Once upon a time there lived a poor widow, and her only son was Jack and a cow named Belyanka. The cow gave milk, and the mother sold it at the market - that’s how they lived. But one day Belyanka stopped giving milk.

“I’ll try to find some work,” Jack said.

“Yes, you’ve already tried, but no one will take you,” the mother answered angrily. - No, we’ll probably have to sell our cow and open a shop with this money.

Well, so be it,” Jack agreed. - Today is market day, and I will quickly sell Belyanka.

Jack took the reins and led the cow to the market. But he didn’t even have time to go halfway when he met a wonderful old man.

Good morning, Jack! - the old man greeted.

Good morning to you too! - Jack answered, and thought to himself: “How does the old man know my name?”

Where are you going? - the old man asked Jack.

To the market, to sell a cow.

Looks like that's all you're good for! - the old man laughed. - Tell me, how many beans are needed to make five?

Exactly two in each hand and one in your mouth! - Jack answered.

You guessed it! - the old man exclaimed. - Look, here they are these same beans! - and the old man pulled out a handful of some unusual beans from his pocket. - Let's trade with you - beans for you, cow for me!

Come on by! - Jack got angry.

“You don’t know what kind of beans these are,” said the old man. - Plant them in the evening, and by morning they will grow to the very sky.

Really?! - Jack was surprised.

So it will be! And if not, you take your cow back.

OK! - Jack agreed: he gave the old man the cow and put the beans in his pocket.

Jack turned back and trudged home.

You're finally back, Jack! - the mother was happy when she saw her son.

I see the cow is not with you, which means you sold it. How much did they pay you for it?

You'll never guess! - Jack answered. - Look at these beans? They are magical. If you plant them in the evening, then...

How?! - Jack's mother cried. - Did you give up my beloved Belyanka for a handful of some beans? Why is God punishing me! Give me those beans! - With these words, the mother grabbed the beans and threw them out the window. - Go to bed! You won't get dinner today!

Jack went upstairs to his little room and went to bed without having dinner.

Soon he fell asleep.

The next morning, when Jack woke up and went to the window, he saw that the beans that his mother had thrown out of the window into the garden in the evening had sprouted. The huge stem stretched and stretched upward until it reached the very clouds. This means that the old man told the truth, and these beans are actually magic!

A beanstalk grew right next to the window. Jack opened it, jumped onto the stem and climbed up, as if on a rope. And he climbed, climbed, climbed, climbed until he reached the very sky. There he saw a long and wide road. Jack stepped onto this road and walked along it. He walked for a long time and came to a tall, tall house. And at the threshold of this house stood a tall, tall woman.

Be so kind as to give me something to eat, please! Jack had gone to bed without dinner and was now very hungry.

Do you want to eat? - asked the tall, tall woman. - Get out of here quickly if you don’t want to get eaten yourself! My husband is a cannibal, and his favorite dish is spit-roasted boys. Get out while you're still alive, otherwise he'll be back home soon.

Madam, please give me something to eat! - Jack continued to repeat his point. “I haven’t had a bite in my mouth since yesterday morning, and I’m so hungry that I don’t care whether they fry me or I die of hunger.”

The cannibal's wife was actually a kind woman. She took Jack to the kitchen and gave him bread and cheese and milk. But Jack didn’t even have time to eat a bite when suddenly the whole house shook from someone’s steps.

Oh my God! It's my husband back! - the tall, tall woman gasped. - Come on, get in here quickly!

And only she managed to push Jack into the oven when the cannibal giant himself entered.

It was so huge that it seemed as if a whole mountain had tumbled into the house. Three calves hung from his belt. The cannibal untied them, planted them with his wife and said:

Come on, fry this for me for breakfast! - Then he sniffed the air and asked: - What does it smell like here?

Does it smell like something in here? - the cannibal’s wife was surprised. - You have misunderstood it. It probably still smells like the boy I cooked you for lunch yesterday. Better go wash up and change clothes, and in the meantime I’ll take care of your breakfast.

The ogre left the room. Jack wanted to get out of the oven and run away, but the cannibal's wife stopped him.

“Don’t stick your neck out, otherwise he might replace you,” she said. - After breakfast, my husband usually goes to rest. When he falls asleep, you can leave.

The cannibal ate, then went to a huge chest, took out two bags of gold from it and sat down at the table to count the money. Finally, sleep overcame him, the ogre began to snore, so much so that the whole house shook.

