Think Before You Speak; Or, The Three Wishes

A sparkling early 19th-century fairy tale about a poor couple whose generosity earns them three wishes from a grateful fairy. Homespun and Susan dream of wealth and status, but their first wish goes disastrously wrong when Susan, in a fit of quarreling with her husband, impulsively wishes for a pudding that somehow lands directly on her nose. Their attempts to undo the damage only compound the absurdity until they realize that their foolish haste has taught them the only lesson that matters: true contentment lies in gratitude for what one already has. Dorset writes with a light, wry touch that makes this cautionary tale feel more like a mischievous joke than a moral lecture. The pudding-on-the-nose image alone is worth the price of admission. For readers who delight in unexpected humor and enjoy the peculiar charms of early fairy tales.