Usborne Young Reading: The Magic Porridge Pot

This story is about hungry Hannah, an old woman, a greedy boy, a magic pot and a LOT of porridge. Hannah never had enough to eat. But, when she had some food, she always shared it. One day, Hannah found some honey in the forest. Then she saw an old woman. The woman was carrying an empty pot. "Would you like some honey?"asked Hannah. "Yes please,"said the old woman. "Would you like some porridge?" "I'd LOVE some porridge,"said Hannah. "But your pot is empty." The woman smiled. "That doesn't matter,"she said."You just need to know the magic words. Cook pot, cook!" Hot porridge filled the pot. "Stop pot, stop!" Then it stopped. Hannah and the woman ate a delicious meal of porridge and honey. "You can keep the pot,"said the woman. "Thank you!" "Remember the magic words and you will never be hungry again." From then on, Hannah always had plenty to eat. She had porridge for breakfast...porridge for lunch...porridge for dinner. One evening, a greedy boy smelled the porridge."M, what's that?" He followed his nose to Hannah 's cottage. He saw the pot start to fill with porridge but he didn't see it stop. "I want that pot!" The boy waited until Hannah went to bed. Then he crept in, stole the pot and ran home. He couldn't wait to say the magic words. Steaming porridge filled the pot. Porridge dropped over the sides. "Stop!"cried the boy. But the pot didn't stop. Porridge poured onto the floor. "Stop!"cried the boy. But the pot didn't stop. Porridge filled the room. "Stop!"cried the boy. But the pot didn't stop. The boy ran outside. "Stop!"cried the boy. "I'll drown in porridge!" But the pot didn't stop. In her room, Hannah sniffed."I smell porridge!"she thought. She ran outside. "Oh no! It must be the pot." Porridge was pouring down the street. Hannah shouted the magic words."Stop pot, stop!" And at last, the pot stopped. The greedy boy was saved. "I'll never touch porridge again after this!" But he had to eat a lot of porridge before he could go home. As for Hannah...she got her pot back, and no one ever stole it again.