Earl stayed away from the dog because his older brothers told him she kept making puppies from playin' 'round.

He cried and screamed because he didn't want to go to school because he'd heard his brothers talk about the teacher who was a witch and swallowed small children whole.

If he ever asked if there was more of anything to eat the answer always was that there was not enough even though he saw his brothers heaping up their plates with mashed potatoes.