Jack slowly crawled out of the oven, quietly approached the cannibal, grabbed one bag of gold and rushed headlong to the beanstalk. He threw the bag down and began to climb down the stem. He was in a hurry, afraid that the cannibal would wake up. Finally Jack arrived at his house.

He told his mother everything that had happened to him, handed her a bag of gold and said:

So was I right about the beans? As you can see, they are truly magical!

Jack and his mother lived for some time on the money that was in the bag. But one day the bag was empty, and Jack decided to climb to the top of the beanstalk again.

One day he woke up early in the morning and began to climb the stem. He climbed and climbed until he found himself on an already familiar road. Walking along it, I reached a tall, tall house. Just like last time, a tall, tall woman stood at the threshold.

Jack greeted her and asked as if nothing had happened:

Please give me something to eat!

Get out of here quickly! - answered the cannibal's wife. - Otherwise my husband will come back and eat you.

But Jack repeated his request so persistently that the cannibal’s wife, who was generally a kind woman, had no choice but to let the boy into the house and give him something to eat.

Jack deliberately chewed slowly. He wanted to wait for the ogre to come home. Finally, the steps of the cannibal were heard, and the cannibal again hid Jack in the oven.

Then everything was like the last time: the cannibal came in and asked: “What does that smell like here?” and, having had breakfast, ordered his wife:

Bring me the hen that lays golden eggs!

The giantess brought it, and the cannibal ordered the hen to lay eggs, and she laid a golden egg. Then the ogre began to snore.

Then Jack slowly crawled out of the oven, grabbed the golden chicken and ran away. But then the chicken clucked and woke up the cannibal.

Hey wife, what are you doing with my golden chicken! - he cried.

Jack heard these words when he was already far from the cannibal’s house. He rushed towards the beanstalk like an arrow and flew down it. Arriving home, Jack showed his mother the chicken and ordered:

And the chicken immediately laid a golden egg.

Every time Jack ordered her to lay eggs, the hen laid a golden egg.

But this was not enough for Jack. He decided to try his luck again in the cannibal's house.

One day he got up early and climbed a beanstalk. I took the already familiar road to the cannibal’s house, quietly made my way inside and hid in a copper cauldron.

Jack didn't wait long; suddenly he hears familiar steps - an ogre and his wife enter the house.

I smell that evil boy again! - the cannibal shouted.

Well, if this is the wretch who stole your gold and the hen with the golden eggs,” says the cannibal’s wife, “then he’s probably sitting in the oven!”

And both rushed to the stove. But Jack was not there, because this time he hid in a different place.

No matter how much they looked for the boy, they never found him.

Finally the cannibal sat down at the table to have breakfast. But he kept repeating:

And yet it seems to me that... - and, leaving the table, he again searched all the corners and crannies, but didn’t think of looking into the copper cauldron.

After breakfast, the cannibal shouted:

Wife, bring my golden harp here!

The wife brought the harp and placed it in front of her husband.

Sing! - the giant commanded the harp.

And the golden harp played so well that you will hear it. She played and played until the ogre finally began to snore.

Here Jack slightly lifted the lid of the cauldron, crawled out of it slowly and tiptoed to the table. Then he climbed onto the table, grabbed the golden harp and rushed to the door.

At that moment the harp called loudly:

Master! Master!

The giant shuddered, woke up and saw that Jack had stolen his harp.

Jack ran with all his might, but the ogre could not catch him, because the boy was the first to reach the door and, moreover, knew the way well. Jack grabbed onto the beanstalk and saw that the ogre was catching up with him. The cannibal reached the beanstalk and saw that Jack was almost at the bottom.

The giant grabbed onto the beanstalk, and the stem cracked under him.

Jack, meanwhile, descended lower and lower, and the cannibal followed him. Jack was already on the roof of his house and shouted:

Mother! Bring the axe!

The mother ran out with an ax in her hands, rushed to the beanstalk, and froze in place with fear: a huge giant was descending down the stalk right onto the roof of their house.

Jack jumped to the ground, grabbed an ax and hit the beanstalk so hard that he almost cut it off.

The ogre felt the stem beneath him shake and froze for a moment.

Here Jack another time hit the stem with all his strength with an ax and completely cut it off. The stem collapsed, and the ogre fell to the ground and was broken.

Jack and his mother lived comfortably from then on: they showed a golden harp for money and sold golden eggs. When Jack became rich, he married the princess and lived happily ever after with her.

