The Milkmaid and Her Pail of Milk

Dolly the Milkmaid having been a good girl, and careful in her work, her mistress gave her a pail（桶） of fresh milk for herself. With the pail upon her head, Dolly tripped gaily¹（欢乐地） along on her way to the town, where she was going to sell her milk.

 

"For this milk," said Dolly, "I shall get a shilling, and with it I will buy twenty of the eggs laid by our neighbor's fine fowls². The mistress will surely lend me a hen, and, allowing for all mishaps³, I shall raise a good dozen of chicks. They will be well grown before the next fair-time comes round, and it is then that chickens bring the highest price. I shall be able to sell them for a guinea. Then I will buy that sweater that I saw in the village the other day, and a hat and ribbons, too; and when I go to the fair, how smart I shall be! Robin⁴ will be there and will come up and offer to be friends again. But I won't come round too easily, and when he wants me for a partner in the dance, I shall just toss up my head and--"

 

Here Dolly gave her head the least bit of a toss, when down came the pail, and all the milk was spilled upon the ground. Poor Dolly! It was hr good-by to eggs, chickens, sweater, hat, ribbons, and all.

 

Don't count your chicken before they are hatched.

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