Once upon a time, in the busy city of London, there was a little girl named Rosamond. She loved all things pretty and never cared to think about her rash decisions. One day, while she was out shopping with her mother, she marveled at all the lovely things being sold in the windows.
Rosamond: Oh mother! I wish I could buy a very pretty thing! Wouldn’t that be nice?
Mother: Hmm? Yes, it would be very… WHAT? Oh! No. What would you do with all of it?
Rosamond: Oh! I’d think of that later.
"Rosamond’s mother shook her head and as they continued, they came to a Milliner’s shop where Rosamond stared at all the long ribbons that hung, the bright and colorful hats, and the beautiful flowers displayed at the window."
Rosamond: Oooh! Mother! Isn’t it all so pretty? You should buy them.
Mother: “Them”? What would I do with all of them?
Rosamond: Oh, I’m sure we would find a use for it.
Mother: “Rosamond” I’d rather know the use before buying it. Well, let’s move on.
"Rosamond sulked as they went by the Milliner’s shop. Walking, they soon reached the Jewelers shop. There, she looked with awe at all the sparkly necklaces and trinkets that were laid out."
Rosamond: Mother! Look! Aren’t they just… just lovely?
Mother: Yes, they are.
Rosamond: I love all of them! Can we buy it? Can we?
Mother: Hahaha but Rosamond, we already have enough jewelry and I don’t feel we should buy more.
Rosamond: But mother! The colors are so beautiful! And it packs up! Isn’t that enough reason to buy it?
Mother: Do you really feel that way? Well, then I must disagree with you darling. Now, we must get our groceries.
"And so, Rosamond was dragged away from the shop and grumpily followed her mother into a Chemist store. There, she saw many bottles of different shapes, sizes, and glistening colors. But her eyes fell on a single purple jar."
Rosamond: Mother! Mother! Doesn’t that jar look super pretty?!
Mother: Hmm?
Rosamond: Can I have it?
Mother: What would you do with it?
Rosamond: I’ll use it to put flowers in. That’ll look nice.
Mother: But you already have enough flower pots. Come on, let’s go.
"But even as they walked out, Rosamond’s mind was still on the purple jar."
Rosamond: Mother! I don’t think you have any money.
Mother: Hahaha! Oh, I have money sweetheart.
Rosamond: Well then, I don’t understand you. If I had money, I’d buy all the ribbons and jars and trinkets I would find.
Mother: Is that so…? Well, I don’t think you should buy just anything. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have any money and only pretty things in our life.
Rosamond: Wow! That would be amazing!!
Mother: You know? I think that if you checked that Jar more carefully, you wouldn’t like it very much.
Rosamond: Oh, I’d definitely like it. Pretty things don’t need to be checked you see?
"Just as they were walking, Rosamond felt something hurting her foot."
Rosamond: Oh! Mother wait… there’s something in my shoe!
"She removed it, only to find a huge hole."
Rosamond: Oh no! And these were my best shoes! How could this have happened?
Mother: Why did you wear them?
Rosamond: Because they look so pretty! But now they’re ruined and I’ll need more shoes.
"So, the two went to find the Cobblers shop. Poor Rosamond had to walk very carefully, lest she hurt her foot on anything sharp. Soon, they entered the Cobblers shop."
Owner Shop: Hello there! Two beautiful pairs of shoes for two lovely ladies?
Mother: Oh, just a pair for my young one.
Owner Shop: That’ll be easy! See that pair over there? They’ll fit her perfectly.
A buyer: Excuse me!
Owner Shop: Ah! Excuse me for a minute.
Mother: Well? Don’t you think this shop is pretty as well?
Rosamond: I don’t! The shoes are all bland and dull and… it smells terrible in here. OOHH!
Mother: Well, that’s the smell of new leather. You’ll have to see whether that pair will fit you.
Rosamond: It looks just about my size.
Mother: You can’t be sure until you try them. The same way you won’t know if you like the jar until examining it properly.
Rosamond: I won’t have to check that! I know I’ll like it. Can you buy me both the shoes and the jar mother?
