Once upon a time, a boy named Jack lived with his mother who got her living by spinning. But Jack was very lazy and did nothing, so people called him Lazy Jack. Finally, Jack got some work for a day on a farm but he lost his earnings of a penny on the way. His mother suggested he keep his earnings in his pocket for next time. 

The next day Jack hired himself to a cow keeper, who gave him a jar of milk for his day’s work. Jack put the jar in his pocket, spilling it all before he got home. The mother then suggested carrying it on his head.

Jack continued to hire himself, squandering all of his earnings until one day he received a donkey and was carrying it back home on his shoulders. He walked past a mansion where a wealthy man lived with his deaf and dumb daughter. She had never laughed before, and the doctors predicted that she would not speak until she was made to laugh. 

As a result, her father had declared that any man who could make her laugh would be given her hand in marriage. When the lady looked out the window, she noticed Jack with the donkey on his shoulders, and the sight was so amusing that she burst out laughing, regaining her speech and hearing almost immediately.

Her father was overjoyed and fulfilled his promise by marrying her to Lazy Jack, who was thus made a rich gentleman. They lived in a large house, and Jack’s mother lived with them in great happiness.