Looking for a book about learning to care for different things. Each time the child is given a new object to care for (kitten, cheese, etc.), she cares for the new item as she was taught to care for the previous item thereby ruining it. This is a children’s book I remember from 50+ years ago.
The story sounds like “The Little Boy Who Tried to Obey” which was in The Golden Book of Nursery Tales (1948), edited by Elsa Jane Werner, and illustrated by Tibor Gergely. Of course, that version is a boy instead of a girl, and the items are slightly different. I don’t remember all of the items, but there was some item the boy was supposed to have tucked under his hat to carry home (it might have been cake?) Anyway, the next time, his aunt gave him butter to carry home, so he put it under his hat – and it melted, so his mother told him he should have wrapped it in leaves in put it in cold water. The next item was a puppy, which he wrapped in leaves and put in cold water, drowning it. His mother told him he should have tied it to a rope and led it behind him – which he then does to a loaf of bread, dragging it in the dirt behind him. Other stories in the book included familiar tales (like The Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, and The Three Billy Goats Gruff) as well as more unusual tales, like Bobo and the Roast Pig, and Silly Will, a story about a little boy who doesn’t appreciate anything until it is all taken from him. (The cow takes back her hide, the sheep takes back her wool, the trees take back their lumber, etc. leaving him shivering and naked in the night, until he realizes the error of his ways.)
Dear Chanda,
Thank you SO much!!!!!! You have solved for me a mystery of many years. What a GREAT memory you have. I’m going to search on line for the book immediately.
I came across this site one evening recently and am so glad that I tried it and so glad for your answer!
Warmly,
Emily
Sounds a great deal like the English fairy tale Lazy Jack. You can read Joseph Jacob’s version here:
http://www.authorama.com/english-fairy-tales-30.html
Dear Lenona,
Thank you SO much. You’re the second response that identified the story for me. I’m very grateful for your answer and as I read the story of “Lazy Jack” do indeed think it either the story or a version of it. Success!!! Thank you!
Warmly,
Emily
Sounds like a version of “Epaminondas and His Auntie” by Sara Cone Bryant, although that one featured a little boy. Every day the boy went to visit his aunt, and every day he failed to bring back whatever she gave him: he held the cake too tightly and mushed it up, carried butter on his head where it melted, nearly drowned the puppy she gave him, etc. There’s more than one version of the Epaminondas story out there, the Bryant one is the best known.
FWIW this is a variation of an older European folk tale, “Lazy Jack”, which is similar. Hope this helps.
Dear Panda Rosa,
Yes, it does help. Your answer ties together the first two answers in giving me far more than I hoped to find. You have such a good memory! I’m delighted to have this mystery solved. Thank you and well done!
Warmly,
Emily