THE MILKMAID.
A milkmaid, who poized a full pail on her head,
Thus mused on her prospects in life, it is said:
“Let’s see—I should think that this milk will procure
One hundred good eggs, or fourscore to be sure.
[35]”Well then—stop a bit,—it must not be forgotten,
Some of these may be broken, and some may be rotten;
But if twenty for accidents should be detach’d,
It will leave me just sixty sound eggs to hatch’d.
“Well, sixty sound eggs—no; sound chickens, I mean;
Of these some may die—we’ll suppose seventeen—
Seventeen!—not so many—say ten at the most,
Which will leave fifty chickens to boil or to roast.
“But then there’s their barley; how much will they need?
Why they take but one grain at a time when they feed,
[36]So that’s a mere trifle; now then let us see,
At a fair market price, how much money there’ll be?
“Six shillings a pair—five—four—three-and-six,
To prevent all mistakes, that low price I will fix;
Now what will that make? fifty chickens, I said,
Fifty times three-and-sixpence—I’ll ask brother Ned.
“Oh! but stop—three-and-sixpence a pair I must sell ’em;
Well, a pair is a couple—now then let us tell ’em;
A couple in fifty will go—(my poor brain!)
Why just a score times, and five pair will remain.
“Twenty-five pair of fowls—now how shameful it is,
That I can’t reckon up as much money as this!
[37]Well, there’s no use in trying; so let’s give a guess;
I will say twenty pounds, and it can’t be no less.
“Twenty pounds, I am certain, will buy me a cow,
Thirty geese, and two turkeys—eight pigs and a sow;
Now if these turn out well, at the end of the year,
I shall fill both my pockets with guineas ’tis clear.
“Then I’ll bid that old tumble-down hovel good-bye;
My mother she’ll scold, and my sisters they’ll cry:
But I won’t care a crow’s egg for all they can say;
I sha’n’t go to stop with such beggars as they!”
But forgetting her burden, when this she had said,
The maid superciliously toss’d up her head
[38]When alas! for her prospects—the milk pail descended!
And so all her schemes for the future were ended.
MORAL.
This moral, I think, may be safely attach’d:
Reckon not on your chickens before they are hatch’d.
Read these beautiful poems and rhymes for kids. List of the poems included in this poem eBook:
- The Milkmaid
- The Lark And Her Young Ones
- The Philosopher And The Acorn
- The Wolf And The Crane
- The Dog And The Shadow
- The Travellers And The Bear
- The Frogs And The Bull
- The Council Of Mice
- The Wolf And The Lamb
- The Beasts In Patnership
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