A miller once gave a samll bag of flour to a poor woman who came begging at this door. She took it home and started to make some cakes. While they were baking she said to herself:
"When my cakes are ready I shall sell them and I shall buy a hen. When I have a hen she will lay eggs. When she lays eggs I shall sell them also and buy more hens. When I have a lot of hens and lots of eggs I shall get a lot of money. When I have a lot of money I shall buy some cows. When the cows give milk, nice creamy milk, I shall make butter and cheese. When I have made a lot of butter and cheese I shall take them to the market and sell them. Everyone will want to buy my butter and cheese because they will be so good. I shall ask a good price for them. When I came back from the market my pockets will be full of money. I shall hide my money in a safe place where no one will find it. When I have saved enough money I shall build a house on the hill. I shall live in it with servants to wait on me. I shall wear pretty dresses and ride in a car. When my neighbours see me they will be jealous."
The woman was so busy thinking about all this that she forgot to look at her cakes. When at last she remembered them they were all burnt. She could not sell them. She could not even eat them. She had to throw them away. So that was the end of her big house, her servents, her pretty dresses, her car, and all her dreams. Sadly she walked down the road to beg of something to eat for her dinner.
一袋麵粉一次， 一位磨坊主給了一個在他門前乞討的窮婦人一小袋麵粉。 這位婦人將這小袋麵粉帶回家並開始用這些麵粉製作蛋糕。 烘焙蛋糕時， 他對自己說：
“等我的蛋糕做好了， 我就把它們賣掉， 然後買回一隻母雞。 這只母雞會給我下蛋， 然後， 我把這些蛋賣掉再買更多的母雞。 等我有了很多的母雞和很多的雞蛋， 我就會有很多錢。 等我有了很多錢， 我就去買一些奶牛， 這些奶牛可以擠奶， 我可以用這些牛奶製作黃油和乳酪。 等我有了很多的黃油和乳酪， 我可以把它們拿到市場上去賣掉， 因為我的黃油和乳酪是如此的美味，
這位婦人一直想著所有這些事以至於忘了去看看正在烘焙的蛋糕。 最終等她想起來的時候， 這些蛋糕全烤焦了。 她無法把它們賣掉， 甚至於無法自己吃掉。 她無法處置這些蛋糕， 只好將它們扔掉。 所以， 她的大房子、傭人、漂亮衣服、車子和所有的美夢都泡湯了。 她只好傷心地沿著馬路為晚飯去乞討。