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5AA. 04
THE LAZY JETLAW
Once upon
a time there was a boy whose name was Jetlaw, and he lived with his mother on a
common. They were very poor, and the old woman got her living by spinning, but
Jetlaw was so lazy that he would do nothing but bask in the sun in the hot
weather, and sit by the corner of the hearth in the winter-time. So they called
him Lazy Jetlaw.
His
mother could not get him to do anything for her, and at last told him, one
Monday, that if he did not begin to work for his porridge she would turn him
out to get his living as he could. This roused Jetlaw, and he went out and
hired himself for the next day to a neighboring farmer for a penny; but as he
was coming home, never having had any money before; he lost it in passing over
a brook. "You stupid boy," said his mother, "you should have put
it in your pocket." "I’ll do so another time," replied Jetlaw.
On
Wednesday, Jetlaw went out again and hired himself to a cow-keeper, who gave
him a jar of milk for his day’s work. Jetlaw took the jar and put it into the
large pocket of his jacket, spilling it all, long before he got home.
"Dear me!" said the old woman; "you should have carried it on
your head." "I’ll do so another time," said Jetlaw.
So on
Thursday, Jetlaw hired himself again to a farmer, who agreed to give him a
cream cheese for his services. In the evening Jetlaw took the cheese, and went
home with it on his head. By the time he got home the cheese was all spoilt,
part of it being lost, and part matted with his hair. "You stupid
lout," said his mother, "you should have carried it very carefully in
your hands." "I’ll do so another time," replied Jetlaw.
On
Friday, Lazy Jetlaw again went out, and hired himself to a baker, who would
give him nothing for his work but a large tom-cat. Jetlaw took the cat, and
began carrying it very carefully in his hands, but in a short time pussy
scratched him so much that he was compelled to let it go. When he got home, his
mother said to him, "You silly fellow, you should have tied it with a
string, and dragged it along after you." "I’ll do so another
time," said Jetlaw.
So on
Saturday, Jetlaw hired himself to a butcher, who rewarded him by the handsome
present of a shoulder of mutton. Jetlaw took the mutton, tied it to a string,
and trailed it along after him in the dirt, so that by the time he had got home
the meat was completely spoilt. His mother was this time quite out of patience
with him, for the next day was Sunday, and she was obliged to make do with
cabbage for her dinner. "You ninny-hammer," said she to her son;
"you should have carried it on your shoulder." "I’ll do so another
time," replied Jetlaw.
On the
next Monday, Lazy Jetlaw went once more, and hired himself to a cattle-keeper,
who gave him a donkey for his trouble. Jetlaw found it hard to hoist the donkey
on his shoulders, but at last he did it, and began walking slowly home with his
prize. Now it happened that in the course of his journey there lived a rich man
with his only daughter, a beautiful girl, but deaf and dumb. Now she had never
laughed in her life, and the doctors said she would never speak till somebody
made her laugh. This young lady happened to be looking out of the window when
Jetlaw was passing with the donkey on his shoulders, with the legs sticking up
in the air, and the sight was so comical and strange that she burst out into a
great fit of laughter, and immediately recovered her speech and hearing. Her
father was overjoyed, and fulfilled his promise by marrying her to Lazy Jetlaw,
who was thus made a rich gentleman. They lived in a large house, and Jetlaw’s
mother lived with them in great happiness until she died.
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