The Little Red Pot

adapted by Rachael Van Dyke

A long time ago there lived a boy named Ping.
Anything he planted burst into bloom! His avorite thing !as to
plant the lo!ers one by one. "h ho! they illed the air !ith
s!eet perume! #P. $R%%&%'
And a long time ago there !as a !ise( old king.
Anything he !anted he could have. )ut he never
did have a son. The smell o lo!ers made him smile(
sniing them one by one.
#P. )R%A* $R%%&% A+D %,-T'
#*-+. %+T%R'
The *ing/s back !as bent and his beard !as long( and his strength !as in his
!isdom. )ecause the *ing had no son to carry on the throne( he !ondered !ho
!ould succeed him as *ing. He scratched his head( and rubbed his beard
thinking to himsel
*-+.0 Ho! shall - choose mysel a ne! *ing12 #Look at the children( any ideas1'
He !alked back and orth s3uinting as he thought. 4a!ning and stretching he
laid do!n near the garden to take a little nap !hen suddenly the *ing 5umped to
his eet and cried %ureka! #%ureka!' He !aved !idely or his messenger to come
near and rubbed his hands together !ith great delight. The messenger !rote
rantically all that the *ing told him. The *ing decided to chose the ne! king by
holding a competition.6-t !as no ordinary competition. -t !as not based on
strength or !it or !ealth. %very !illing boy !ould be given a tiny bro!n seed in
!hich to present beore the *ing the most beautiul lo!er they could tend. #*-+.
%,-T'
7essenger0 8hoever can sho! the *ing their best lo!er in one year/s time(
shall be *ing!
The ne!s created such a stir in the land. 4ou could hear the bu99ing o all the
e:citement! ;hildren rom all over the country pushed and shoved their !ay to
the palace to get their lo!er seed. #;H-LDR%+ .%T <%%D = DA+;% -+ A
;-R;L%. T" TH% <-D% "$ TH% <TA.%'
Ping skipped all the !ay to the palace( eagerly to receive a seed( or his amily
!ere gardeners by trade and kne! much about caring or plants. #7%<<%+.%R
.-V%< <%%D( )-4< L""* "+ A+D %V%R4"+% )>T P-+. %,-T'
Ping ran do!n to the river to ind the best soil( and placed the seed in a little red
pot. %very day he !atered it( tended it and cared or it. He !atched( but it did not
gro!. Dear children( !hat can - do to help my seed gro!1 #
#Act out their ideas'
He gave it more light and more !ater(
)ut it did not gro!.
He gave it less light and less !ater(
but it did not gro!.
He gave it more light and less !ater(
less light and more !ater(
)ut still it did not gro!.
Ping !as greatly discouraged.
7aybe i one o you sho!ed the seed ho! to gro!( it !ould kno! !hat to do!
#;hildren demonstrate gro!ing to seed'
)ut still it did not gro!.
Ping had heard other boys boasting o their beautiul lo!ers( some gro!ing they
say( as big as thirty eet tall!
)ut Poor Ping/s did not gro! at all.
"n the day o the competition( Ping sat on the ground staring at his poor empty
pot( !hen suddenly he !as startled by a boy running by.
)"40 Ping! 4ou/re not really going to the %mperor !ith an empty pot( are you!1
;ouldn/t you gro! a great( big( lo!er like mine!1 #)"4 %,-T'
Ping did not eel like going( but his mother overheard everything. <he !iped his
tears rom his eyes( and said(
7"70 4ou did your best and the best is good enough to present beore the *ing.
#7"7 %,-T'
Ping( took a deep breath to stop his crying( and !iped his nose one last time.
Taking his little red pot( he !alked slo!ly do!n the street to the to!n s3uare.
#7><-;' #)"4< %+T%R? *-+. = 7%<<%+.%R' All the young boys and their
amily/s came( Pouring out rom the tiny pagodas and huts. <ome came by mule
and cart as ar as the countryside( and others by oot rom !ay across the river.
All the lo!ers !ere lined in a ro! and the boys teased Ping as he stood beside
his little red pot. @+ot even his tears could make the tiny seed gro!.
The *ing !alked up and do!n the ro!s sniing and pinching and measuring the
height and !idth o every lo!er. The *ing !alked around !ith a ro!n.
Ping stood stily. <ilently. <adly( he lo!ered his eyes to the ground.
The time arrived or the *ing to announce the anticipated ne!s!
7%<<%+.%R TR>7P%T
%veryone an:iously !aited. There !as 3uite a lot o chatter rom
all the boys. The *ing began to choose the one to
proceed him on his throne.
*-+.0 8ho has done !ell !ith their seed1
<hall !e take a vote1
)ut big and small( the *ing passed by them all( until he arrived in ront o Ping/s.
*-+.0 8here is you lo!er Ping1 All the other boys came !ith such large and
lovely lo!ers. -s this all you have to present beore your strong and mighty *ing1
Ping raised up his little red pot and gave it to the *ing.
P-+.0 - tried every thing( <ir. - !ent do!n to the river and dug up resh soil( -
!atered the seed and put it in the best sun light( but - could not cause it to gro!.
The *ing took the little red pot and the hand o the little boy and brought them
beore all the people.
There !ere laughs and sneers as everyone sa! the empty pot o Ping/s.
)ut the trumpets and the bells began to ring.
*-+.0 %ach o you presented me !ith a beautiul lo!er( and i - had to choose
rom them - !ould be greatly troubled. )ut only one o you presented
me !ith the truth. - gave to each o you a seed that could not gro!. $rom
!hence( you boys got your lo!ers( - do not kno!.
"nly Ping !as honest enough to present his best beore the *ing.
Lying and cheating( greediness and pride(
do not a good ruler make.
)ut humility and patience( honesty and strength
are riches to never orsake.
#7><-;'