A milkmaid was walking to the market with a pail of milk on her head. She began to daydream about all the things she would do with the money she would earn by selling the milk.
She thought to herself, "With the money I get for this milk, I'll buy some eggs. These eggs will hatch into chickens. The chickens will lay more eggs, and soon I'll have a whole flock of chickens. Then I'll sell the chickens for a good price and buy myself a new dress and some fine shoes. I'll look so beautiful that all the young men in the village will admire me. Perhaps even the mayor's son will notice me and ask for my hand in marriage!"
As she was lost in her daydream, she tossed her head back to imagine herself walking down the aisle in a magnificent wedding dress. But as she did, she accidentally knocked the pail of milk off her head, and all the milk spilled onto the ground.
The milkmaid stood there in shock, looking at the puddle of milk, and realized that all her dreams were ruined. She had lost everything because she had been too busy daydreaming and had not paid attention to the task at hand.
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, there was a young girl with a pail of milk on her head. She was going to the market and thought about what she would do with the money from selling the milk.
She said to herself, "When I sell this milk, I will buy some eggs. The eggs will hatch into chickens. The chickens will lay more eggs. Soon, I will have many chickens. Then, I can sell the chickens and buy a pretty dress and nice shoes. I will look so nice that all the boys in the village will notice me. Maybe, even the mayor's son will want to marry me!"
While she was dreaming about her future, she moved her head back, pretending she was wearing a beautiful dress. But oh no! The pail fell off her head, and all the milk spilled out.
She looked at the milk on the ground and realized her dreams were gone. She lost everything because she was too busy dreaming and did not focus 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.
A container to hold things like milk.
A place where people buy and sell things.
Baby chickens just hatched from eggs.
Birds that lay eggs and can be farm animals.
Clothes that girls or women wear.
Bright and reflects light.
Leader of a town or city.
When liquid falls out of a container.
Hopes or wishes for the future.
Being cautious and avoiding mistakes.
A container for carrying liquids.
A place where people buy things.
To come out of an egg.
Very attractive or nice to look at.
A small group of houses in the countryside.
The leader of a town or city.
To see or become aware of something.
Acting as if something is true when it isn’t.
To let liquid fall out of a container.
To understand or become aware of something.
What does the girl carry to the market?
Where does the girl carry the pail of milk?
What does the girl want to buy first with the money from selling the milk?
What happens when the girl moves her head?
Why is the girl sad at the end of the story?
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