The Milkmaid and Her Pail
A young milkmaid dreams of all she’ll do with the money from her milk. What happens when daydreams take her eyes off the present?
Featured in the Book Audio available for B1 version
Once upon a time, a young milkmaid was walking to the market.
On her head, she balanced a pail of fresh milk with great care.
The sun was warm, and she smiled as she thought about all the things she could buy once she sold the milk.
"With the money from this milk, I will buy a dozen eggs," she thought.
"Soon, the eggs will hatch into little chicks.
Before long, I will have a whole flock of hens!
They will lay eggs every day, and I can sell them to make even more money.
Then, I will buy a beautiful dress and shiny new shoes.
When I walk through the village, everyone will admire me!
Maybe even the mayor’s son will notice me.
Oh, how wonderful my life will be!"
She was filled with joy as she thought about her future.
She imagined herself in the dress, walking proudly through the village.
Feeling important, she lifted her chin and gave her head a little toss, just as she had seen the noble ladies do.
But the moment she did, the pail wobbled.
She gasped and tried to hold it steady, but it was too late.
The pail tipped over, and all the milk spilled onto the ground.
The milkmaid looked at the puddle.
Her dreams faded away, just like the spilled milk.
With a sad sigh, she picked up the empty pail and started walking home.
When she explained what happened, her mother shook her head.
"Oh, my child," she said gently, "don’t count your chickens before they hatch."
The milkmaid realized she had been so busy dreaming that she had not paid attention to what she was doing.
كان يا مكان في قديم الزمان، كانت هناك فتاة صغيرة تحمل دلوًا من الحليب على رأسها. كانت في طريقها إلى السوق وفكرت فيما ستفعله بالمال الذي ستجنيه من بيع الحليب.
قالت لنفسها، "عندما أبيع هذا الحليب، سأشتري بعض البيض. سيفقس البيض وتخرج منه الدجاجات. ستضع الدجاجات المزيد من البيض. وسرعان ما سأصبح لدي العديد من الدجاجات. ثم سأبيع الدجاجات وأشتري فستانًا جميلًا وحذاءً أنيقًا. سأبدو جميلة جدًا حتى أن جميع الفتيان في القرية سيلفتون انتباههم إلي. ربما حتى ابن العمدة سيرغب في الزواج مني!"
بينما كانت تحلم بمستقبلها، حركت رأسها إلى الخلف، متخيلة أنها ترتدي الفستان الجميل. ولكن يا للأسف! سقط الدلو من على رأسها وانسكب الحليب كله على الأرض.
نظرت إلى الحليب على الأرض وأدركت أن أحلامها قد تبخرت. فقدت كل شيء لأنها كانت مشغولة جدًا بالحلم ولم تركز على ما كانت تفعله.
Es war einmal ein junges Mädchen, das einen Milchkrug auf dem Kopf trug. Sie war auf dem Weg zum Markt und dachte darüber nach, was sie mit dem Geld machen würde, das sie für den Verkauf der Milch bekommen würde.
Sie sagte zu sich selbst: "Wenn ich diese Milch verkauft habe, werde ich Eier kaufen. Die Eier werden zu Küken schlüpfen. Die Küken werden mehr Eier legen. Bald werde ich viele Hühner haben. Dann kann ich die Hühner verkaufen und mir ein hübsches Kleid und schöne Schuhe kaufen. Ich werde so schön aussehen, dass alle Jungen im Dorf mich bemerken werden. Vielleicht möchte mich dann sogar der Sohn des Bürgermeisters heiraten!"
Während sie von ihrer Zukunft träumte, bewegte sie ihren Kopf zurück, als ob sie ein schönes Kleid tragen würde. Aber oh nein! Der Krug fiel von ihrem Kopf und die ganze Milch lief aus.
