Once upon a time, a poor girl lived with her mother. They had very little food. Many days, they felt hungry.
One morning, the girl said, “I will go into the forest. Maybe I can find something to eat.”
She walked among the trees. The forest was quiet and green. Soon, she met a kind old woman.
The old woman smiled and gave her a small pot.
“This is a magic pot,” she said. “Say, ‘Pot cook!’ and it will make sweet porridge. Say, ‘Pot stop!’ and it will stop.”
The girl’s eyes grew wide. “Thank you!” she said, and ran home.
At home, she placed the pot on the table.
“Pot cook!” she said.
At once, the pot began to bubble. Warm, sweet porridge filled the room with a lovely smell.
The girl and her mother ate happily.
When they were full, the girl said, “Pot stop!”
The pot stopped right away.
From that day on, they were never hungry again.
One day, the girl went out.
Her mother felt hungry and looked at the pot.
“I will try it,” she said.
“Pot cook!”
The pot began to cook. Soon, there was plenty of porridge. The mother ate until she was full.
But then she stopped and said, “Now… how do I stop it?”
The pot did not stop.
It kept cooking.
Porridge spilled over the sides.
It filled the table.
It spread across the floor.
“Oh no!” cried the mother.
The porridge flowed out of the house and into the street. It filled the road like a soft, warm river!
Just then, the girl came home.
She saw the mess and quickly shouted, “Pot stop!”
At once, the pot became quiet.
Everything was still.
But porridge was everywhere!
People laughed and made their way through it, eating as they went, until they reached their homes.
The girl and her mother never forgot to use the magic words again.
Moral of the Story
Be careful when using something powerful, and always know how to control it.
Think and Answer
- Why were the girl and her mother hungry at the beginning?
- What did the old woman give the girl?
- Why couldn’t the mother stop the pot?
- What happened when the pot kept cooking?
- What would you do if you had a magic pot like this?
Word Power
Porridge
A soft, warm food made from grains
Magic
Something special that can do amazing things
Forest
A place with many trees and plants
Bubble
When liquid forms small air balls while cooking
Spill
When something flows over the edge and falls out
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