All the best! See you again!

LazyJack

Once upon a time there lived a young man named Jack. He lived with his mother in poverty. The old woman earned her bread by knitting, and Jack was so lazy that he did nothing but lie in the sun in the summer and warm himself near the fireplace in the winter. So they called him Lazy Jack. The old woman endured and endured, but one Monday she said that if he did not start earning his own food, she would kick him out of the house.

Jack hired himself out to a neighboring farmer on Tuesday for one penny. But when he was returning home, crossing a stream, he lost a coin.

- Eh, stupid fellow! - his mother reproached him. - You should have hidden the money in your pocket.
“I’ll do that next time,” Jack agreed.

On Wednesday he left the house again and hired himself to a shepherd, who gave him a jug of milk for his work. Jack took the jug and put it in the large protruding pocket. The milk soon flowed out.
- Oh, stupid! - the old woman was upset. “You should have put it on your head and brought it that way.”
- That's what I'll do next time.

On Thursday, Jack again hired himself to earn money, this time to a cheese maker, who promised to give him soft cream cheese for his efforts. Jack went home in the evening, taking the cheese and putting it on his head. As he walked, the cheese crumbled and fell, only the crumbs stuck to his hair.
- Well, you are a fool! - cried the old woman - You had to carefully carry it in your hands.
“Okay, next time I won’t make a mistake,” Jack replied.

On Friday, Jack hired himself to a baker, who gave him a large, fat cat as a reward. Jack took it and carried it carefully in his hands. But the cat soon began to scratch so much that he let him out. Jack returned home again with nothing.
- Oh, you fool, you should have tied a rope to his paw and dragged him along with you.
- Nothing, mom. Next time it will be like that.

On Saturday, Jack hired a butcher, and he paid for his work with an excellent ham of lamb. Jack tied the rope to the meat and dragged it along through the mud. By the time he got home, the lamb was completely spoiled. This time the mother completely lost her temper, because on Sunday she only had cabbage for lunch.
- Oh, headless! - she shouted to her son. “You should have brought the meat on your shoulders.”
- That's what I'll do next time.

Jack went on Sunday to look for work and got hired by a cattle driver. He did a good job, and he gave him a donkey as a reward. Jack decided that it was too heavy to carry the donkey on his shoulders, but he still put it on his back and slowly walked home.

On the way, he had to pass by the house of a rich man who lived with his only daughter. She was very beautiful, but deaf and dumb. The girl never smiled or laughed, and the doctors assured her that she would speak if she ever burst out laughing.

And just the beauty looked out of the window at the moment when Jack passed by her house. Seeing the donkey slung on Jack’s shoulders, and especially the hooves dangling strangely and funny in the air, she laughed loudly and... was immediately able to hear and speak. Her father was delighted and, in gratitude, immediately decided to marry Jack to his daughter.

After this, the young couple and Jack’s mother settled in the same house and lived happily.

Although, to be honest, it’s hard to believe in this...

Once upon a time there lived a poor widow. She had an only son named Jack and a cow nicknamed Belyanka. The cow gave milk every morning, and the mother and son sold it at the market - that’s what they lived on. But suddenly Belyanka stopped milking, and they simply didn’t know what to do.

What should we do? What to do? - the mother repeated in despair.

Don't be sad, mom! - said Jack. - I'll hire someone to work for me.

“You’ve already tried to get hired, but no one will hire you,” the mother answered. - No, apparently we’ll have to sell our Belyanka and open a shop with this money.

“Well, okay, mom,” Jack agreed. - Today is market day, and I will quickly sell Belyanka. And then we’ll decide what to do.

And Jack took the cow to the market. But he didn’t have time to go far when he met a funny, funny old man, and he said to him:

Good morning, Jack!

Good morning to you too! - Jack answered, but he was surprised to himself: how did the old man know his name.

Well, Jack, where are you going? - asked the old man.

To the market to sell a cow.

So-so! Who should trade cows if not you! - the old man laughed. - Tell me, how many beans do I have?

Exactly two in each hand and one in your mouth! - Jack answered, apparently the guy was no slouch.

Right! - said the old man. - Look, here are these beans! - And the old man showed Jack some strange beans. “Since you’re so smart,” the old man continued, “I wouldn’t mind trading with you—I’ll give these beans for your cow!”

Go your own way! - Jack got angry. - It will be better that way!

