Cow illustration

The Milkmaid and Her Pail

Polly carries a pail of milk to market, dreaming of everything she will buy.

Ages 5–7⏱ 2 min readAesop's Fables
πŸ“ Worksheet

Polly had just milked the cow. She put the full pail of milk on her head and set off to the market.

As she walked, she began to dream. "I will sell this milk and buy some eggs," she said.

Cow on the Farm
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"The eggs will hatch into chicks. The chicks will grow into hens. The hens will lay lots more eggs, and I will sell them all!"

"Then I will buy a beautiful new dress," she went on, skipping a little. "I will wear it to the fair, and everyone will say how lovely I look. And I will toss my head like this!"

Cow
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Polly tossed her head β€” and the pail tipped over. SPLASH! All the milk spilled onto the road.

No milk. No eggs. No chicks. No hens. No new dress.

Cow in the Meadow
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Polly looked at the white puddle. Then she laughed a little. "I was so busy dreaming about tomorrow," she said, "that I forgot to look after today."

She walked home, and the next morning she carried her milk very carefully all the way to the market.

⭐ The End ⭐

πŸ’¬ Talk about it

  1. What was Polly planning to buy with the milk money?
    Show answerEggs, which would become chicks and hens.
  2. Why did the milk spill?
    Show answerShe tossed her head while daydreaming.
  3. What did Polly do differently the next day?
    Show answerShe carried the milk carefully.

πŸ“– New words

paila bucket
faira fun outdoor event with games and food
🦊 The moral: Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
πŸ”¬ Real-life fact: A dairy cow can make more than 6 gallons (about 23 liters) of milk a day.

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