October 13, 2025 • 12 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Purple Jar by Maria Edgeworth. Rosamond, a little girl
about seven years old, was walking with her mother in
the streets of London. As she passed along, she looked
in at the windows of several shops and saw a
great variety of different sorts of things of which she
did not know the use or even the names. She
(00:23):
wished to stop and look at them, but there was
a great number of people in the street, and a
great many carts, carriages and wheelbarrows, and she was afraid
to let go of her mother's hand. Oh Mother, how
happy I should be, she said, as she passed the
toy shop. If I had all these pretty things, what
(00:43):
all do you wish for them? All, Rosamond, yes, mamma all.
As she spoke, there came to a milliner's shop, the
windows of which were decorated with ribbons and lace and
festoons of artificial flowers. Oh, Mamma, what beautiful roses. Won't
you buy some of them? No, my dear, Why because
(01:06):
I don't want them, my dear. Then they went to
little father and came to another shop which caught Rosamond's eye.
It was a jeweler's shop, and in it were a
great many pretty ballbulls ranged in drawers behind glass. Mamma,
would you buy some of these? Which of them, Rosamond?
Which I don't know? Which? Any of them will do?
(01:28):
For they are all pretty? Yes, they are all pretty,
But of what use would they be to me? Use?
I'm sure you could find some use or other for
them if you would only buy them first. But I
would rather find out the use first. Well, then, mamma,
there are buckles. You know that buckles are useful things,
(01:50):
very useful things. I have a pair of buckles. I
don't want another pair, said her mother, and walked on.
Rosamond was very sorry that her mother wanted nothing. Presently, however,
they came to a shop which appeared to her far
more beautiful than the rest. It was a chemist's shop,
but she did not know that. Oh mother, oh, cried she,
(02:12):
pulling her mother's hand. Look look blue, green, red, yellow,
and purple. Oh, mamma, what beautiful things. Won't you buy
some of these? Still? Her mother answered, as before, of
what use would they be to me? Rosamond. You might
put flowers in them, mamma, and they would look so
pretty on the chimney piece. I wish I had one
(02:33):
of them. You have a flower pot, said her mother.
And that is not a flower pot, but I could
use it for a flower pot. Mamma. You know perhaps
if you were to see it nearer, if you were
to examine it, you might be disappointed. No, indeed, I'm
sure I should not. I should like it exceedingly. Rosamond
(02:54):
kept her head turned to look at the purple vase
till she could see it no longer. Then mother said she,
after a pause. Perhaps you have no money, Yes, I have,
dear me, If I had money, I would buy roses
and boxes and buckles and purple flower pots and everything.
(03:14):
Rosamond was obliged to pause in the midst of her speech. Oh, mamma,
would you stop a minute for me? I've got a
stone in my shoe. It hurts me very much. How
came there to be a stone in your shoe? Because
of this great hole? Mamma it comes in. Then. My
shoes are quite worn out. I wish you would be
so very good as to give me another pair. Nay, Rosamond,
(03:37):
But I have not money enough to buy shoes and
flower pots and buckles and boxes and everything. Rosamond thought
that was a great pity. But now her foot, which
had been hurt by the stone, began to give her
so much pain that she was obliged to hop every
other step, and she could think of nothing else. They
(03:57):
came to a shoemaker's shop soon afterwards. There there, mamma,
there are shoes. There are little shoes that would just
fit me. And you know, shoes would be really of
use to me, Yes, so they would Rosamond come in.
She followed her mother into the shop. Mister Soule, the shoemaker,
had a great many customers, and his shop was full,
(04:19):
so they were obliged to wait. Well, Rosamond said her mother.