“Uh, you don’t know what kind of beans these are,” said the old man. - Plant them in the evening, and by morning they will grow to the very sky.

Yah? Is it true? - Jack was surprised.

The real truth! And if not, you take your cow back.

It's coming! - Jack agreed, gave Belyanka to the old man, and put the beans in his pocket.

Jack turned back home, and since he did not have time to go far from the house, it had not yet gotten dark, and he was already at his door.

How are you back already, Jack? - the mother was surprised. - I see Belyanka is not with you, does that mean you sold her? How much did they give you for it?

You'll never guess, mom! - answered Jack.

Yah? Oh my goodness! Five pounds? Ten? Fifteen? Well, they won’t give you twenty!

I told you - you won’t guess! What can you say about these beans? They are magical. Plant them in the evening and...

What?! - Jack's mother cried. “Did you really turn out to be such a simpleton that you gave up my Belyanka, the most productive cow in the whole area, for a handful of some bad beans?” It is for you! It is for you! It is for you! And your precious beans will fly out the window. So that! Now you can sleep quickly! And don’t ask for food, you won’t get it anyway - not a bite, not a sip!

And so Jack went up to his attic, to his little room, sad, very sad: he made his mother angry, and he himself was left without dinner. Finally he fell asleep.

And when he woke up, the room seemed very strange to him. The sun illuminated only one corner, and everything around remained dark, dark. Jack jumped out of bed, got dressed and went to the window. And what did he see? What a strange tree! And these are his beans, which his mother threw out of the window into the garden the day before, sprouted and turned into a huge bean tree. It stretched up, up and up, all the way to the sky. It turns out that the old man was telling the truth!

The beanstalk grew just outside Jack's window and climbed up like a real staircase. So Jack could only open the window and jump onto the tree. So he did. Jack climbed up the beanstalk and climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed until he finally reached the sky. There he saw a long and wide road, straight as an arrow. I walked along this road and walked and walked and walked until I came to a huge, huge, tall house. And at the threshold of this house stood a huge, huge, tall woman.

Good morning, madam! - Jack said very politely. - Be so kind as to give me breakfast, please!

After all, the day before Jack was left without dinner, you know, and was now hungry as a wolf.

Would you like to have breakfast? - said a huge, huge, tall woman. - Yes, you yourself will end up with others for breakfast if you don’t get out of here! My husband is a giant and an ogre, and he loves nothing in the world more than boys fried in breadcrumbs.

Oh, madam, I beg you, give me something to eat! - Jack did not let up. “I haven’t had a crumb in my mouth since yesterday morning.” And does it matter whether they roast me or I die of hunger?

Well, the cannibal's wife was not a bad woman after all. So she took Jack to the kitchen and gave him a piece of bread with cheese and a jug of fresh milk. But before Jack had time to finish half of it all, suddenly - top! Top! Top! - the whole house even shook from someone’s steps.

Oh my God! Yes, this is my old man! - the giantess gasped. - What to do? Hurry, hurry, jump here!

And as soon as she managed to push Jack into the oven, the cannibal giant himself entered the house.

Well, he really was great! Three calves dangled from his belt. He untied them, threw them on the table and said:

Come on, wife, fry me a couple for breakfast! Wow! What does it smell like?

Fi-fi-fo-foot,
I can smell the British spirit here.
Whether he's dead or alive,
It will be for my breakfast.

What are you doing, hubby! - his wife told him. - You imagined it. Or maybe it smells like that lamb that you liked so much at dinner yesterday. Better go wash up and change clothes, and in the meantime I’ll prepare breakfast.

The ogre came out, and Jack was about to crawl out of the oven and run away, but the woman did not let him.

“Wait until he falls asleep,” she said. - He always likes to take a nap after breakfast.

And so the giant had breakfast, then went to a huge chest, took out two bags of gold from it and sat down to count the coins. He counted and counted, and finally began to nod off and started snoring so much that the whole house began to shake again.

Then Jack slowly crawled out of the oven, tiptoed past the sleeping cannibal, grabbed one bag of gold and, God bless his feet! - straight to the beanstalk. He threw the bag down into his garden, and he began to climb down the stem, lower and lower, until he finally found himself at home.

Jack told his mother everything, showed her the bag of gold and said:

Well, mom, was I telling the truth about these beans? See, they really are magical!

I don’t know what these beans are,” answered the mother, “but as for the cannibal, I think this is the same one that killed your father and ruined us!”

