The Tailor's Sons and the Tricky Innkeeper
Once upon a time, a kind tailor lived with his three sons, Leo, Tom, and Jack. They were a happy family, but they were very poor. To give them a better future, the tailor sent his sons out into the world to learn a trade. The first son, Leo, became a furniture maker. For his hard work, his master gave him a parting gift: a small wooden table. "It's a magic table," the master explained. "Just say 'Table, set yourself!' and it will be covered with a delicious feast."
On his way home, Leo stopped at an inn. The innkeeper, Mr. Swift, said there was no food. "No problem!" said Leo proudly. He placed the table down and called, "Table, set yourself!" Instantly, it was laden with warm bread, cheese, and sweet cakes. Mr. Swift's eyes widened with greed. That night, while Leo slept, the innkeeper swapped the magic table with an ordinary one that looked exactly the same. When Leo arrived home, he tried to show his father the magic, but nothing happened. He was heartbroken.
The second son, Tom, became a miller. His master gifted him a wonderful donkey. "This is no ordinary donkey," said the master. "When you say 'Donkey, shake!', it will sneeze a shower of sparkling gold coins." Tom was overjoyed. On his way home, he stopped at the very same inn. He paid for his room by saying "Donkey, shake!" and catching the coins. The sneaky innkeeper saw this and, during the night, he led the magic donkey to a hidden stable and replaced it with a regular one. When Tom got home, the donkey wouldn't give a single coin. The family was poorer and sadder than ever.
The third son, Jack, became a carpenter. His father wrote to him about what had happened. Jack's master, a wise old man, said, "I suspect a trickster is at play." He gave Jack a parting gift. "This is a sack with a special friend inside. If you meet someone who deserves a lesson, just say 'Jumping Jack, do your dance!'"
Jack also stayed at the inn. Mr. Swift served him dinner on a familiar-looking table. "What a fast table!" Jack said. "But I have something even more amazing in this sack!" He patted the sack and kept it close. As Jack expected, the greedy innkeeper snuck into his room that night. Before he could touch the sack, Jack shouted, "Jumping Jack, do your dance!" A little wooden figure leaped out and began a wild, harmless dance. It bounced off the walls, tickled Mr. Swift until he cried with laughter, juggled his hat, and tied his shoelaces together in floppy bows. The innkeeper couldn't stop the chaos!
"Alright, I give up! I'll give everything back!" he cried. The next morning, Jack left the inn with his brother's magic table and magic donkey. He returned home to his overjoyed family. With the table to feed them and the donkey's gold, they not only helped themselves but their entire village, and they all lived happily and generously ever after.
Moral Values and Lessons
- Honesty is the Best Policy: The innkeeper's greed and dishonesty ultimately led to his downfall and embarrassment.
- Cleverness Over Force: Jack didn't use violence. He used his wit and a funny magical gift to solve the problem and teach the innkeeper a lesson.
- Family Helps Family: The brothers faced hardship, but the third brother's love for his family drove him to set things right for everyone.
- True Wealth is for Sharing: The family used their newfound fortune to help their whole village, showing that generosity is the best use of any gift.
Story Questions
Comprehension Questions
- What was the magical power of the first son's table?
- How did the second son's donkey make gold coins?
- What did the innkeeper, Mr. Swift, do to the first two brothers?
- What was the third brother's magical gift?
- How did Jack get the table and donkey back?
Critical Thinking Questions
- Why do you think the first two brothers were tricked, but the third one wasn't?
- Was Jack's way of teaching the innkeeper a lesson better than using a club that hurts people? Why?
- What do you think the innkeeper learned from this experience?
Personal Connection Questions
- Have you ever seen someone be greedy? What happened?
- Describe a time you used your cleverness to solve a problem.
- If you had a magical gift, how would you share it to help others?
Fun Activities
- Design a Magical Gift: Imagine you are the fourth child of the tailor. What trade would you learn? What magical gift would your master give you? Draw it and write down its special command.
- Draw the Jumping Jack's Dance: Get some paper and draw the funny, chaotic scene in the innkeeper's room. Show the Jumping Jack juggling, tickling, and tying shoelaces while Mr. Swift looks bewildered!
- Act It Out: With friends or family, act out the final scene at the inn. Have one person be the clever Jack, another the greedy Mr. Swift, and someone else can be the hilarious Jumping Jack!