Once upon a time there was a boy whose name was Jack,
and he lived with his mother in a dreary cottage.
dreary:dull and making you feel sad or bored
dull:not interesting or exciting
They were very poor, and the old woman earned a few pennies by spinning,
spin: to make cotton, wool etc into thread by twisting it
but Jack was so lazy that he would do nothing but bask in the sun in the hot weather,
bask:to enjoy sitting or lying in the heat of the sun or a fire
and sit by the corner of the fire in the winter time.
His mother could not make him do anything for her,
and until at last she warned him that if he did not begin to work for his porridge,
porridge: that are cooked with milk or water and served hot for breakfast[= oatmeal American English]
she would turn him out of the house to get his living as best he could.
This threat finally stirred Jack,
stir:to make someone start doing something
and he went out and found a job for the day working for on a farm.
The farmer paid him one penny, but he was not used to having money,
and as he was coming him he lost it as he passed over a stream.
stream:a natural flow of water that moves across the land and is narrower than a river
narrow:measuring only a small distance from one side to the other, especially in relation to the length [≠ wide; ↪ broad]
“You stupid boy,” said his mother, “you should have put it in your pocket.”
“Next time I will,” replied Jack.
The next day Jack went out again, and found a job with a cowkeeper,
who gave him a jar of milk for his day’s work.
Jack 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 ‘ head.”
dear:used to show that you are surprised, upset, or annoyed because something bad has happened
“Next time I will,” replied Jack.
The following day Jack found a job with a farmer,
who agreed to give him a cream cheese for his work.
In the evening, Jack took the cheese, and went home with it on his head.
By the time he got home the cheese was completely spoiled,
part of it being lost, and part matted with his hair.
“You good-for-nothing boy,” said his mother,
good-for-nothing:a good-for-nothing person is lazy and useless
“you should have carried it very carefully in your hands.”
“Next time, I will,” replied Jack.
The day after this Jack again went out, and found a job with a baker,
who would give him nothing for his work but a large tom-cat.
Jack took the cat, and began carrying it very carefully in his hands,
but in a short time Tommy scratched him so much that he was forced to let it go.
scratch:to rub your skin with your nails because it feels uncomfortable
rub:to move your hand, or something such as a cloth, backwards and forwards over a surface while pressing firmly
firm:not completely hard, but not soft, and not easy to bend into a different shape
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.”
silly:not sensible, or showing bad judgment
fellow:people that you work with, study with, or who are in the same situation as you
string:a strong thread made of several threads twisted together, used for tying or fastening things [↪ rope]
drag:to pull someone somewhere where they do not want to go, in a way that is not gentle
“Next time I will” said Jack.
I am lazy too.
I often say "Next time I will".
It is not good.
I have question.
I don't understand this meaning.
"and as he was coming him he lost it as he passed over a stream. "
please teach me.
