Jack’s Pay

Jack’s Pay

Long, long ago, a boy named Jack lived with his mother. Jack was not very bright, but he was kind and diligent. One day, Jack worked hard at a mill by a stream. He was paid two silver coins. On his way home, Jack played with the coins. But suddenly, he stubbed his toe on a rock. “ Ouch! Oh no, the coins! ” he cried.

But it was too late. Splash, splash! Each of the silver coins splashed into the stream. When Jack arrived home with nothing, his mother got very angry. “ Next time, be sure to put your pay into your pocket! ” she said. “ I will, Mother, ” said Jack. Later, Jack worked very hard at a bakery. In return, he got paid a loaf of bread. On his way back home, he stuffed the bread into his pocket, just like Mother said.

When he got home, he ran to his mother. “ Mother, look! I put my pay in my pocket! ” Jack pulled the bread out of his pocket. “ Oh, the bread crumbled, ” he said. “ Jack, next time be sure to carry your pay on your head! ” his mother told him. Later, Jack worked on a farm. He worked very hard, and he got paid a large jar of milk.

“ Hmm, I must put this jar on my head, just like my mother told me, ” he thought. Jack carefully balanced the jar of milk on his head. But Jack had to walk under a tree with a lot of branches. The jar of milk on his head hit a branch. “ Oh no! ” he cried. When Jack returned home, he was so sad that he almost cried.

“ Jack, don’t feel so sad. Next time, be sure to carry your pay on your shoulders. ” “ I will, Mother. ” Later, Jack worked very hard at the market. The master liked how diligently he worked. So he gave Jack one of his donkeys. “ This time, I will put the donkey on my shoulders! Then I can take it home safely, ” Jack said.