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The Pedlar of Swaffham

From More English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs

This story comes from More English Fairy Tales, collected by Joseph Jacobs and first published in 1894. The tale of the Pedlar of Swaffham is a very old English legend. It teaches children that sometimes the treasure we are looking for is closer to home than we think. The story reminds us to listen carefully, to be patient, and to follow through even when something seems hard or strange. This text reflects its era.

Band
Purple · Pre-readers and first readersTypical starting range: ages 4–5
Length
short · about 348 words in 4 sections · 4 pictures
Source
More English Fairy Tales, Joseph Jacobs and John Dickson Batten
First published
see the About page in the reader
Regions
Canada · United States

Included formats

  • · Web reader and PDF
  • · EPUB for e-readers
  • · Home-print sheet
  • · Folded booklet
  • · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
  • · Worksheet
  • · Quick Check (6 questions) with answer key
  • · Read-aloud script
  • · Colouring page
  • · Teacher’s Edition (members)

Lesson at a glance

Reading
about 8 minutes at this band
Pause questions
3
Words to Know
3
Quick Check
6 questions, with the answer key
Let’s Talk
3 questions for afterwards
Worksheet
questions, an activity and a drawing prompt

About 35 minutes with one story, all of it.

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.

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The same story

Other bands of this story

This story is ready now at the Purple band only. Other bands can be made to order for members after launch.