A milkmaid was going to the market. She carried her milk in a pail on her head.

一个农家挤奶姑娘头顶着一桶牛奶，前往集市。

As she went along she began calculating what she would buy after she had sold the milk.

走了一会儿，她开始算计起卖完牛奶后要买的东西：

"I‘ll buy a new dress, and when I go to the ball, all the young men will dance with me!"

“我要买一身新衣服，好去参加舞会，年轻的小伙子都会邀请我跳舞。”

As she spoke¹ she tossed her head back. The pail immediately fell off her head, and all the milk was spilt.

想到这里，她真地摇起头来，牛奶桶随之倾倒在地，牛奶都流了出去。

The girl went back without anything. She felt very sad. "Ah, my child," said her mother. "Do not count your chickens before they are hatched."

女孩很伤心，两手空空地回到家里，母亲对她说：“我的孩子，不要过早地打如意算盘。”