The Art of Lying

Background: Cees had left his water bottle on the table. Sylvia noticed it, walked up to it, opened it, and took a big sip. Cees comes walking into the kitchen and sees her doing that.
Cees, in a questioning voice 'Who said you could drink my water?'
Sylvia, very self assured, 'Mama did.'
Cees, not convinced, 'I dont think she said that.'
Sylvia, without a pause 'She said "Here! Drink some of this water!"'
Cees, deciding to ask me directly 'Mama,did you say that?'
Me 'No, I didn't!'
Sylvia, very matter-of-factly 'Well, she said it anyway.'



Fast forward to later that night, after Cees asked her 'Sylvia, do you promise not to drink my water again?' Sylvia sweetly replied 'I promise!' Picture this including big, blue, trustworthy eyes and a halo circling her head.

Five minutes later, Sylvia is at the kitchen table drinking Cees's water again. We didn't even notice, until she volunteered, in a happy tone 'I broke my promise!' while putting down the water bottle.