Foolish Jack
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Jack could never figure out the right way to bring home his wages. Until one day he was given a donkey...
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Here is another simpleton story from England.
There once lived a poor old woman with her simple son Jack, in a village. Jack was so simple, he could not be entrusted with the simplest of tasks. Since the mother could not make enough money for them to live on by spinning, which was the only way she knew to earn her livelihood, she sent him to a farmer to work. At the end of the day, the farmer paid Jack a penny, but not having handled money before, Jack lost it while crossing a bridge to come home. When he told his mother what had happened, she scolded him saying, "You should have put it in your pocket!"
"I'll do it the next time," Jack replied.
The next day, Jack's mother sent him to work to another farmer, who owned several cows. At the end of the day's milking, the farmer gave Jack a jar of milk. Remembering his mother's advice, Jack put the milk into the pocket of his overcoat. Needless to say, the milk spilt, soaking his coat.
"You should have carried it on your head," his mother said.
"I'll do so next time," replied Jack.
The next day, Jack's mother sent him to work with yet another farmer, who gave him cream cheese as wages. Determined to do the right thing this time, and again remembering his mother's advice, Jack carried the cream cheese on his head. By the time Jack reached home, the cheese had melted completely, matting his hair and running down his face.
"His mother reached the end of her patience. "You should have carried it carefully in your hands," she said
Do the right thing
The next day, Jack's mother sent her son to work for a baker, who gave him a tomcat as wages. Again remembering his mother's advice, Jack carried the cat carefully in his hands, but it scratched him so badly, that Jack threw it away, and returned home empty handed.
"You should have tied the cat to a string and dragged it after you."
The following day, Jack's mother sent him to work for a butcher, who gave him a shoulder of mutton as wages. Again, mindful of his mother's advice, Jack tied a length of string around the mutton and dragged it along after him on the muddy streets till he reached home. Stray dogs bit off chunks from the mutton and what was left was covered with mud and dirt, so it was not fit to be cooked or eaten.
His mother shouted, "You should have carried it on your shoulder.
The following Monday, Jack's mother sent him to a tradesman who hired out donkeys, and at the end of the day the tradesman gave Jack a donkey as his wages. Determined to do the right thing and again remembering his mother's advice, Jack hoisted the donkey with great difficulty on his shoulders, and staggered home.
Now, on his way home, he had to pass the house of a rich man who had a daughter, his only child. Though she was beautiful, she was speech and hearing impaired. Her doctor advised that she would be cured only when she laughed. So the father tried to make his daughter laugh, and to get other people to make her laugh, but no one succeeded. At his wit's end the father promised to give his daughter in marriage to the first man who could make his daughter laugh.
As Jack passed the house of the rich man, the girl happened to be looking out of the window, and found the sight of Jack carrying the donkey, on his shoulders, so funny, that she started laughing. True to the doctor's prediction, she could hear and speak. Her overjoyed father kept up his promise by giving her in marriage to Jack, who thus became a rich man.
RETOLD BY INDU K. MALLAH
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