Have you ever heard the saying “Dont count your chickens before they hatch?”
Would you believe that old saying was based off of a tale of a daydreaming milkmaid?
The Milkmaid and Her Pail is a folktale about interrupted daydreams of wealth and fame. (But who can blame her?! I guess I’m also a daydreaming milkmaid! LOL)
There are many version of The Milkmaid and Her Pail, but the first appearance of the fable in Western culture was in the 14th century.
Setting the Scene
Once upon a time, there was a young milkmaid who set out to the market with a pail of milk balanced on her head. As she walked, she began to daydream about all the things she would do with the money she earned from selling the milk.
Counting Her Chickens Before They Hatch
The milkmaid started to calculate the profits in her head. "If I sell this milk, I can buy some eggs. The eggs will hatch into chicks, and the chicks will grow into chickens. I can sell the chickens and buy a new dress for the village festival," she thought.
A Lesson Learned
However, as she was lost in her dreams of wealth, the milkmaid accidentally tipped over the pail of milk, spilling it all onto the ground. In an instant, her hopes of riches vanished.
This cautionary tale reminds us not to count our chickens before they hatch. It serves as a reminder to stay grounded in the present and focus on the task at hand, rather than getting lost in unrealistic fantasies.
And while the moral of these fables was that you should ‘Confine your thoughts to what is real’. Its hard not to relate to these old tales, because many of us are STILL STRUGGLING!! Even 700 years later and the tale of The Milkmaid and Her Pail is very much relatable.
So next time you find yourself daydreaming about the future, remember the milkmaid and her pail. Stay focused, work hard, and success will follow.
To read The Milkmaid and Her Pail click on the link below!