I know it 's bad , but I forget , '' and Nat looked much depressed by his sins . `` When I was a little lad I used to tell lies ! Ach ! what fibs they were , and my old grandmother cured me of it how , do you think ? My parents had talked , and cried , and punished , but still did I forget as you . Then said the dear old grandmother , ' I shall help you to remember , and put a check on this unruly part , ' with that she drew out my tongue and snipped the end with her scissors till the blood ran . That was terrible , you may believe , but it did me much good , because it was sore for days , and every word I said came so slowly that I had time to think . After that I was more careful , and got on better , for I feared the big scissors . Yet the dear grandmother was most kind to me in all things , and when she lay dying far away in Nuremberg , she prayed that little Fritz might love God and tell the truth . '' `` I never had any grandmothers , but if you think it will cure me , I 'll let you snip my tongue , '' said Nat , heroically , for he dreaded pain , yet did wish to stop fibbing . Mr. Bhaer smiled , but shook his head . `` I have a better way than that , I tried it once before and it worked well . See now , when you tell a lie I will not punish you , but you shall punish me . '' `` How ? '' asked Nat , startled at the idea . `` You shall ferule me in the good old-fashioned way ; I seldom do it myself , but it may make you remember better to give me pain than to feel it yourself . '' `` Strike you ? Oh , I could n't ! '' cried Nat . `` Then mind that tripping tongue of thine .
I have no wish to be hurt , but I would gladly bear much pain to XXXXX this fault . ''
asked cried cure forget know let make put startled tried