The Magic Porridge Pot

Once upon a time, in a small, peaceful village nestled by the forest, there lived a poor girl and her mother. They lived in a humble cottage, and though they had very little, they were happy with the life they shared. Every day, the girl helped her mother with chores, gathering firewood, and tending to their small garden, while her mother would cook simple meals for them both.

One cold winter morning, when the weather was harsh and food was scarce, the girl went into the forest to gather some firewood. As she ventured deeper into the woods, she came across an old woman sitting by the edge of a brook. The woman looked very kind and offered the girl a friendly smile. “What brings you here, child?” she asked.

The girl explained her predicament, that her family was poor, and that they had not much to eat. The old woman, feeling pity for the girl, decided to offer her a gift.

“Take this pot,” the old woman said, “It is a magic porridge pot. It will cook all the porridge you could ever need. But remember, you must never say ‘stop’ unless you want it to stop cooking. If you forget, the pot will keep cooking until there is no room left.”

The girl was overjoyed at the gift and thanked the old woman profusely. She hurried home to share the good news with her mother. When she arrived, she showed her mother the magic pot and explained the instructions the old woman had given her.

Her mother, though puzzled, was thrilled at the idea of having all the food they could ever need. They were very poor, and food was always a concern. So, they placed the pot over the fire and the girl said the magic words: “Cook, little pot, cook.” To their amazement, the pot began to bubble and cook porridge.

The pot produced a delicious, warm bowl of porridge, and the mother and daughter shared it with gratitude. The porridge was so filling and satisfying that they both felt their spirits lift for the first time in a long while. They knew that, with this magical gift, they would never have to worry about food again.

However, as the day passed and evening came, the mother realized that the pot was still cooking porridge. She looked into the pot and found it was overflowing. “Stop, little pot, stop!” she cried, but to her horror, the pot continued to bubble and churn, pouring porridge over the edge and spilling it onto the floor.

“Stop, little pot, stop!” she repeated, but still the pot would not stop cooking. Panicked, she grabbed the pot and tried to move it away from the fire, but no matter what she did, the porridge kept flowing out. The kitchen was quickly filling with porridge, and it started spilling out of the door and onto the ground outside.

Soon, the entire house was flooded with porridge, and it began to spill into the streets. The villagers, curious about the strange sight, began to gather outside the cottage. They saw the overflowing porridge and tried to help the mother and daughter, but no one knew how to stop the pot.

The porridge poured out, flooding the fields, the roads, and even the river. It continued to spread, with no sign of stopping. The entire village, including the animals, was covered in porridge. The situation grew worse by the minute, and the villagers were desperate.

Just when things seemed like they were about to spiral out of control, the girl remembered the old woman’s instructions. “I must say ‘stop’,” she thought. “Only I can stop it.” She rushed to the pot and called out, “Stop, little pot, stop!” Finally, after a long, overwhelming flood of porridge, the magic pot stopped cooking.

The village was left in a mess of porridge. The streets were sticky, the houses were flooded, and the fields were covered in the golden, gooey mess. It took many days to clean up, but with the help of the villagers, the area was eventually restored to normal.

While the incident was an unfortunate disaster, the girl and her mother were grateful for the pot’s magic. They realized that they had to be more careful with its power. From that day forward, they used the pot wisely, making sure to always say the word “stop” at the right time.

The magic pot continued to serve them well. It provided them with an abundance of porridge whenever they needed it, and they used it to help others in the village. They shared their food with those who were hungry, making sure that no one went without.

The villagers learned an important lesson from the mishap: that even the greatest gifts come with responsibility. The girl and her mother never forgot the flood of porridge, and they made sure to treat their magical gift with respect and caution.

In time, the girl grew into a wise and caring woman, always thinking of others. The magic pot, though it had once caused such chaos, became a symbol of generosity and kindness. It served as a reminder to the villagers that with great power comes great responsibility, and that good things must always be used wisely.

And so, the girl, her mother, and the villagers lived happily, sharing food and kindness, all thanks to the magic porridge pot.