And I must tell you that when Jack was only three months old, a terrible cannibal giant appeared in their area. He grabbed anyone, but especially did not spare kind and generous people. And Jack's father, although he was not rich himself, always helped the poor and losers.

“Oh, Jack,” the mother finished, “to think that the cannibal could eat you too!” Don't you dare ever climb that stem again!

Jack promised, and he and his mother lived in complete contentment with the money that was in the bag.

But in the end the bag was empty, and Jack, forgetting his promise, decided to try his luck once again at the top of the beanstalk. So one fine morning he got up early and climbed the beanstalk. He climbed, and climbed, and climbed, and climbed, and climbed, and climbed, and climbed, until he finally found himself on a familiar road and reached a huge, huge, tall house along it. Just like last time, a huge, huge, tall woman stood at the threshold.

“Good morning, madam,” Jack told her as if nothing had happened. - Be so kind as to give me something to eat, please!

Get out of here quickly, little boy! - answered the giantess. - Otherwise my husband will eat you for breakfast. Eh, no, wait a minute, aren’t you the same young man who came here recently? You know, on that very day my husband was missing one bag of gold.

These are miracles, madam! - says Jack. - True, I could tell you something about this, but I’m so hungry that until I eat at least a bite, I won’t be able to utter a word.

Then the giantess was so curious that she let Jack into the house and gave him something to eat. And Jack deliberately began to chew slowly and slowly. But suddenly - top! Top! Top! - they heard the giant’s steps, and the kind woman again hid Jack in the oven.

Everything happened the same as last time. The cannibal came in and said: “Fi-fi-fo-fut...” and so on, had breakfast with three roasted bulls, and then ordered his wife:

Wife, bring me the chicken - the one that lays golden eggs!

The giantess brought it, and he said to the chicken: “Hurry!” - and the chicken laid a golden egg. Then the cannibal began to nod off and began to snore so that the whole house shook.

Then Jack slowly crawled out of the oven, grabbed the golden chicken and was out the door in no time. But then the chicken clucked and woke up the cannibal. And just as Jack was running out of the house, he heard the giant’s voice behind him:

Wife, leave the golden hen alone! And the wife responded:

What are you doing, my dear!

That's all Jack managed to hear. He rushed as fast as he could towards the beanstalk and literally fell down it.

Jack returned home, showed his mother the miracle chicken and shouted: “Run!” - and the chicken laid a golden egg.

Since then, every time Jack told her: “Run!” - the chicken laid a golden egg.

Mother scolded Jack for disobeying her and going to the cannibal again, but she still liked the chicken.

And Jack, a restless guy, after a while decided to try his luck again at the top of the beanstalk. So one fine morning he got up early and climbed the beanstalk.

He climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed until he reached the very top. True, this time he acted more carefully and did not go straight into the cannibal’s house, but crept up slowly and hid in the bushes. He waited until the giantess came out with a bucket for water, and snuck into the house! He climbed into the copper cauldron and began to wait. He didn’t wait long, and suddenly he heard the familiar “top!” Top! Top!”, and then the cannibal and his wife enter the room.

Fi-fi-fo-fut, I can smell the spirit of the British here! - the cannibal shouted. - I feel it, I feel it, wife!

Can you really hear it, hubby? - says the giantess. - Well, then, this is the brat who stole your gold and the hen with the golden eggs. He's probably sitting in the oven.

And both rushed to the stove. It's a good thing Jack wasn't hiding there!

You are always with your fi-fi-fo-foot! - the cannibal’s wife grumbled and began to prepare breakfast for her husband.

The cannibal sat down at the table, but still could not calm down and kept muttering:

And yet I can swear that... - He jumped up from the table, ransacked the pantry, and chests, and cupboards...

I searched every corner, but didn’t think to look into the copper cauldron. Finally he finished breakfast and shouted:

Hey wife, bring me the golden harp! The wife brought the harp and placed it on the table.

Sing! - the giant ordered the harp.

And the golden harp began to sing, so well that you’ll be able to hear it! And she sang and sang until the cannibal fell asleep and snored as if thunder had thundered.

It was then that Jack lightly lifted the lid of the cauldron. He crawled out of it quietly, like a mouse, and crawled on all fours all the way to the table. He climbed onto the table, grabbed the harp and rushed to the door.

But the harp called loudly and loudly:

Master! Master!

The ogre woke up and immediately saw Jack running away with his harp.

