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That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple. Tom swept his brush daintily back and forth—stepped back to note the effect—added a touch here and there—criticised the effect again—Ben watching every move and getting more and more interested, more and more absorbed. Presently he said: 

"Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little." 

Tom considered, was about to consent; but he altered his mind: 

"No—no—I reckon it wouldn't hardly do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly's awful particular about this fence—right here on the street, you know—but if it was the back fence I wouldn't mind and she wouldn't. Yes, she's awful particular about this fence; it's got to be done very careful; I reckon there ain't one boy in a thousand, maybe two thousand, that can do it the way it's got to be done." 

"No—is that so? Oh come, now—lemme just try. Only just a little—I'd let you, if you was me, Tom." 

"Ben, I'd like to, honest injun; but Aunt Polly—well, Jim wanted to do it, but she wouldn't let him; Sid wanted to do it, and she wouldn't let Sid. Now don't you see how I'm fixed? If you was to tackle this fence and anything was to happen to it—" 

"Oh, shucks, I'll be just as careful. Now lemme try. Say—I'll give you the core of my apple." 

"Well, here—No, Ben, now don't. I'm afeard—" 

"I'll give you all of it!" 

怎么引导小孩子做某样事情？看看Tom Sawyer怎么做。不能Push，诱惑也没什么用，而且费劲（就如他企图收买Jim一样），而是要表现得自己很enjoy，引起孩子好奇，想也试一试，然后表现得不情愿，最后让孩子全心全意要做。

我记得以前一个朋友，他妈妈在弄坏了的水龙头，他也想试一下能不能修，结果妈妈不让他，他就更想弄，以显示自己ok的。此时如果父母果真不让，会打击小孩子的积极性和行动力，下次就不愿意做了；而如果此时顺势让他做了，可能效果不错。

一捉一放真是好巧妙。