Think Before You Speak; Or, The Three Wishes
In this classic French fairy tale, a poor woodcutter and his wife are granted three wishes by a magical being. The woodcutter's wife is eager to use the wishes to become wealthy, but the woodcutter is more cautious and advises her to think before she speaks. The woodcutter's wife ignores his advice and wishes for a sausage, which the magical being grants. The sausage then proceeds to chase the woodcutter and his wife around the house. The woodcutter's wife then wishes for a rat, which the magical being grants. The rat then proceeds to chase the sausage around the house. The woodcutter's wife then wishes for a cat, which the magical being grants. The cat then proceeds to chase the rat and the sausage around the house. The woodcutter's wife then realizes the error of her ways and wishes for the sausage, rat, and cat to be turned into gold coins. The magical being grants her wish and the woodcutter and his wife become wealthy. The moral of the story is to think before you speak, as the woodcutter's wife's hasty wishes caused her more trouble than good. The story also teaches the importance of being content with what you have and not wishing for more than you need.
By Dorset and Leprince de Beaumont · First published 1810 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Children's Literature · 2,706 words
First lines
The sun withdrew his last pale ray, And clos'd the short and chearless day; Loud blew the wind, and rain and sleet Against the cottage casement beat.
The busy housewife trimm'd her fire, And drew the oaken settle nigher, And welcom'd home her own good man To his clean hearth, his pipe, and can; For Homespun and his bustling wife Were honest folks in humble life, Who liv'd contented with their lot, And lov'd the comforts of their cot.
What this Textopian page supports
Think Before You Speak; Or, The Three Wishes is listed on Textopian as a short story by Dorset and Leprince de Beaumont, dated 1810 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Dorset and Leprince de Beaumont
- Date: 1810 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Fiction
- Length: 2,706 words
- Structure: 1 section, 53 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Think Before You Speak; Or, The Three Wishes by Dorset and Leprince de Beaumont
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Think Before You Speak; Or, The Three Wishes?
- How does this short story by Dorset and Leprince de Beaumont fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fairy Tale first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Fairy Tale — The book is based on the classic French fairy tale of the same name, written by Dorset and Leprince de Beaumont.
- Fantasy — The book features fantastical elements such as magical wishes and talking animals, which are common in fantasy literature.
- Children's Literature — The book is written in a style that is suitable for children, and its themes of morality and cautionary tales are often found in children's literature.
- Fiction — The book is a work of fiction, as it is based on a fairy tale and features fantastical elements.
Tags
Children's poetry · Fairies · Juvenile poetry · Poor · Wishes · cares · dame · day · dear · er · eyes · face