You don't think this shop's so pretty as the rest, No,
not nearly. It is black and dark, and there are
nothing but shoes all round. And besides, there's a very
disagreeable smell. That smell is the smell of new leather,
is it? Oh, said Rosamond, looking round. There is a
(04:43):
little pair of shoes. They'll just fit me. I'm sure
perhaps they might, but you cannot be sure till you
have tried them on, any more than you can be
quite sure that you should like the purple VARs exceedingly
till you have examined it more attentively. Why I don't
know about shoes, certainly till I have tried. But Mamma,
I am quite sure that I should like the flower pot. Well,
(05:07):
which would you rather have? A jar or a pair
of shoes? I would buy either for you, dear, Mamma,
thank you. But if you could buy both, no, not both,
then the jar, if you please. But I should tell
you that in that case I shall not give you
another pair of shoes this month. This month, that's a
(05:29):
very long time. Indeed, you can't think how these hurt me.
I believe i'd better have the new shoes yet that
purple flower pot. Oh, indeed, mamma, these shoes are not
so very very bad. I think I might wear them
a little longer, and the month will soon be over.
I can make them last till the end of the month,
can't I don't you think so, mamma. Nay, my dear,
(05:53):
I want you to think for yourself. You will have
time enough to consider the matter while I speak to
mister Soul about my clogs. Mister Soule was by this
time at leisure, and while her mother was speaking to him,
Rosamond stood in profound meditation, with one shoe on and
the other in her hand. Well, my dear, have you decided, mamma, yes,
(06:14):
I believe I have. If you please, I should like
to have the flower pot. That is, if you won't
think me very silly. Mamma. Why as to that? I
can't promise you, Rosamond. But when you have to judge
for yourself, you should choose what would make you happy,
and then it would not signify who thought you silly? Then, mamma,
(06:35):
if that's all, I'm sure the flower pot would make
me happy, said she, putting on her old shoe again.
So I choose the flower pot very well, you shall
have it. Clasp your shoe and come home. Rosamond clasped
her shoe and ran after her mother. It was not
long before the shoe came down at the heel, and
many times she was obliged to stop and take the
(06:58):
stones out of it, and she often limped with pain.
But still the thoughts of the purple flower pot prevailed,
and she persisted in her choice. When they came to
the shop with a large window, Rosamond felt much pleasure
upon hearing her mother desire The servant who was with
them to buy the purple jar and bring it home.
(07:18):
He had other commissions, so he did not return with them. Rosamond,
as soon as she got in, ran to gather all
her own flowers, which she kept in a corner of
her mother's garden. I am afraid they'll be dead before
the flower pot comes, Rosamond, said her mother to her,
as she came in with the flowers in her lap. No, indeed, Mamma,
it will come home very soon. I dare say, I
(07:40):
shall be very happy putting them into the purple flower pot.
I hope so, my dear. The servant was much longer
returning home than Rosamond had expected, but at length he
came and brought with him the long wished for jar.
The moment it was set down upon the table, Rosamond
ran up to it with an explat animation of joy,
(08:01):
I may have it now, Mamma, Yes, my dear, it
is yours. Rosamond poured the flowers from her lap upon
the carpet and seized the purple flower pot. Oh, dear mother,
cried she as soon as she had taken off the top.
But there's something dark in it which smells very disagreeably.
What is it. I didn't want this black stuff, nor I,
(08:23):
my dear. But what shall I do with it? Mamma?
That I cannot tell. It will be of no use
to me, Mamma that I cannot help. But I must
pour it out and fill the flower pot with water
as you please, my dear. Will you lend me a
bowl to pour it into? Mamma? That was more than
(08:44):
I promised you, my dear, But I will lend you
a bowl. The bowl was produced, and Rosamond proceeded to
empty the purple vase, But she experienced much surprise and
disappointment on finding, when it was entirely empty, that it
was no longer a purple vas It was a plain
white glass jar, which had appeared to have the beautiful
(09:05):
color merely from the liquor with which it had been filled.
Little Rosamond burst into tears. Why should you cry, my dear,
said her mother. It will be of as much use
to you now as ever for a flower pot, but
it won't look so pretty on the chimney piece. I'm
sure if I had known that it was not really purple,
(09:27):
I should not have wished to have it so much.