Sie sah die Milch auf dem Boden und erkannte, dass ihre Träume nun unerreichbar schienen. Sie hatte alles verloren, weil sie zu beschäftigt war, zu träumen, und nicht darauf achtete, was sie tat.
एक समय की बात है, एक युवती थी, जिसके सिर पर दूध से भरी बाल्टी थी। वह बाज़ार जाते-जाते यह सोच रही थी कि दूध बेचने के बाद वह पैसे से क्या करेगी।
लड़की ने अपने आप से कहा, "जब मैं इस दूध को बेच दूंगी, तो कुछ अंडे खरीदूंगी। फिर उन अंडों से चूज़े निकलेंगे। चूज़े बड़े होंगे और वो मुर्गियां बनेंगी। फिर उन मुर्गियों से और अंडे मिलेंगे। जल्द ही मेरे पास ढेर सारी मुर्गियां होंगी। फिर मैं मुर्गियां बेचूंगी और एक सुंदर पोशाक और अच्छे जूते खरीदूंगी। मैं इतनी सुंदर दिखूंगी कि गांव के सारे लड़के मुझे देखेंगे। शायद, गांव के मुखिया का बेटा भी मुझसे शादी करना चाहेगा!"
जब वह अपने सपनों में खोई हुई थी, तो उसने सिर पीछे की ओर झुका लिया, जैसे उसने अभी ही वो सुंदर पोशाक पहन रखी हो। लेकिन अरे नहीं! उसकी दूध की बाल्टी सिर से गिर गई और सारा दूध नीचे धरती पर फैल गया।
लड़की ने धरती पर फैले दूध को देखा और उसे समझ आया कि उसके सारे सपने बिखर गए थे। उसने सब कुछ खो दिया क्योंकि वह सपनों में व्यस्त थी और जो कर रही थी उस पर ध्यान नहीं दे रही थी।
Det var en gång en ung flicka som bar en hink mjölk på huvudet. Hon var på väg till marknaden och tänkte på vad hon skulle göra med alla pengarna hon skulle få för mjölken.
Hon sa för sig själv: "När jag har sålt mjölken, ska jag köpa några ägg. Äggen kommer att kläckas till kycklingar. Kycklingarna kommer att lägga fler ägg. Snart kommer jag att ha massor av kycklingar. Då kan jag sälja dem och köpa mig en vacker klänning och eleganta skor. Jag kommer att se så fin ut att alla pojkar i byn kommer att lägga märke till mig. Kanske till och med borgmästarens son kommer att vilja gifta sig med mig!"
Medan hon drömde om sin framtid, lutade hon huvudet bakåt, som om hon redan hade på sig den vackra klänningen. Men åh nej! Hinken gled av hennes huvud och föll till marken och all mjölk spilldes ut!
Hon tittade på mjölken och förstod att hennes drömmar aldrig skulle förverkligas. Hon hade förlorat allt eftersom hon varit för upptagen med att drömma istället för att koncentrera sig på vad hon höll på med.
从前，有一个小女孩，头上顶着一桶牛奶。她要去集市卖牛奶，一边走一边想着卖了牛奶后要做什么。
她自言自语道：“等我把牛奶卖了，我就可以买些鸡蛋。鸡蛋会孵出小鸡，小鸡会再生更多的鸡蛋。很快，我就会有许多小鸡。然后，我可以把小鸡卖了，买一条漂亮的裙子和一双好看的鞋子。我穿上这些，村里的男孩子们一定都会注意到我。说不定，连镇长的儿子也会想要娶我呢！”
正当她沉浸在未来的美梦中时，她得意地摇了摇头，仿佛已经穿上了那条美丽的裙子。可是，哎呀！牛奶桶从她头上掉了下来，所有的牛奶都洒在了地上。
她看着地上的牛奶，明白自己的梦想也随之破灭了。因为她太沉迷于幻想，没有专心做眼前的事，最终失去了所有。
Ngaminazana ithile,kwakukho intwazana eselula ehambisa ubisi yayihamba isiya emarikeni. Kwaye yayithwele i-emele yobisi ngononophelo olukhulu. Ilanga lalishushu, yaye wancuma njengoko wayecinga ngazo zonke izinto awayenokuzithenga xa ethe wathengisa ubisi.
