Milly the Milkmaid and Her Daydreams
Along a mountain path kissed by the morning sun, a young woman named Milly walked with a light step. On her head, she balanced a large clay pail, filled to the brim with the creamiest, whitest milk her cows had ever produced. She was on her way to the town market, happy and content, with a heart full of hope.
As she walked, the rhythm of her steps lulled her into a daydream. "This milk is so fine," she thought with pride. "They will pay me a handsome price for it! And with all that money..." Her imagination took flight, painting a bright future. "With the milk money, I will buy a huge basket of eggs, a hundred at least! And from those eggs will hatch a hundred fluffy, yellow chicks! I can already hear them cheeping around me: peep, peep, peep! How lovely!"
Her smile grew wider. "When the chickens are grown, I'll sell them for a great pile of coins. Enough to buy a piglet! I'll feed him acorns and chestnuts until he grows big and plump, with a belly that almost touches the ground. At the market, they'll give me so much money for a pig like that!"
Her dream grew bigger and bigger. "And with the pig's money? I'll buy a beautiful cow of my very own, and I'll even have money left over for a calf! I can just see him now, running and leaping happily through the fields, so strong and full of life he could reach that mountain over there!"
In her mind, the image of the leaping calf was so vivid and joyful that, without thinking, Milly gave a great leap herself to copy it. In that instant, she completely forgot about her precious cargo. The pail wobbled, tipped, and crashed to the ground with a dull thud, shattering into pieces.
Poor Milly! The white milk spilled onto the dark earth, vanishing in seconds. In a flash, she was left with no milk, no eggs, no chicks, no pig, no cow, and no leaping calf. Her smile disappeared, and sitting beside the broken pieces of her pail, she burst into bitter tears. She had lost the certain good she had for a future that existed only in her head.
Moral Values & Lessons
- Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch: Do not count on a future profit before you have actually earned it.
- Focus on the Present Moment: It is important to pay attention to what you are doing right now to avoid making mistakes.
- Appreciate What You Have: The milkmaid already had a valuable good (the milk), but lost it by wanting too much that she didn't yet have.
- Dreams Need Action, Not Just Fantasy: Daydreaming is nice, but without care and hard work, dreams can disappear.
Story Comprehension Questions
Simple Questions
- Where was Milly the milkmaid going?
- What was she carrying on her head?
- What was the first thing she planned to buy with the milk money?
- What action made her drop the pail?
- What happened to the milk in the end?
Critical Thinking Questions
- Why was Milly so confident she would make a lot of money?
- Do you think it's a bad thing to dream about the future? What is the difference between planning and getting lost in a daydream?
- How do you think Milly felt right after the pail fell?
Connecting to Your Life
- Have you ever been so excited about something that you made a careless mistake?
- What is something you have *right now* that you are happy about?
- Do you have a dream for the future? What is one small step you can take *today* to make it happen?
Fun Interactive Activities
- The Dream Chain: Draw or write out Milly's chain of dreams: Milk ➔ Eggs ➔ Chicks ➔ Pig ➔ Cow & Calf.
- The Balancing Act: Try to walk in a straight line while balancing a soft object (like a small pillow or beanbag) on your head. It takes a lot of focus!
- The "Now and Later" Jars: Get two jars or boxes. In one, put notes about things you are thankful for today. In the other, put notes about your dreams and wishes for the future.