LAZY JACK: Summary

LAZY JACK: Summary

            Once upon a time there was a boy whose name was Jack, and he and his mother lived in a little house on a common.

            They were very poor, and the mother earned her living by spinning. Jack, however, 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. Because of this, they called him “Lazy Jack”.

            His mother could not get him to do anything for her; so at last she told him that if he did not begin to work for his porridge he would have to go out into the world and earn 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 on his way home, never having had any money before, he lost it in passing over a brook.

            When he reached home and his mother found out what had happened, she said:”You stupid boy, you should have put it in your pocket.”

            “I’ll do so another time,” replied Jack.

            Well, the next day 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 reached home.

            ‘Dear me,” said his mother; “you should have carried it on you head.” “I’ll do so another time,: said Jack. So the following day Jack hired himself to a farmer, who agrees to give him a cream cheese for his services. In the evening Jack took the cream cheese and went home with it on his head.

            By the time he reached home, the cheese was all spoilt, part of it being lost and part dripping down over his face.

            “You stupid lad,” said his mother, “you should have carried it carefully in your hands.”

            “I’ll do so another time,” replied Jack. Now the next day Jack 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 reached 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 the following day 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 reached home the meat was completely spoilt.

            By this time his mother was quite out of patience with him, for the next day was Sunday, and she was obliged to do with cabbage for her dinner.

            “You heedless boy,” said she to her son; “You should have carried it on your shoulder.”

            “I’ll do so another time,” replied Jack.

            Well, on Monday Jack went once more and hired himself to a cattle keeper, who gave him a donkey for his trouble. Now, though Jack was strong, he found it hard to hoist the donkey on his shoulders, but at last he did it, and began walking home slowly with his prize. It so happened that on his way home he passed a house where a rich man lived with his only daughter, a beautiful girl, but who had never laughed in her life, and so her father said that the man who could make her laugh could marry her.

            Now this young lady happened to be looking out of the window when Jack was passing by with the donkey on his shoulders. The poor beast with its legs sticking up in the air was kicking hard and heehawing with all its might.

            Well, the sight was so comical that she burst out into a great fit of laughter. Her father was overjoyed and kept his promise by marrying her to Jack,  who was then rich gentleman. They lived in a great house and Jack’s mother lived with them in great happiness for the rest of her days.