Lazy Jack
Once
upon a time
there was a boy whose name was Jack, and he lived with his mother on a common. They were very poor, and the old woman
got her living by spinning, but Jack was so lazy that
he would do nothing but bask in the sun in the hot
weather, and sit by the corner of the hearth in the winter-time. So they called
him Lazy Jack. His mother could not get him to do anything
for her, and at last told him, one Monday, that if he
did not begin to work for his porridge she would turn him out to get his living
as he could.
This roused Jack, and he went out and hired himself for the
next day to a neighboring farmer for a penny; but as he was coming home, never having had any money before; he lost it in
passing over a brook. "You stupid boy," said his mother, "you
should have put it in your pocket." "I’ll do so another time,"
replied Jack.
On Wednesday, Jack went out again and hired himself to a cow-keeper, who gave
him a jar of milk for his day’s work. Jack took the jar and put it into the
large pocket of his jacket, spilling it all, long before he got home.
"Dear me!" said the old woman; "you should have carried it on
your head." "I’ll do so another time," said Jack.
So on Thursday, Jack hired himself again to a farmer, who agreed to give him a
cream cheese for his services. In the evening Jack took the cheese, and went
home with it on his head. By the time he got home the cheese was all spoilt,
part of it being lost, and part matted with his hair. "You stupid
lout," said his mother, "you should have carried it very carefully in
your hands." "I’ll do so another time," replied Jack.
On Friday, Lazy Jack again went out, and hired himself to a baker, who would
give him nothing for his work but a large tom-cat. Jack took the cat, and began
carrying it very carefully in his hands, but in a short
time pussy scratched him so much that he was compelled to let it go. When he
got home, his mother said to him, "You silly fellow, you should have tied
it with a string, and dragged it along after you." "I’ll do so
another time," said Jack.
So on Saturday, Jack hired himself to a butcher, who rewarded him by the
handsome present of a shoulder of mutton. Jack took the mutton, tied it to a
string, and trailed it along after him in the dirt, so that by the time he had
got home the meat was completely spoilt. His mother was this time quite out of
patience with him, for the next day was Sunday, and she was obliged to make do
with cabbage for her dinner. "You ninney-hammer," said she to her
son; "you should have carried it on your shoulder." "I’ll do so
another time," replied Jack.
On the next Monday, Lazy Jack went once more, and hired himself to a
cattle-keeper, who gave him a donkey for his trouble. Jack found it hard to
hoist the donkey on his shoulders, but at last he did it, and began walking
slowly home with his prize. Now it happened that in the course of his journey
there lived a rich man with his only daughter, a beautiful
girl, but deaf and dumb. Now she had never laughed in her life, and the doctors
said she would never speak till somebody made her laugh. This young lady
happened to be looking out of the window when Jack was passing with the donkey
on his shoulders, with the legs sticking up in the air, and the sight was so
comical and strange that she burst out into a great fit of laughter, and
immediately recovered her speech and hearing. Her father was overjoyed, and
fulfilled his promise by marrying her to Lazy Jack, who was thus made a rich
gentleman. They lived in a large house, and Jack’s mother lived with them in
great happiness until she died.