Mother: Well, I don’t have the money to buy both of them. You’ll have to choose only one. Why don’t you decide for yourself? It that way, you will be responsible for your own actions.
"So, Mother left Rosamond to ponder about the jar and shoes while she went to talk to the Cobbler. Rosamond looked disdainfully at the shoes, but as she thought about the sparkly jar, she immediately Brightened up. When her mother returned, she spoke without any hesitation."
Rosamond: Mother! I’ve decided on the Purple Jar. The shoes aren’t so bad. I’m sure they can last a month.
Mother: Oh! very well then, but you must promise me that, until a month passes, you won’t ask for any shoes.
"Rosamond nodded and happily skipped out of the cobbler’s shop, which was very foolish as her foot soon started to hurt. And so, at the Chemist’s, Rosamond smiled gleefully as she was handed the bright purple jar. As they walked back home, she hugged the bottle tightly. But walking wasn’t easy as every now and then, a stone would find its way into the shoe."
Rosamond: Oh! Mother my foot hurts!
Mother: It was your choice remember? Do you want to give the bottle back?
Rosamond: What? No!! I can walk find. It doesn’t hurt that bad.
"And so, she continued to limp until they reached home. She looks off her shoe only to find it completely ruined."
Rosamond: Well… I can just use my normal shoes. Now for this beauty.
"Rosamond picked some pretty flowers they had bought and went to put them into the jar. But as she opened it, a horrible stench came out."
Rosamond: EEWWW!! What is this?
Mother: What’s wrong darling?
Rosamond: Mother! This jar contains some stinky liquid. I need to put the flowers in it.
Mother: Well then, why don’t you fill it with water? You’ll have to throw that other liquid out.
"She went to the sink and poured all the dark liquid out of the jar."
Rosamond: Oh No! It’s just a normal glass jar!
"Indeed, it was. The purple liquid inside had been what had made the jar so attractive and now little Rosamond was completely heartbroken."
Rosamond: Oh mother, what do I do? I don’t want this jar anymore!
Mother: Why not? You can still put the flowers in it.
Rosamond: No! I wanted the jar only because it was purple.
Mother: Well, I told you to check it more carefully. If you had, then maybe you would’ve bought the shoes instead.
Rosamond: Shoes!! Mother, if I give you back the jar, then can you buy the shoes for me?
Mother: I’m sorry my dear. But as I said, no shoes until the month ends. You’ll have to do without them.
"Rosamond wasn’t happy but she stuck to her promise and didn’t grumble. That is, until the next day when her father surprised them."
Father: My dear, we have been invited to a dance this evening in the next town.
Mother: My dear! We will have such a great time won’t we children?
Rosamond: Wow! A dance!
"And so, when evening came and everyone got ready, Rosamond went to find her shoes."
Rosamond: Oh dear, the only good shoes I have been ruined. Maybe the father won’t see them and he’ll let me come.
"But as they were all leaving, her father caught sight of them."
Father: Rosamond! What are you wearing? Those shoes are disgraceful! Change them at once!
Rosamond: But… but father! I d-don’t have any other shoes.
Father: Well, then you cannot come to the dance wearing those. You’ll have to stay at home tonight.
"Poor Rosamond begged her father to take her, but he was a stern man and, in the end, they left without her."
Rosamond: Oh! What have I done! If only I’d been smarter and more careful with my choices!
"The next day, Rosamond was thoroughly sad and gloomy."
Mother: What’s wrong Rosamond?
Rosamond: Oh! Mother, today is Alice’s birthday and I can’t even attend the party. I made such a silly decision. But in the end, it was my own fault.
Mother: I’m glad that you’ve realized your fault. And it is a very brave thing to do too. So… as a reward, here.
"Mother gave Rosamond to open the box she was carrying and in it, she saw a lovely little pair of shoes, just for her."
Rosamond: Oh! Mother! These are simply beautiful! But… what about my promise to you?
Mother: Well dear, you made that promise. I never promised you anything.
"And so, little Rosamond had learned a very important lesson. One must never want something, just because it is pretty. As you may either be very happy with it, or extremely disappointed. So always choose well."
