A young girl was going on an expedition and needed some provisions. In the store cupboard under the stairs, she found a huge jar of peanuts. These would be perfect, she thought, a pocketful of these would keep her going all morning.

She squeezed her hand through the neck of the jar and grabbed as many nuts as she could hold. But when she tried to pull her hand out she found she could not, no matter how hard she tried. She cursed the stupid jar and presently she began to wail with anger and frustration.

Her father heard the noise and discovered his daughter on the floor of the cupboard, her hand stuck in a jar of peanuts.

“If you got it in, I’m sure you can get it back out,” he said.
“I know I can,” the girl replied. “But not without letting go of almost all the nuts.”

“Take what you can. And when you need more put your hand back in,” her father advised. “Only don’t tell your mother.”
“But that will take forever,” the girl complained. “I am going to need a lot.”

Her father shrugged. She had no choice, he argued, not if she wanted her hand back.

The girl did not like being told she had no choice. Lifting the jar as high as she could, she brought it crashing to the floor. Shards of glass and peanuts sprayed across the stone. But in her hand she clutched a fistful of the precious supplies. And she set off on her journey.

© Richard Parkin 2021