The lottery. Traditional children's story of Cuba with values

Sometimes we let ourselves be guided by the desire to monopolize more and more material goods and we forget the really important things in life. In fact, this craving for money, for example, can end up blinding a person to the point of making her lose everything. There is a saying that explains very

There is a saying that explains very well the moral of this traditional Cuban story: 'Better a bird in hand than a hundred flying'. Enjoy with your child the story 'The lottery' and reflect with it with the help of the reading comprehension questions that we propose at the end.

'The lottery', a traditional Cuban story for children

There was once a peasant, who lived on the island of Cuba, who liked to play the lottery. He was convinced that one day he would touch him, so every week he sealed a ticket. However, luck did not seem to arrive. Still, he was not discouraged.

One hot summer morning, the peasant went to seal his lottery ticket, as he does every week, but that day he had a feeling: he was sure that the prize was finally going to touch him. So without thinking more, he spent all his money to buy many ballots of the same number, sure that in this way, he would collect many more profits.

Upon arriving at his house, he warned his wife:

- This afternoon they will say the lottery number. It will touch me, so soon you will see me appear with a luxurious car. As soon as you see me appear in the car and do not walk, enter the house and throw away everything you find old and ugly. We will decorate our new house again!

And that same afternoon, the peasant went very happy towards the lottery administration, sure he could collect the prize. Along the way, he was imagining what his new millionaire life would be like: new shoes, all the clothes he wanted, the best car and a most luxurious and big house ...

His wife, while, stayed in the house, waiting for her husband will come with the prize. The signal was the car: if her husband returned in a luxurious car, it was because they would have touched the lottery. So he prayed to himself: 'please, let our dreams come true and my husband return in a car and not walk'.

Soon after, the woman saw in the distance a very luxurious red car that was heading home. He saw with effort that her husband was inside, shouting something he could not hear. He was waving his arms hard. and she thought that yes, at last, they had won the lottery.

She was so happy, she decided to do what her husband told her before leaving: '-' As soon as you see that I arrive in a luxurious car, it will be a sign that we have won the lottery. Throw and break everything old and what you do not like, because we are going to change our lives. '

Said and done, the woman

began to break everything she considered old: tableware, sheets, cooking pots ... And soon she filled the trash and emptied the house. The woman already dreamed of decorating the house with new and luxurious objects ... Until her husband appeared by the door, accompanied by a man he did not know, but who wore luxurious clothes and smelled of expensive perfume. Her husband, on the other hand, was disheveled, full of blows and walked with the help of two crutches.

- But what happened to you? - she asked scared. Ver - You will see - answered the husband - I was walking back home when this man ran over me with his car ...

- And why did you shout and move your arms like this? I thought we had won the lottery!

Shouted: Do not throw anything, we have not touched the lottery and I also have a broken bone!

Totally desolate, the woman fell suddenly on the sofa, and looked askance at the empty house. His anxieties and impatience had played a trick on him

. Reading comprehension questions for childrenUse these reading comprehension questions to reflect on this story with your child. Remember that stories are fantastic tools to transmit values to children.

1. Why did the farmer play the lottery every week?

2. What did you tell your wife the day you thought the lottery was going to touch you? What would be the signal to indicate that they had won the lottery?

3. What did the woman do when she saw her husband from afar in a luxurious car?

4. What had really happened?