Short Stories » The Milkmaid and her Pail
The Milkmaid and her Pail
Patty the Milkmaid was going to the market carrying milk in a pail on her head.
As she went along, she began calculating what she would do with the money she would get for the milk. “I'll buy some fowls from Farmer Brown," said she, "and they will lay eggs each morning, which I will sell to the parson's wife. With the money that I get from the sale of these eggs, I'll buy myself a new dimity frock and a chip hat, and when I go to the market, won't all the young men come up and speak to me! Polly Shaw will be so jealous, but I don't care. I shall just look at her and toss my head like this."
As she spoke that, she tossed her head back and the pail fell off it, and all the milk was spilt!
MORAL: DO NOT COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY ARE HATCHED.
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More about the story
This story has given rise to an idiom, namely, “Don't count your chickens before they hatch"
There are some people who buy a lottery ticket and immediately begin to dream about what they will do with the money when they win the prize. They begin to make plans without the slightest doubt about winning the prize. When you tell such a person "don’t count your chickens before they hatch," you are warning him/her not to make plans before being sure of winning the prize. You are asking him/her to wait for the lottery results to be announced before he/she starts making plans.
Below given is an example of how this idiom is used.
John: “I will visit England first, and then France.”
Leo: “Oh! Are you going abroad?”
John: “Yes, my father has promised to give me money to travel the world if I pass the final exams with flying colours.”
Leo: “Oh! I thought you have some money with you. Ok, so have you prepared well for the exam?”
John: “Not yet, I don’t have all the books. I have to go and buy.”
Leo: “Dear John, first you have to buy the books, then study, then do the exam well, then get money from your father, then you will travel, right?”
John: “Yes, yes. I shall travel by Singapore Airlines. It is really a cool airline.”
Leo : “My dear John, please don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”
The Milkmaid and her Pail - Takeaway for Class 1,2,3
It’s fun to dream, but it’s important to focus on what you have right now and not get ahead of yourself.
The Milkmaid and her Pail - Takeaway for Class 4,5,6
Making plans for the future is good, but we must first take care of the present and not assume everything will go exactly as planned.
The Milkmaid and her Pail - Takeaway for Class 7,8,9
The story teaches us to stay grounded in reality and not to make plans based on things that haven't happened yet, as things may not go as expected.
3 Fun Facts on The Milkmaid and her Pail for Children
- This fable by Aesop is all about learning not to get too carried away with unrealistic expectations.
- In ancient times, carrying a pail of milk was a common task, and many people had to carry it on their heads.
- Don’t count your chickens before they hatch is a saying we still use today to remind ourselves not to get too ahead of our plans.
The Milkmaid and her Pail Quiz for Class 1,2,3
- What was Patty the Milkmaid carrying on her head?
- What did Patty dream about buying with the money from selling the milk?
- What happened when Patty tossed her head back?
The Milkmaid and her Pail Quiz for Class 4,5,6
- Why did Patty’s dreams about the future end up being ruined?
- What lesson can we learn from Patty's story?
- How does the story teach us about staying focused on the present?
The Milkmaid and her Pail Quiz for Class 7,8,9
- Discuss why it’s important not to make plans based on things that haven’t happened yet.
- How did Patty’s daydreaming about the future lead to her losing what she had?
- Can you think of a time when planning ahead without considering the present caused problems for you?