Folk tale - Lazy Jack

   This is an old English folk tale story. This story was collected by James Halliwell Orchard Phillips. 

   Once upon a time there was a boy whose name was Jack, and he lived with his mother in a small and dull cottage. They were very poor, and the old woman earned a few pennies by doing some odd jobs, but that was not enough to maintain the family properly. Jack was so lazy that he would do nothing but relax in the sun in the hot weather and sit by the corner of the fire in the winter time. His mother could not make him do anything for the family. At last his mother warned him that if he did not begin to work for his porridge, she would turn him out of the house to get his living as best he could.

   This threat finally stirred Jack. He went out and found a job for the day working for on a farm. The farmer paid him one penny, but he was not used to having money, and as he was coming him he lost it as he passed over a stream. 

   “You stupid boy, you should have put it in your pocket.” said his mother.

   “Next time I will.” replied Jack.

   The next day Jack went out again, and found a job with 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. The whole milk was spilling it all, long before he came home.

   “Oh my Dear, you should have carried it on your head!” said his mother. 

   “Next time I will.” replied Jack.

   The following day Jack found a job with a farmer. The farmer agreed to give him a cream cheese for his work. In the evening, Jack took the cheese and went home with it on his head. By the time he got home the cheese was completely spoiled, part of it being lost, and part matted with his hair. 

   “You are a good-for-nothing boy,” said his mother, “you should have carried it very carefully in your hands.” 

   “Next time, I will.” replied Jack.

Fairy Tale - The story if mother (part-2)

  The story of a mother – part 2

 A Fairy tale by - Hans Christian Andersen

   Then the mother came to a large lake, where there was neither a ship nor a boat. The lake was not frozen sufficiently to bear her; neither was it open, nor low enough that she could wade through it; and across it she must go if she would find her child! Then she lay down to drink up the lake, and that was impossible for a human being, but the afflicted mother thought that a miracle might happen still then.
   "Oh, what would I not give to come to my child!" said the weeping mother. She wept still more, and her eyes plunged down in the depths of the waters, and became two precious pearls. but the water bore her up, as if she sat in a swing, and she flew in the rocking waves to the shore on the opposite side, where there stood a mile-broad, strange house, one knew not if it were a mountain with forests and caverns, or if it were built up; but the poor mother could not see it; she had wept her eyes out.
   "Where shall I find the Death, who took away my little child?" said the mother.
   "He has not come here yet!" said the old serious woman, who was appointed to look after Death's great greenhouse. "How have you been able to find the way of this place? And who has helped you?"
   "OUR LORD has helped me," said the mother. "He is merciful, and you will also be so! Where shall I find my little child?"
   "No, I do not know and you cannot see!" said the woman, “Many flowers and trees have drooped this night; Death will soon come and plant them over again! You certainly know that every person has his or her life's tree or flower, just as everyone happens to be settled; they look like other plants, but they have pulsations of the heart. Children's hearts can also beat; go after yours, perhaps you may know your child's. But what will you give me if I tell you what you shall do more?"
   "I have nothing left to give you," said the afflicted mother, "but I will go to the world's end for you!"
   "No, I have nothing to do there!" said the old woman. "But you can give me your long black hair; you know yourself that it is fine, and that I like! You shall have my white hair instead of your long black hair!"

Fairy Tale - The story of a mother (part-1)

The story of a mother - part 1

  a fairy tale by - Hans Christian Anderson

    A mother sat there with her little child. She was so downcast, so afraid that it should die! It was so pale, the small eyes had closed themselves, and it drew its breath so softly, now and then, with a deep respiration, as if it sighed. The mother looked still more sorrowfully on the little creature.
   Then a knocking was heard at the door, and in came a poor old man wrapped up as in a large horse-cloth, for it warms one, and he needed it, as it was the cold winter season! Everything was covered with ice and snow outside, and the wind blew so that it cut the face.
   As the old man trembled with cold, and the little child slept a moment, the mother went and poured some ale into a pot and set it on the stove, that it might be warm for him; the old man sat and rocked the cradle, and the mother sat down on a chair close by him, and looked at her little sick child that drew its breath so deep, and raised its little hand.
   "Do you not think that I shall save him?" said the mother. "Our Lord will not take him from me!"
   And the old man-it was Death himself-he nodded so strangely, it could just as well indicate yes as no. And the mother looked down in her lap, and the tears ran down over her cheeks. Her head became so heavy-she had not closed her eyes for three days and nights. But now she slept only for a minute, when she started up and trembled with cold.
   "What is that?" said the mother and looked on all sides. But the old man was already gone, and her little child was gone-he had taken her child with him. The old clock in the corner burred, and burred, the great leaden heavy ran down to the floor, suddenly! Then the clock also stood still.
   But the poor mother ran out of the house and cried loudly for her child.