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You are about to read a short story titled ‘Cousin Tribulation’s Story’ written
1
by Louisa May Alcott, and published in 1868. Tribulation Periwinkle is the

narrator of this Christmas short story. Tribulation tells this story in a letter,
probably addressed to her younger cousins, to teach them a lesson in generosity.

Let’s read and find out how a family found happiness by sharing their food with

a needy family. SDG 2 zero hunger

Dear Merrys:— As a subject appropriate to the season, I want to tell
you about a New Year’s breakfast which I had when I was a little girl.

What do you think it was? A slice of dry bread and an apple. This is
how it happened, and it is a true story, every word.

As we came down to breakfast that morning, with very shiny faces
and spandy clean aprons, we found Father alone in the dining-room.

‘Happy New Year, papa! where is mother?’ we cried.

‘A little boy came begging and said they were starving at home, so

your mother went to see and—ah, here she is.’

As papa spoke, in came mamma, looking very cold, rather sad, and
very much excited.

‘Children, don’t begin till you hear what I have to say,’ she cried; and
we sat staring at her, with the breakfast untouched before us. ‘Not
far away from here, lies a poor woman with a little new-born baby.
Six children are huddled into one bed to keep from freezing, for they

have no fire. There is nothing to eat over there;
and the oldest boy came here to tell me they were
starving this bitter cold day. My little girls, will How do you Connect
Language
you give them your breakfast, as a New Year’s address your parents
in your language?
gift?’

We sat silent a minute, and looked at the nice,
hot porridge, creamy milk, and good bread spandy: neat
huddled: crowded together
and butter; for we were brought up like English
porridge: a thick, soft food
children, and never drank tea or coffee, or ate made from oats boiled in
milk or water, eaten hot for
anything but porridge for our breakfast. breakfast

1 The author’s story has been reproduced here in entirety so that children understand the writing style of the
author and the period in which it was written.
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