The Magic Porridge Pot

Characters: Two storytellers, Daisy, Maisy, Mother, four villagers, old woman and the porridge pot.
Storyteller 1: Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Daisy who lived with her mother in a very small house.

Storyteller 2: They were very poor and they didn’t have much to eat. One day, they were really, really, really hungry.

Mother: I am very hungry. (She rubs her tummy.)

Daisy: I know, I will go into the forest and collect some mushrooms. (She walks into the forest by herself and starts collecting mushrooms. Suddenly, an old woman creeps up behind her.)

Old Woman: What are you doing, little girl?

Daisy: My mother and I are very hungry. I am looking for some mushrooms for us to eat for our tea.

Old Woman: (She hands the little girl a porridge pot.) Here, take this.

Porridge Pot: Oh, dear, what is to become of me? (Starts crying.)

Old Woman: I am travelling far away and I can’t take this porridge pot with me. (Woman walks off.)

Daisy: (Looks at the crying porridge pot and shakes her head.) What am I suppose to do with you?

Porridge Pot: Well, if you are hungry just say, ‘Boil, pot, boil, pot.’ (Porridge comes out and spreads all over. This can be mimed.)

Daisy: How wonderful, but how do I stop the porridge flowing?

Porridge Pot: Just say, ‘Stop, pot! Stop, pot!’

Daisy: Stop, pot! Stop, pot! (Daisy brings the pot home and shows her mother and they both eat until they are full.)

Mother: This is wonderful. We should make some for the neighbours.

Daisy: Oh no, we should keep this as our own secret.

Storyteller 1: One day, the little girl went out playing with her friend Maisy. Maisy: Let’s go into the forest and play hide-and-seek. (Maisy and Daisy skip off stage.)

Storyteller 2: Her mother was feeling hungry and she got the porridge pot to boil.

Mother: Boil, pot! Boil, pot! (Mother eats her porridge but she wants it to stop.)

Mother: I am full now so halt, pot! Halt, pot!

Storyteller 1: The porridge pot kept boiling.

Storyteller 2: There was porridge all over the place. (Mother jumps up on a chair.)

Mother: Don’t, pot! Don’t, pot!

Storyteller 1: The porridge spread everywhere.

Mother: Please, pot! Please, pot!

Villager 1: What is going on here?

Villager 2: The streets are paved with porridge.

Villager 3: Come, everyone, let’s fill ourselves up with porridge.

Villager 4: This is delicious. Yummy! (The villagers start swimming through the porridge.)

Villager 1: There is a porridge flood!

Villager 2: Help us!

Villager 3: We are drowning!

Villager 4: In porridge!

Mother: Oh dear, no, pot! No, pot! (Daisy returns with Maisy. She looks confused and shocked.)

Daisy: (Shouts) Stop, pot! Stop, pot! (Porridge pot stops boiling porridge.)

Storyteller 1: The villagers had porridge for the rest of the winter.

Storyteller 2: They weren’t hungry. (Everybody is eating porridge and the porridge pot looks happy.)

Storyteller 1: In the spring, the old woman came back from her travels.

Storyteller 2: She asked for her pot back.

Old Woman: Thanks for taking care of my magic porridge pot.

Daisy: I didn’t take care of it. It took care of us.

Related: storytelling in the early years. Further reading: fairy tales.