The Wishing Cap

by Mary Martha Sherwood

"Look here, Master Charles," said James, "see what the wishing-cap has brought us! Are you not sorry now that you were such a fool as to refuse to put on the wishing-cap?" Then the rude boy began to shout and halloo, riding up and down as hard as the horse would go; while Edward kept cutting and lashing the heels of the wooden horse with his coachman's whip, whistling, and smacking his lips, like a coachman; Louisa sung to her doll; and Charlotte danced about in her new frock, singing and laughing: and, all together, there was such a noise, that it might have been heard to the end of the street; the boys every now and then crying out, "Well, Master Charles, what do you think of us now?"

Every thing went on very well, and all were in the greatest good-humour, till Edward, without intending it, instead of lashing the wooden legs of the horse, gave his brother a most terrible cut with his long whip, over one knee, and across one hand. James, being made very angry with the pain, jumped from his horse; and flying at his brother, began to beat him with all his strength. Edward ran to his sisters for help; and James followed, continuing to beat him, and saying, "You sha'n't horse-whip me for nothing, Sir, I can tell you that."

At length, James pushed Edward against Louisa; by which means, her doll was thrown down, and broken to pieces: and Edward, as he fell, caught his foot in Charlotte's new frock, and tore it sadly.

Charlotte and Louisa now began to scream and cry in their turns; and there was such a dreadful noise, that the lady came in haste to see what was the matter.

The children were all quiet, as soon as they saw the lady, and very much frightened too. "So," she said, "you have been fighting, you naughty children, instead of enjoying the pretty things I got for you! You, Charlotte, have torn your frock; and you, Louisa, have broken your doll. And as to you, you naughty boys, you have been beating each other: go up to your bed-rooms; and there you shall stay all day, and have nothing but bread and water. As for the rocking-horse and the whip, I shall send them back to the shop."

So the four children were taken up to their rooms; and the whip and the rocking-horse were sent back to the shop: but little Charles was asked to breakfast with the lady in the parlour. And she said to him, "I begin to think your papa was a wise man, when he taught you to seek for nothing but God's blessing: for I see that having the things we wish for, does not always make us the happier."

Little Charles was much pleased, when he heard the lady speak so kindly; and he asked her to forgive the other children, but she would not.

And now I will tell you how little Charles received at last what he had secretly desired above all things, and how happy it made him.