Jack ran headlong, and the giant followed him. It didn’t cost him anything to catch Jack, but Jack was the first to run, and therefore he managed to evade the giant. And besides, he knew the road well. When he reached the bean tree, the ogre was only twenty paces away. And suddenly Jack disappeared. Ogre here, there - no Jack! Finally he decided to look at the beanstalk and saw: Jack, with all his strength, was trying to crawl down. The giant became afraid to go down the shaky stem, but then the harp called again:

Master! Master!

And the giant actually hung on the beanstalk, and it shook all over under his weight.

Jack descends lower and lower, and the giant follows him. But now Jack is right above the house. Here he screams:

Mother! Mother! Bring the axe! Bring the axe!

The mother ran out with an ax in her hands, rushed to the beanstalk and froze in horror: huge giant knives were sticking out of the clouds.

But then Jack jumped to the ground, grabbed an ax and slashed at the beanstalk so hard that he almost cut it in half.

The ogre felt the stem swaying and shaking, and stopped to see what had happened. Then Jack hits the ax again and completely cuts the beanstalk. The stem swayed and collapsed, and the ogre fell to the ground and broke his neck.

Jack gave his mother the golden harp, and they began to live happily. And they didn’t even remember about the giant.

Dear parents, it is very useful to read the fairy tale “Lazy Jack (English fairy tale)” to children before bed, so that the good ending of the fairy tale makes them happy and calm, and they fall asleep. With the virtuosity of a genius, portraits of the heroes are depicted, their appearance, rich inner world, they “breathe life” into the creation and the events taking place in it. The inspiration of everyday objects and nature creates colorful and bewitching pictures of the surrounding world, making them mysterious and enigmatic. There is a balancing act between the bad and the good, the tempting and the necessary, and how wonderful it is that every time the choice is correct and responsible. Folk legend cannot lose its vitality, due to the inviolability of such concepts as friendship, compassion, courage, bravery, love and sacrifice. Rivers, trees, animals, birds - everything comes to life, is filled with living colors, helps the heroes of the work in gratitude for their kindness and affection. The plot is simple and as old as the world, but each new generation finds in it something relevant and useful. The fairy tale "Lazy Jack (English Fairytale)" will be fun to read online for free for both children and their parents, the kids will be happy about the good ending, and moms and dads will be happy for the kids!

Once upon a time there was a guy in the world. His name was Jack, and he lived with his old mother in a vacant lot. The old woman spun yarn for people, but you can’t get rich from that, and Jack was a lazy person, like few of them. He did nothing, absolutely nothing, just basked in the sun - this was in the summer heat, and in winter he sat in the corner by the fire.
That's why everyone called him Lazy Jack. Mother could not get Jack to help her even a little, and one day on Monday she told him:
“If you don’t earn your own food, I’ll kick you out of the house—live as you please!”
These words struck a chord with Jack. The next morning, Tuesday, he went and hired himself out for a penny a day to a farmer who lived next door. Worked for a day, got a penny and went home, but when crossing the stream, he lost the coin. After all, he had never held money in his hands in his life.
- Oh, you fool! - his mother told him. - Yes, you should put a coin in your pocket!
“I’ll do that another time,” Jack replied. On Wednesday Jack left again and went to work for a shepherd. He worked for a day, and for this the shepherd gave him a jug of milk. Jack stuffed the jug into the deep pocket of his jacket, but had not gone even halfway before the milk all spilled out.
- Oh my God! - the mother gasped. - So that you can carry the jug on your head.
“I’ll do that another time,” Jack replied. And so on Thursday Jack hired himself out to the farmer again - for a piece of cream cheese a day. In the evening, Jack put the cheese on his head and went home. But again he didn’t bring anything home: the soft cheese all spread out and stuck to his hair.
“What a fool!” said the mother. “You should have carried it carefully in your hands.”
“I’ll do that another time,” Jack replied.
On Friday, Jack hired himself to a baker, and he gave him a big cat for his work. Jack took the cat and carefully carried him in his arms, but the cat scratched all his hands, so he had to let him out. And Jack returned home again with nothing.
“What an idiot you are!” said the mother. -You should have tied a rope around the cat’s neck and led him on a leash!
“I’ll do that another time,” Jack replied. And so on Saturday Jack hired himself to a butcher, and he generously rewarded him - he cut off a whole leg of lamb. Jack tied a rope around the leg of lamb and dragged it behind him through the mud. You can imagine what kind of food would come out of such lamb!
This time Jack's mother lost her temper. After all, she had nothing but cabbage for Sunday lunch.
- Oh, you dumbass! - she said to Jack, - You should have carried her on your shoulder!
“I’ll do that another time,” Jack replied. On Monday, Lazy Jack left home again and went to work for a cattle dealer. He gave him a donkey for his work. It was difficult to hoist the donkey onto his shoulders, but Jack strained and did it.
And so he wandered with his reward to the house - he trudged, barely moving his legs. Soon he had to walk past the house of a rich man. This rich man had an only daughter, very pretty, but deaf and dumb, and besides, she did not laugh - she had never laughed in her life. And the doctors told her father that she would not speak until someone made her laugh. And just when Jack was passing by with a donkey on his shoulders, the girl looked out the window. He sees a kid dragging along with a donkey on his shoulders, and he burst out laughing. And when she laughed, she immediately spoke and began to hear.
The rich man was so happy that he married his daughter to Jack. So Lazy Jack got rich. He settled with his wife in a large house and took his mother with him. And the old woman lived with them until the end of her days, knowing neither need nor grief.

