Dolly the Milkmaid having been a good girl, and careful in her work, her mistress gave her a pail（桶） of fresh milk for herself. With the pail upon her head, Dolly tripped gaily1（歡樂地） along on her way to the town, where she was going to sell her milk.

　　"For this milk," said Dolly, "I shall get a shilling, and with it I will buy twenty of the eggs laid by our neighbor's fine fowls2. The mistress will surely lend me a hen, and, allowing for all mishaps3, I shall raise a good dozen of chicks. They will be well grown before the next fair-time comes round, and it is then that chickens bring the highest price. I shall be able to sell them for a guinea. Then I will buy that sweater that I saw in the village the other day, and a hat and ribbons, too; and when I go to the fair, how smart I shall be! Robin4 will be there and will come up and offer to be friends again. But I won't come round too easily, and when he wants me for a partner in the dance, I shall just toss up my head and--"

　　Here Dolly gave her head the least bit of a toss, when down came the pail, and all the milk was spilled upon the ground. Poor Dolly! It was hr good-by to eggs, chickens, sweater, hat, ribbons, and all.

　　Don't count your chicken before they are hatched.