“Ngemali yolu bisi, ndiza kuthenga amaqanda alishumi elinesibini,” wacinga wenjenje. "Kungekudala, amaqanda aya kuqandusela amantshontsho. Kungekudala, ndiyakuba nomhlambi weenkukhu! Ziyakubeka amaqanda yonke imihla, kwaye ndingatsho ndikwazi ukuthengisa ukuze ndenze imali ngakumbi. Emva koko, ndiya kuthenga ilokhwe entle kunye nezihlangu ezintsha ezibhanya-bhaya. Xa ndihamba kwidolophana, wonke umntu uya kundincoma! Mhlawumbi nonyana kaSodolophu uya kundiqaphela. Owu, ubomi bam buya kuba mnandi kakhulu!”
Wayegcwele imincili njengoko wayecinga ngekamva lakhe. Wazibona sele enxibe ilokhwe, ehamba ngebhongo elalini. Waziva ebalulekile, waphakamisa isilevu sakhe waza waphosa intloko wakhe, kanye ngohlobo awakhe wabona ngalo amanenekazi ahloniphekileyo esenza.
Wathi esenza njalo, i-emele yashukuma. Wakhamisa waza wazama ukuyibamba, kodwa kwakusele konakele. I-emele yaqengqeleka, lwaza lonke ubisi lwaphalaka emhlabeni.
Intwazana yobisi yajonga equleni. Amaphupha akhe aphela, kanye njengobisi oluchithekileyo. Encwina kabuhlungu, wathatha i-emele engenanto waza wajongisa ekhaya.
Wathi akuchaza oko kwenzekayo, unina wanikina intloko. “Owu, mntwana wam,” watsho ngobunono, “musa ukubala iinkukhu zakho phambi kokuba ziqandusele.”
Lentwazana yaqonda ukuba ibixakeke kakhulu iphupha kangangokuba ayikhange ihoye lento iyenzayo.
A girl has a pail of milk. She carries the milk to the market. The pail is on her head.
She walks and thinks, "I will sell this milk. I will get money. I will buy eggs. The eggs will be chicks. The chicks will be chickens. The chickens will give more eggs. I will have many chickens."
She thinks, "I will sell the chickens. I will buy a dress. The dress will be beautiful. I will buy shoes. The shoes will be shiny. The boys will look at me. Maybe, the mayor's son will marry me."
She moves her head. The pail falls. The milk spills. The girl looks at the milk. She is sad.
She thinks, "I lose the milk. I lose my dreams. I must be careful."
Once upon a time, a young milkmaid was walking to the market. On her head, she balanced a pail of fresh milk with great care. The sun was warm, and she smiled as she thought about all the things she could buy once she sold the milk.
"With the money from this milk, I will buy a dozen eggs," she thought. "Soon, the eggs will hatch into little chicks. Before long, I will have a whole flock of hens! They will lay eggs every day, and I can sell them to make even more money. Then, I will buy a beautiful dress and shiny new shoes. When I walk through the village, everyone will admire me! Maybe even the mayor’s son will notice me. Oh, how wonderful my life will be!"
She was filled with joy as she thought about her future. She imagined herself in the dress, walking proudly through the village. Feeling important, she lifted her chin and gave her head a little toss, just as she had seen the noble ladies do.
But the moment she did, the pail wobbled. She gasped and tried to hold it steady, but it was too late. The pail tipped over, and all the milk spilled onto the ground.
The milkmaid looked at the puddle. Her dreams faded away, just like the spilled milk. With a sad sigh, she picked up the empty pail and started walking home.
