LAZY JACK
Once upon a time there was a boy whose name was Jack. His mother was very poor, but she was hard-working and tried to get her living by spinning. Jack was so lazy he never did anything to help her. So, at last, she said that he should not eat his porridge unless he earned it.
At this out shuffled Jack and hired himself to a farmer and got for his day’s labor a shining new penny. Home he went with it, but on the way let it slip out of his fingers into a brook, unknown to himself.
When his mother saw him smiling and holding his fist closed, she said, “Well, Jack, did you earn your porridge to-day?”
“That I did, mother,” said Jack, “and here’s the penny.” With that he opened his empty hand.
“A penny,” cried his mother, in high delight, “give it here, my darling boy.” But when she saw the empty hand she changed her tune. “You stupid lout,” said she, “you’ve lost the good money. That’s no way to bring home a penny. The safest thing to do with a penny is to put it into your pocket and come straight home.”
“Say no more about it, sweet mother,” whimpered Jack, “that’s what I’ll do the next time.” So his mother gave him his supper.
The next day Jack went out again, and this time hired himself to a cowherd and got for his day’s labor a jug of new milk. Jack took the jug, squeezed it into the largest pocket of his coat, and set off home, spilling the milk at every step, so that by the time he got home there wasn’t a drop left.
When his mother saw his pocket bulging out, she asked, “What have you there, Jack, my son?”
“A jug of new milk, mother,” answered Jack, tugging it out of his pocket.