THERE’S MORE TO JACK AND JILL…

Jack and Jill belonged to one family but in temperaments, they were poles apart. Jack was a naughty and clever boy always playing pranks while Jill was a sensible little girl always happy in the company of Jack. She was very innocent and could never fathom Jack’s mischievous tricks and many a time, it was she who got punished because of Jack’s mischief and he went scot-free. So far so good — little boys should be full of fun and laughter.

They say that God watches all our actions from Heaven and He (God) had been keeping a watch on these two kids also. He noticed that every time Jill was made a scapegoat for the terrible misdeeds committed by Jack. One fine morning, God decided to teach Jack a lesson so as to add a little sensitivity to his playful nature. Next day, when Jack and Jill were going uphill “to fetch a pale of water,” He placed a stone on their path. Jill, as usual, walked cautiously but Jack, with his wayward steps struck against the stone and “fell down and broke his crown” and poor Jill could not bear it and she “came tumbling after.” No doubt, this time too, Jack tried to put the blame of his fall on poor Jill saying she had pushed him down. But this time, everything was working according to the plan of God, so an angel, in the garb of a wise old man appeared as a witness to tell his parents that Jill was innocent and that Jack had accidentally slipped over a stone. Jack realised his mistake and from then onward he became a sensible little boy.