When she explained what happened, her mother shook her head. "Oh, my child," she said gently, "don’t count your chickens before they hatch."
The milkmaid realized she had been so busy dreaming that she had not paid attention to what she was doing.
Once upon a time, there was a milkmaid carrying a pail of milk on her head. She was on her way to the market, contemplating what she would do with the money she would earn from selling the milk.
She thought to herself, "When I sell this milk, I will buy some eggs. These eggs will hatch into chickens. The chickens will lay even more eggs. Soon, I will have a large flock of chickens. Then, I can sell the chickens and buy a beautiful dress and stylish shoes. I will look so wonderful that all the boys in the village will notice me. Perhaps, even the mayor's son will want to marry me!"
While she was imagining her future, she tossed her head as if she were already wearing a magnificent dress. But alas! The pail fell off her head, and all the milk spilled onto the ground.
She gazed at the milk pooling at her feet and realized that all her dreams had vanished. She lost everything because she was too busy dreaming and did not concentrate on what she was doing.
Once upon a time, a milkmaid was strutting down the road like she was on a fashion runway, a pail of milk balanced oh-so-gracefully on her noggin. She was already mentally spending the moolah she'd get from selling this liquid gold.
"Right," she thought, "sell the milk, buy some eggs. Simple. Those eggs will grow up to be like, 'Cluck, cluck! Here's breakfast, love!' And then, chickens galore! Like a chicken party, but without the disco ball."
She started to chuckle, her imagination running wild. "Oh, sell the chickens, buy the dress. Not just any dress—a red carpet knockout! Add some killer shoes, and BAM! I'm the Beyoncé of the barnyard!"
Just imagining it made her feel like a million bucks, or at least a couple hundred eggs. "All the village lads will be like, 'Who's that girl?' Even the mayor's son might give me the eye! Marriage? Why, yes, I accept your proposal, sir, you can thank me later!"
In her daydreaming bliss, she tossed her head back like she was in a shampoo commercial, picturing herself twirling in her glam wedding gown. But—OOPS!—down went the pail! Crash, splash, and farewell to her dairy dreams.
"Aw, biscuits!" She gawked at her spilled future, now just a puddle of wasted opportunities. "That's it. No chickens, no dress, no killer shoes. It's back to Cow's Got Talent for me."
Standing there, she got the memo. Her dreams got a reality check, bounced, and were marked 'Insufficient Funds.' All because she'd been on cloud nine instead of keeping both feet—and her pail—firmly on the ground.
Moral of the story? Don't count your chickens—or your wedding bells—before they hatch. Or, you know, before you've even got the eggs.
Upon a sunny pathway wide,
A milkmaid strolled, with pride inside.
A pail of milk, so fresh and cool,
Balanced atop her head, her tool.
As she walked, her mind did stray,
To dreams of wealth and a brighter day.
"With coins I earn from milk so fine,
I'll buy eggs, in a twisting line.
Those eggs will crack, and chicks emerge,
They'll cluck and peck, and then converge.
A flock of hens, all gold and brown,
I'll sell them off, in the nearby town.
With that money, oh what delight!
A new dress, shoes, all shining bright.
I'll be the belle, all will see,
Maybe the mayor's son will fancy me!"
She swayed, imagining a dance so grand,
Forgetting the pail in this dreamy land.
Tilting her head, she felt a splash,
Her milk was gone, dreams crushed in a flash.
There she stood, amidst the spill,
Dreams faded, time became still.
Though dreams are sweet, it's clear to see,
It's wise to live in reality.
Word Finder
- A container to hold things like milk.
- Pail
- Market
- A place where people buy and sell things.
- Chicks
- Baby chickens just hatched from eggs.
- Chickens
- Birds that lay eggs and can be farm animals.
- Dress
- Clothes that girls or women wear.
- Shiny
- Bright and reflects light.
- Mayor
- Leader of a town or city.
- Spills
- When liquid falls out of a container.