Once upon a time there was a guy in the world. His name was Jack, and he lived with his old mother in a vacant lot. The old woman spun yarn for people, but you can’t get rich from that, and Jack was a lazy person, like few of them. He did nothing, absolutely nothing, just basked in the sun - this was in the summer heat, and in winter he sat in the corner by the fire.

That's why everyone called him Lazy Jack. Mother could not get Jack to help her even a little, and one day on Monday she told him:

If you don’t earn your own food, I’ll kick you out of the house - live as you please!

These words struck a chord with Jack. The next morning, Tuesday, he went and hired himself out for a penny a day to a farmer who lived next door. Worked for a day, got a penny and went home, but when crossing the stream, he lost the coin. After all, he had never held money in his hands in his life.

Oh, you fool! - his mother told him. - Yes, you should put a coin in your pocket!

“I’ll do that another time,” Jack replied. On Wednesday Jack left again and went to work for a shepherd. He worked for a day, and for this the shepherd gave him a jug of milk. Jack stuffed the jug into the deep pocket of his jacket, but had not gone even halfway before the milk all spilled out.

Oh my God! - the mother gasped. - So that you can carry the jug on your head.

“I’ll do that another time,” Jack replied. And so on Thursday Jack hired himself out to the farmer again - for a piece of cream cheese a day. In the evening, Jack put the cheese on his head and went home. But again he didn’t bring anything home: the soft cheese all spread out and stuck to his hair.

What a fool! - said the mother. “You had to be careful to carry it in your hands.”

“I’ll do that another time,” Jack replied.

On Friday, Jack hired himself to a baker, and he gave him a big cat for his work. Jack took the cat and carefully carried him in his arms, but the cat scratched all his hands, so he had to let him out. And Jack returned home again with nothing.

What an idiot you are! - said the mother. “You should have tied a rope around the cat’s neck and led him on a leash!”

“I’ll do that another time,” Jack replied. And so on Saturday Jack hired himself to a butcher, and he generously rewarded him - he cut off a whole leg of lamb. Jack tied a rope around the leg of lamb and dragged it behind him through the mud. You can imagine what kind of food would come out of such lamb!

This time Jack's mother lost her temper. After all, she had nothing but cabbage for Sunday lunch.

Oh, you dumbass! - she said to Jack, “You should have carried her on your shoulder!”

“I’ll do that another time,” Jack replied. On Monday, Lazy Jack left home again and went to work for a cattle dealer. He gave him a donkey for his work. It was difficult to hoist the donkey onto his shoulders, but Jack strained and did it.

And so he wandered with his reward to the house - he trudged, barely moving his legs. Soon he had to walk past the house of a rich man. This rich man had an only daughter, very pretty, but deaf and dumb, and besides, she did not laugh - she had never laughed once in her life. And the doctors told her father that she would not speak until someone made her laugh. And just when Jack was passing by with a donkey on his shoulders, the girl looked out the window. He sees a kid dragging along with a donkey on his shoulders, and he burst out laughing. And when she laughed, she immediately spoke and began to hear.

The rich man was so happy that he married his daughter to Jack. So Lazy Jack got rich. He settled with his wife in a large house and took his mother with him. And the old woman lived with them until the end of her days, knowing neither need nor grief.