But didn't I tell you that you had not examined it,
and that perhaps you would be disappointed. And so I
am disappointed. Indeed, I wish I had believed you at once.
Now I had much rather have the shoes, for I
shall not be able to walk all this month. Even
(09:47):
walking home that little way hurt me exceedingly. Mamma, I
will give you the flower pot back again, and that
purple stuff and all, if you'll only give me the shoes. No, Rosamond,
you mus abide by your own choice, and now the
best thing you can possibly do is to bear your
disappointment with good humor. I will bear it as well
(10:09):
as I can, said Rosamond, wiping her eyes, and she
began slowly and sorrowfully to fill the vase with flowers.
But Rosamond's disappointment did not end there. Many were the
difficulties and distresses into which her imprudent choice brought her.
Before the end of the month. Every day her shoes
grew worse and worse, till at last she could neither run, dance, jump,
(10:33):
nor walk in them. Whenever Rosamond was called to see anything,
she was detained pulling her shoes up at the heels,
and was sure to be too late. Whenever her mother
was going out to walk, she could not take Rosamond
with her, for Rosamond had no soles on her shoes.
And at length, on the very last day of the month,
(10:53):
it happened that her father proposed to take her with
her brother to the glass house, which he had long
wished to see. She was very happy, but when she
was quite ready had her hat and gloves on, and
was making haste downstairs to her brother and father, who
were waiting for her at the hall door, the shoe
dropped off. She put it on again in a great hurry.
(11:15):
But as she was going across the hall, her father
turned round. Why are you walking slip shod? No one
must walk slipshod with me? Why, Rosamond said he, looking
at her shoes with disgust. I thought that you were
always neat. No, I cannot take you with me. Rosamond
(11:36):
colored and retired. Oh, Mamma, said she, as she took
off her hat. How I wish that I had chosen
the shoes. They would have been of so much more
use to me than that jar. However, I am sure, no,
not quite sure, but I hope I shall be wiser
another time. End of the Purple Jar,
The Purple Jar by Maria Edgeworth. Rosamond, a little girl
about seven years old, was walking with her mother in
the streets of London. As she passed along, she looked
in at the windows of several shops and saw a
great variety of different sorts of things of which she
did not know the use or even the names. She
(00:23):
wished to stop and look at them, but there was
a great number of people in the street, and a
great many carts, carriages and wheelbarrows, and she was afraid
to let go of her mother's hand. Oh Mother, how
happy I should be, she said, as she passed the
toy shop. If I had all these pretty things, what
(00:43):
all do you wish for them? All, Rosamond, yes, mamma all.
As she spoke, there came to a milliner's shop, the
windows of which were decorated with ribbons and lace and
festoons of artificial flowers. Oh, Mamma, what beautiful roses. Won't
you buy some of them? No, my dear, Why because
(01:06):
I don't want them, my dear. Then they went to
little father and came to another shop which caught Rosamond's eye.
It was a jeweler's shop, and in it were a
great many pretty ballbulls ranged in drawers behind glass. Mamma,
would you buy some of these? Which of them, Rosamond?
Which I don't know? Which? Any of them will do?
(01:28):
For they are all pretty? Yes, they are all pretty,
But of what use would they be to me? Use?
I'm sure you could find some use or other for
them if you would only buy them first. But I
would rather find out the use first. Well, then, mamma,
there are buckles. You know that buckles are useful things,
(01:50):
very useful things. I have a pair of buckles. I
don't want another pair, said her mother, and walked on.
Rosamond was very sorry that her mother wanted nothing. Presently, however,
they came to a shop which appeared to her far
more beautiful than the rest. It was a chemist's shop,
but she did not know that. Oh mother, oh, cried she,
(02:12):
pulling her mother's hand. Look look blue, green, red, yellow,
and purple. Oh, mamma, what beautiful things. Won't you buy
some of these? Still? Her mother answered, as before, of
what use would they be to me? Rosamond. You might
put flowers in them, mamma, and they would look so
pretty on the chimney piece. I wish I had one
(02:33):
of them. You have a flower pot, said her mother.