- Dreams
- Hopes or wishes for the future.
- Careful
- Being cautious and avoiding mistakes.
Milkmaid
A girl who carries and sells fresh milk.Balanced
Kept something steady without falling over.Hatch
When eggs break open, and chicks come out.Flock
A group of birds or animals together.Admire
To look at something with respect and liking.Noble
Someone important, often rich or well-respected.Proudly
In a happy way, feeling good about yourself.Wobbled
Moved from side to side, almost falling.Tipped
Leaned too much, causing something to fall.Spilled
Flowed out accidentally from a container.
Milkmaid
A girl who carries and sells milk.Contemplating
Thinking deeply about something.Earn
Get money for work or services.Hatch
Eggs opening to produce young birds.Stylish
Very fashionable and attractive.Magnificent
Very beautiful and impressive.Alas
An expression of sorrow or regret.Pooling
Liquid gathering in one place.Vanished
Disappeared suddenly or completely.Concentrate
Focus all attention on something.
Milkmaid
A woman who milks cows or sells milk. Strutting: Walking in a proud way, trying to look important. Noggin: Head (a playful or informal word). Moolah: Money (slang). Galore: A lot of something. Chuckling: Laughing quietly. Knockout: Something very attractive or impressive. Gawked: Stared openly in surprise. Memo: A short message or reminder. Insufficient: Not enough.
Pathway
A road or track made for walking.Milkmaid
A girl or woman who milks cows.Balanced
Kept steady or in position.Stray
To move away from the correct place or path.Converge
To come together from different directions.Flock
A group of birds or animals.Belle
The most beautiful girl or woman at an event.Swayed
Moved slowly back and forth.Tilting
Leaning or sloping to one side.Amidst
In the middle of; surrounded by.
Understanding Questions
- What does the girl carry to the market?
- Eggs
- Milk
- Water
- Chickens
- Where does the girl carry the pail of milk?
- In her hand
- On her head
- On her back
- In a cart
- What does the girl want to buy first with the money from selling the milk?
- Shoes
- A dress
- Eggs
- Chickens
- What happens when the girl moves her head?
- She buys eggs.
- The pail falls.
- The chickens run away.
- She sells the milk.
- Why is the girl sad at the end of the story?
- She loses the milk.
- She cannot buy a dress.
- The boys do not look at her.
- The mayor's son does not marry her.
- What was the milkmaid carrying on her head as she walked to the market?
- What did the milkmaid plan to buy with the money from selling the milk?
- Why did the milkmaid imagine herself wearing a beautiful dress and new shoes?
- What caused the milk to spill onto the ground?
- What did the milkmaid’s mother say to her after she lost the milk?
Reflection Questions
- What was the young girl thinking about while she was walking to the market?
- Why did the pail of milk fall off her head?
- What does this story teach us about being careful and staying focused on the present?
- Is it wrong to have goals for what we want?
- How can paying attention to what we are doing now help us reach our future goals?
Fable Quotes
Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
Responsibility is the key to safeguarding dreams; neglecting it can spill success into despair.
A wise person focuses on the present while preparing for the future.
Just One More Fable
- Authenticity
- Identity
The Fox and The Mask
A fox wore a mask to impress his friends but learned to be true to himself after only scaring them.
- Regret
- Consequences
The Crow and The Serpent
A hungry crow pounces on a basking snake, gets bitten by its venomous fangs, and dies, regretting its foolish decision.
- Contentment
- Choice
The Dog and The Wolf
A hungry wolf envies a well-fed dog’s life with humans. Will he give up his freedom for comfort and food?
- Friendship
- Acceptance
The Lion and The Dolphin
The Lion and Dolphin promise to help each other, but when the Lion is attacked, the Dolphin's inability to leave the sea renders their friendship futile.
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“The Milkmaid and Her Pail” is one of the 25 illustrated fables in our book, 25 Fables for Fun Quality Time.
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