A Reading: II Festivities 3:11-23

11 And they spake unto the children in earnest, for both to hear, giving the commands as the man and woman knew them to be true: 12 "Thou whilst clean thy room, yea, verily, to utmost cleanliness; thou whilst put away the soiled garments, even the wrinkled and the unclean, those which do lieth upon the floor, 13 and lay them in the place prepared for them; and the playthings and the books, both those of covers soft and hard, thou whilst stack neatly upon the shelves.
14 And the children cried aloud, for they did suffer at this. "Woe to us, for now we are being delivered into bondage, yeah even so, we are not fit for this task placed upon us." 15 But the man and woman again did abide in their commands. 16 "Thou knowest in thine hearts, o children, that we do speak the truth; that thou hast cleaned thy room thrice before already." 17But still, the children did not refrain. 18"Tell us, elders, how this feat will be ended, for we are sore tired in our very marrow. Whilst thou not show us mercy?" 19 But the elders would hear no claim against them, and replied, saying, "As thou standest here, thou whilst complete this task of cleaning which we have laid before you; else will we deny the Easter goods, yea, verily we say, the chocolates, which some call Snickers, and the Peeps, and the jelly beans, yea every one. 20 And the young ones were sore afraid, for they did love their sweets. 21They replied unto them, "pray, tell us elders, how can we bring to an end this punishment? What wouldst thou have us do? For we tremble as the Easter grass blown by the wind to believe thou wouldst withhold the sugary treats. 22 And they replied, "then thou whilst surely work and will not protest, nay, neither whilst thou cry your lamentation, for thou hast been given all these things; thine clothes, food, even the bed where thou dost lay thine heads. 23 Then the children were sober, and their anger cooled as the spring rain cooleth the ground; and they did clean.