And that is not a flower pot, but I could
use it for a flower pot. Mamma. You know perhaps
if you were to see it nearer, if you were
to examine it, you might be disappointed. No, indeed, I'm
sure I should not. I should like it exceedingly. Rosamond
(02:54):
kept her head turned to look at the purple vase
till she could see it no longer. Then mother said she,
after a pause. Perhaps you have no money, Yes, I have,
dear me, If I had money, I would buy roses
and boxes and buckles and purple flower pots and everything.
(03:14):
Rosamond was obliged to pause in the midst of her speech. Oh, mamma,
would you stop a minute for me? I've got a
stone in my shoe. It hurts me very much. How
came there to be a stone in your shoe? Because
of this great hole? Mamma it comes in. Then. My
shoes are quite worn out. I wish you would be
so very good as to give me another pair. Nay, Rosamond,
(03:37):
But I have not money enough to buy shoes and
flower pots and buckles and boxes and everything. Rosamond thought
that was a great pity. But now her foot, which
had been hurt by the stone, began to give her
so much pain that she was obliged to hop every
other step, and she could think of nothing else. They
(03:57):
came to a shoemaker's shop soon afterwards. There there, mamma,
there are shoes. There are little shoes that would just
fit me. And you know, shoes would be really of
use to me, Yes, so they would Rosamond come in.
She followed her mother into the shop. Mister Soule, the shoemaker,
had a great many customers, and his shop was full,
(04:19):
so they were obliged to wait. Well, Rosamond said her mother.
You don't think this shop's so pretty as the rest, No,
not nearly. It is black and dark, and there are
nothing but shoes all round. And besides, there's a very
disagreeable smell. That smell is the smell of new leather,
is it? Oh, said Rosamond, looking round. There is a
(04:43):
little pair of shoes. They'll just fit me. I'm sure
perhaps they might, but you cannot be sure till you
have tried them on, any more than you can be
quite sure that you should like the purple VARs exceedingly
till you have examined it more attentively. Why I don't
know about shoes, certainly till I have tried. But Mamma,
I am quite sure that I should like the flower pot. Well,
(05:07):
which would you rather have? A jar or a pair
of shoes? I would buy either for you, dear, Mamma,
thank you. But if you could buy both, no, not both,
then the jar, if you please. But I should tell
you that in that case I shall not give you
another pair of shoes this month. This month, that's a
(05:29):
very long time. Indeed, you can't think how these hurt me.
I believe i'd better have the new shoes yet that
purple flower pot. Oh, indeed, mamma, these shoes are not
so very very bad. I think I might wear them
a little longer, and the month will soon be over.
I can make them last till the end of the month,
can't I don't you think so, mamma. Nay, my dear,
(05:53):
I want you to think for yourself. You will have
time enough to consider the matter while I speak to
mister Soul about my clogs. Mister Soule was by this
time at leisure, and while her mother was speaking to him,
Rosamond stood in profound meditation, with one shoe on and
the other in her hand. Well, my dear, have you decided, mamma, yes,
(06:14):
I believe I have. If you please, I should like
to have the flower pot. That is, if you won't
think me very silly. Mamma. Why as to that? I
can't promise you, Rosamond. But when you have to judge
for yourself, you should choose what would make you happy,
and then it would not signify who thought you silly? Then, mamma,
(06:35):
if that's all, I'm sure the flower pot would make
me happy, said she, putting on her old shoe again.
So I choose the flower pot very well, you shall
have it. Clasp your shoe and come home. Rosamond clasped
her shoe and ran after her mother. It was not
long before the shoe came down at the heel, and
many times she was obliged to stop and take the
(06:58):
stones out of it, and she often limped with pain.
But still the thoughts of the purple flower pot prevailed,
and she persisted in her choice. When they came to
the shop with a large window, Rosamond felt much pleasure
upon hearing her mother desire The servant who was with
them to buy the purple jar and bring it home.
