

Yitzy feels awful. All afternoon his tummy hurts. At home, he sits at the kitchen table and stares at his homework without seeing it.

"Yitzy, what happened?" asks his mother.

He tells her everything. His voice cracks. "I broke a promise. I told a secret. I feel terrible."

Mommy doesn't shout. She takes a seat beside him. "Thank you for telling me. That's a hard thing to say. Let's think about how to fix it."

"Can I take it back?" asks Yitzy.

"We can't un-say words," says Mommy. "But we can repair. What do you think would help?"

Yitzy thinks. "I could ask Moishy to keep it secret, and tell him how important it is."

"Good. And what about your aunt?"

Yitzy gulps. "I should tell her what happened. And say sorry."

"It's brave to do both," says Mommy.

The next morning, Yitzy finds Moishy at the lockers. "I need to ask you something very important. I should not have told you about the puppy. Please don't tell anyone. If Avrumi finds out early, his surprise will be ruined, and it will be my fault."

Moishy's face turns serious. "I'll keep it. I promise. I should have told you to wait before you said it, anyway. I could see you were about to burst."

That night, Yitzy calls his aunt. His heart pounds. "I told Moishy about the puppy by accident. I'm very sorry. I asked him to keep it secret."

There is silence. Then his aunt says, "Thank you for being honest, Yitzy. I'm a bit disappointed, but I understand. Secrets can be so hard to hold. Next time, if the fizzy feeling gets big, what could you do?"

"Maybe I could hold something in my hands," says Yitzy. "Or take a deep breath and count to ten. Or find a grown-up to tell instead."

"Those are all good ideas," says his aunt.

On Sunday, Avrumi opens the box. A little brown puppy tumbles out, wagging its tail. Avrumi gasps. His face lights up like a hundred lamps.

Moishy winks at him across the yard. He has kept the secret all weekend.

Later, Yitzy whispers to the puppy, "I almost ruined your surprise." The puppy licks his chin.