Mr Miacca facts for kids

Mr Miacca is a classic English fairy tale that teaches a fun lesson! It was collected by a famous storyteller named Joseph Jacobs in his book English Fairy Tales. This story is about a naughty boy named Tommy and his adventures with the scary Mr. Miacca.

The Story of Mr Miacca

Tommy's First Escape

Tommy was a bit naughty sometimes. His mother always told him not to go out into the street alone. She warned him that a scary character called Mr. Miacca might catch him.

One day, Tommy didn't listen. He went out, and guess what? Mr. Miacca caught him! Mr. Miacca took Tommy to his home because he wanted to eat him for dinner.

Before cooking, Mr. Miacca went out to find some herbs. He thought the herbs would make Tommy taste less bitter. While he was gone, Mr. Miacca asked his wife, Mrs. Miacca, a question.

He asked, "Do we never have anything but boy-meat? What about some pudding?" Mrs. Miacca replied that she loved pudding but rarely got to eat it.

Tommy, who was listening, quickly spoke up. He said his mother was making pudding right then! He offered to run home and see if she would give them some. Mrs. Miacca, excited about pudding, told him to go. She just reminded him to be back in time for dinner. Tommy quickly ran home and escaped!

Tommy's Second Escape

Even after his first close call, Tommy still found it hard to be good. One day, Mr. Miacca caught him again! This time, Mr. Miacca was extra careful.

He put Tommy under the couch. Then, he watched a big pot of water boiling on the stove. Mr. Miacca planned to boil Tommy for dinner.

After a while, Mr. Miacca demanded that Tommy put out a leg. Tommy did as he was told. Mr. Miacca grabbed the leg and threw it into the boiling pot.

But wait! It wasn't Tommy's leg at all! It was one of the couch legs. Tommy, being very clever, had tricked Mr. Miacca. While Mr. Miacca was busy, Tommy quickly ran off.

The End of the Adventure

Tommy ran all the way home. After his two scary adventures, he finally learned his lesson. He never went past the road corner again until he was much older.

About the Storyteller

Joseph Jacobs was a famous folklorist. He lived from 1854 to 1916. He loved collecting old stories and fairy tales. He published many of them in books. English Fairy Tales is one of his most well-known collections. He helped keep these traditional stories alive for new generations to enjoy.

What We Can Learn

This story is a fun way to learn a few things:

• Listen to your parents: Tommy's adventures started because he didn't listen to his mother's warnings.
• Be clever: Tommy used his quick thinking to escape from Mr. Miacca twice!
• Learn from your mistakes: After two close calls, Tommy finally understood the importance of staying safe.