(07:18):
He had other commissions, so he did not return with them. Rosamond,
as soon as she got in, ran to gather all
her own flowers, which she kept in a corner of
her mother's garden. I am afraid they'll be dead before
the flower pot comes, Rosamond, said her mother to her,
as she came in with the flowers in her lap. No, indeed, Mamma,
it will come home very soon. I dare say, I
(07:40):
shall be very happy putting them into the purple flower pot.
I hope so, my dear. The servant was much longer
returning home than Rosamond had expected, but at length he
came and brought with him the long wished for jar.
The moment it was set down upon the table, Rosamond
ran up to it with an explat animation of joy,
(08:01):
I may have it now, Mamma, Yes, my dear, it
is yours. Rosamond poured the flowers from her lap upon
the carpet and seized the purple flower pot. Oh, dear mother,
cried she as soon as she had taken off the top.
But there's something dark in it which smells very disagreeably.
What is it. I didn't want this black stuff, nor I,
(08:23):
my dear. But what shall I do with it? Mamma?
That I cannot tell. It will be of no use
to me, Mamma that I cannot help. But I must
pour it out and fill the flower pot with water
as you please, my dear. Will you lend me a
bowl to pour it into? Mamma? That was more than
(08:44):
I promised you, my dear, But I will lend you
a bowl. The bowl was produced, and Rosamond proceeded to
empty the purple vase, But she experienced much surprise and
disappointment on finding, when it was entirely empty, that it
was no longer a purple vas It was a plain
white glass jar, which had appeared to have the beautiful
(09:05):
color merely from the liquor with which it had been filled.
Little Rosamond burst into tears. Why should you cry, my dear,
said her mother. It will be of as much use
to you now as ever for a flower pot, but
it won't look so pretty on the chimney piece. I'm
sure if I had known that it was not really purple,
(09:27):
I should not have wished to have it so much.
But didn't I tell you that you had not examined it,
and that perhaps you would be disappointed. And so I
am disappointed. Indeed, I wish I had believed you at once.
Now I had much rather have the shoes, for I
shall not be able to walk all this month. Even
(09:47):
walking home that little way hurt me exceedingly. Mamma, I
will give you the flower pot back again, and that
purple stuff and all, if you'll only give me the shoes. No, Rosamond,
you mus abide by your own choice, and now the
best thing you can possibly do is to bear your
disappointment with good humor. I will bear it as well
(10:09):
as I can, said Rosamond, wiping her eyes, and she
began slowly and sorrowfully to fill the vase with flowers.
But Rosamond's disappointment did not end there. Many were the
difficulties and distresses into which her imprudent choice brought her.
Before the end of the month. Every day her shoes
grew worse and worse, till at last she could neither run, dance, jump,
(10:33):
nor walk in them. Whenever Rosamond was called to see anything,
she was detained pulling her shoes up at the heels,
and was sure to be too late. Whenever her mother
was going out to walk, she could not take Rosamond
with her, for Rosamond had no soles on her shoes.
And at length, on the very last day of the month,
(10:53):
it happened that her father proposed to take her with
her brother to the glass house, which he had long
wished to see. She was very happy, but when she
was quite ready had her hat and gloves on, and
was making haste downstairs to her brother and father, who
were waiting for her at the hall door, the shoe
dropped off. She put it on again in a great hurry.
(11:15):
But as she was going across the hall, her father
turned round. Why are you walking slip shod? No one
must walk slipshod with me? Why, Rosamond said he, looking
at her shoes with disgust. I thought that you were
always neat. No, I cannot take you with me. Rosamond
(11:36):
colored and retired. Oh, Mamma, said she, as she took
off her hat. How I wish that I had chosen
the shoes. They would have been of so much more
use to me than that jar. However, I am sure, no,
not quite sure, but I hope I shall be wiser
another time. End of the Purple Jar,
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