The milkmaid and Her Pail

Aesop's Fables- 35

A milkmaid was walking down the road, balancing on her head a bucket full of fresh milk. And as she walked, she was busy daydreaming.

"Milk this rich, " she thought, " will surely give plenty of cream. I'll churn the cream into fresh white butter, and I'll take the butter to the market. After I sell it, I'll buy a dozen eggs, and soon i'll have a dozen chickens running around the yard. I'll sell the chickens for a good price, and with the money I'll buy myself a new dress - a green one with lace, to wear to the fair in the summer. And when the miller's son sees me in that dress, he'll beg to dance with me. But will I let him? Never! When he asks me, I'll tosss my head- like this!"

As the milkmaid toss her head in scorn, her wooden bucket fell to the ground and split in two. And so the milkmaid had nothing - no dress, no chickens, no eggs, no butter, not even the milk she had to start with.

MORAL OF THE STORY - Don't count your chickens before they're hatched, which means -

1. One should not count on something before it happens.
2. One should not expect all of your hopes to be fulfilled.