30489 the milkmaid and her pail

Every morning the farmer’s daughter Patty went to the market carrying her milk in a pail on her head and
singing happily. As she went along, she was thinking of the money which the milk would bring. She started
calculating what she would do with it. “When I sell this milk, I’ll buy fifty eggs,” she said, “The eggs will give
me at least forty chickens. The chickens will grow up and I’ll be able to sell them at a good price. With the
money that I get from the sale of the chickens I’ll buy myself a new a beautiful dress. Then I will wear it when I
go to market. All the young men will come up and speak to me! Polly Shaw will be jealous, but I don’t care. I
will just look at her and toss my head like this” . As she spoke she tossed her head back and the pail fell off. All
the milk was spilt and was completely lost! Poor Patty! Goodbye milk, good bye money, eggs, chickens,
beautiful dress and nice dreams. So she went back home very sad and told her mother what had happened. “Ah,
my child,” said the mother, “Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched”.

Activity 1:

Look at the things Patty will do. Write them again in the correct order using: first /

second……………………finally…………….
- eggs  chickens
- sell the milk.
- wear the dress – go to the market
- buy a dress with the money…..
- sell the chickens when …………
- buy eggs.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Activity 2:

Pick out sentences expressing:

1/ Ability in the future: ………………………………………………………………………

2/ Regret and sadness: ……………………………………………….………………………
3/ The moral of this story: ……………………………………………………………………