Short Stories » Lazy Jack

Lazy Jack

Once upon a time, in a small village, a lazy boy called Jack lived with his mother. He was so lazy that he found it very difficult to move even his fingers. His mother worked as a servant maid in town homes and earned for herself and her son. People started to call him Lazy Jack and Jack’s mother was totally irritated and worried about her son.

One day, she fell sick and was feeling fever severely. She was bed-ridden for two days and could not go to work. She asked her son to earn something for them; otherwise there won’t be anything to eat.

Lazy Jack finally understood her mother’s health and their poverty. He promised her mother to bring something and went on to search for a work.

A farmer offered him work in his land and paid two pennies for Jack’s work.

Jack thanked him and rushed to home with the pennies in hand. As he was running to home, he did not notice the pennies rolled down from his hand. He could not find the coins and reached home with unhappy face.

He told the incident to his mom. Jack’s mom told him, ‘dear Jack, next time, you put them in your pocket, so that they won’t fall!’

The next day, a milkman offered Jack a job. Jack was offered a jar of milk as wages for his work. As told by his mother, he poured the milk into his pocket and ran towards his mom.

His mom recognized what would have happened after seeing Jack’s dress. She told him,’ Jack, you should have carried the milk jar on your head. Don’t worry. But be careful next time!’

Next time also Jack worked for the milkman and he went to the milkman’s farm early in the morning. The work got completed before the noon and Jack was paid a bar of cheese for his work. Jack was happy and as told by his mother, he carried the cheese bar on his head. Since it was a sunny day and very hot in the noon, all the cheese melted away.

Jack told his mom that all cheese melted. His mother told, he should have carried the cheese in his hands and asked him to do correctly next time.

The next day, he went to work in cattle. The owner of the cattle farm offered him a little kitten for him towards wages as Jack liked the kitten very much. He carried the kitten on his hands. The little kitten jumped from his hands and ran away. Jack was sad and told his mother he lost the kitten too.

His mom told, he should have tied a rope and dragged the kitten on the road.

For the next two days, he went to work in a farm again and returned home with a huge piece of meat. He tied the meat with a rope and dragged it on the road. The meat was spoiled and his mom shouted at him as he could not do anything properly.

Later sometime, she consoled him and told him that he should have carried the meat on his shoulders.

Jack went to nearby town for work and returned home after a week. For his hard work, he was rewarded with a donkey and he carried the donkey on his shoulders.

A young girl around 8 years of age who saw Jack carrying the donkey on shoulders started to laugh and she laughed continuously for long time. Her dad, who was the richest person in the town, was so happy and was in tears. He thanked Jack as he made her daughter laugh after 5 years. Jack realized his mistakes and foolishness he done then and before. But at the same time his foolishness made that rich man’s daughter laugh. He took the rich man and his daughter to his home. The rich man offered them work and shelter in his bungalow. From that incident, he tried to do everything properly without any mistakes and foolishness and they lived happily ever after!

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Lazy Jack - Takeaway for Class 1,2,3

Always listen to advice and learn from your mistakes, just like Lazy Jack eventually did to become successful.

Lazy Jack - Takeaway for Class 4,5,6

It's important to learn from mistakes and always try your best, just like Jack who eventually found success by being open to change and improvement.

Lazy Jack - Takeaway for Class 7,8,9

Even if you're considered lazy or different, your unique qualities can lead to unexpected success if you stay true to yourself and seize opportunities.

3 Fun Facts

• Jack is so lazy that he lies in bed all day and doesn't work until his mother forces him to do so.
• Jack learns to carry his wages differently by following his mother's advice, leading to funny situations like carrying milk in his pockets.
• Despite his unusual ways and laziness, Jack eventually wins the admiration of a girl and her father, showing that being different can sometimes lead to unexpected happiness.

Quiz for Class 1,2,3

• What did Lazy Jack's mother want him to do to help their family?
• Why did the baker give Jack a jar of milk after he helped him?
• What happened to the butter that Jack tried to carry home on his head?

Quiz for Class 4,5,6

• What was the name of the boy in the story who always came back home with a peculiar problem at the end of each workday?
• What happened to the cheese that Jack carried home after his job at the dairy farm?
• How did Jack eventually win the heart of the squire's daughter at the end of the story?

Quiz for Class 7,8,9

• What various errands does Jack undertake in the story after he accepts the farmer's job offer?
• How does Jack's behavior inadvertently lead to him winning over the admiration of the rich man's daughter?
• Describe the turning point when Jack's lazy ways result in a positive outcome for him and his mother.