The Pedlar's Pack facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "The Pedlar's Pack" |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Author | Mary de Morgan |
| Country | England |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Literary fairy tale |
| Published in | The Necklace Of Princess Firmonde |
| Publisher | Macmillan & Co. |
| Publication date | 1886 |
The Pedlar's Pack is a fairy tale written by Mary de Morgan (1850–1907). It was first published in 1886. The story is about a traveling salesman, called a pedlar. He meets three animals on his journey to a nearby town. The tale ends with the four travelers promising never to trust each other again.
Contents
Story Summary
The story begins with a pedlar walking alone on a road. He carries a heavy pack on his back. The pedlar meets a donkey and asks for help. He offers the donkey two gold pieces to carry the pack. The pedlar lies, saying he has the gold. The pedlar and donkey then continue their journey.
Further down the road, they meet a raven. The donkey asks the raven to chase away flies. The donkey tricks the raven, promising three gold pieces for this job. The raven agrees to the price. The three travelers then keep going.
Later, they meet a hedge-sparrow. The raven tells the hedge-sparrow to find him worms. In return, the raven promises four gold pieces. But the raven is also lying and has no money. The hedge-sparrow agrees to help. All four then travel together. The donkey carries the pedlar’s pack. The raven sits on the donkey’s back, shooing flies. The hedge-sparrow brings worms to the raven.
The Travelers' Troubles
Finally, the four travelers see a town in the distance. The pedlar starts getting his goods ready to sell. The hedge-sparrow sees a red blanket among the pedlar’s items. He wants to buy it. The blanket costs five gold pieces. The hedge-sparrow bargains the price down to four gold pieces. This is the same amount the raven owes him.
Soon, all the travelers try to get the money they are owed. Each one wants to pay back their own debts. They start to argue. The human, the donkey, and the birds all realize something. The money they are owed does not exist. This means no one will be paid back.
The Mayor's Judgment
A beadle, a town official, hears the loud argument. He decides to take the four travelers to the town mayor. The mayor listens to their story. He then gives out punishments.
The mayor orders the pedlar to be put in prison. The donkey is ordered to be whipped. The tail-feathers of both the raven and the hedge-sparrow are to be pulled out. As each traveler receives their punishment, they make a promise. They all vow never to trust or be tricked by each other again.
About the Author, Mary de Morgan
Mary de Morgan (1850–1907) was a writer from London, England. She was born on February 24, 1850. Mary was the youngest daughter of the famous mathematician Augustus De Morgan. She wrote three books of fairy tales. These include On A Pincushion (1877), The Necklace of Princess Florimonde (1880), and The Windfaries (1900). "The Pedlar’s Pack" was in her second book of fairy tales.
Hans Christian Andersen was a big influence on her writing. This made her fairy tales a bit different from others at the time. In her stories, the main characters often do not gain power or money. They also often do not have a classic happy ending.
Mary de Morgan was also part of a group called the Women's Franchise League. This group worked for women's right to vote. In her fairy tales, there are often strong female characters. They are shown saving people and being smarter than men. Another common idea in her stories is that being rich or powerful is not always good. This idea can be seen in "The Pedlar’s Pack."
She once said, "I am so thankful I have only a small income – it is so delightful planning things and deciding what one can afford. It would bore me to death to be rich!"
Mary de Morgan later moved to Cairo, Egypt. She hoped the warmer climate would help her lung illness. Sadly, she died from her illness in 1907.
Characters in the Story
- The Pedlar
- The Donkey
- The Raven
- The Hedge-sparrow
- The Beadle
- The Mayor
