Hi there! Today, we’re going to hear a fun story called “Strega Nona,” written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola. Let’s dive into this magical tale!
Once upon a time, in a little town in a place called Calabria, there was an old lady named Strega Nona. Her name means “Grandma Witch,” but don’t worry, she was a kind witch! Everyone in the town loved her because she could help them with their problems. Even the priest and the sisters from the convent would visit her for help. Strega Nona had a special way of curing headaches, making potions for girls who wanted to get married, and even getting rid of warts!
Strega Nona was getting older and needed someone to help her with her house and garden. So, she put up a sign in the town square. A young man named Big Anthony saw the sign and went to see her.
“Anthony,” said Strega Nona, “I need you to sweep the house, wash the dishes, weed the garden, pick the vegetables, feed the goat, milk her, and fetch the water. For this, I will give you three coins, a place to sleep, and food to eat.”
“Oh, thank you!” said Big Anthony happily.
Strega Nona warned him, “The one thing you must never do is touch the pasta pot. It is very special, and I don’t let anyone touch it!”
“Oh yes, I understand,” said Big Anthony.
Big Anthony worked hard every day, and Strega Nona helped the townspeople with their troubles. One evening, while milking the goat, Big Anthony heard Strega Nona singing a song. He peeked through the window and saw her standing over the pasta pot. She sang:
“Bubble, bubble, pasta pot,
Boil me some pasta, nice and hot,
I’m hungry, and it’s time to sup,
Boil me some pasta to fill me up.”
The pasta pot started to bubble and boil, and soon it was full of delicious pasta! Then Strega Nona sang another song:
“Enough, enough, pasta pot,
I have my pasta, nice and hot,
So simmer down, my pot of clay,
‘Til I’m hungry another day.”
“Wow, that’s amazing!” thought Big Anthony. “It’s a magic pot!” But he didn’t see Strega Nona blow three kisses to the pot to make it stop.
What do you think will happen next? Will Big Anthony remember Strega Nona’s warning? Stay tuned to find out more about this magical adventure!
Did you know that pasta is a popular food in Italy? People love to eat it with different sauces and toppings. Maybe you can try making some pasta at home with your family!
Thanks for joining us on this magical journey with Strega Nona. We hope you enjoyed the story!
Magic Pot Experiment: Let’s pretend we have our own magic pasta pot! With the help of an adult, fill a pot with water and place it on the stove. Watch as the water heats up and starts to bubble. Imagine that the bubbles are like the magic in Strega Nona’s pot. Discuss with your adult helper what happens when water boils and why it bubbles. Can you think of other things that change when they get hot?
Create Your Own Magic Song: Just like Strega Nona, you can create a magic song for your pasta pot. Think about what you would like your magic pot to do. Write a short song or poem about it. You can use words like “bubble,” “boil,” and “magic.” Share your song with your family and see if they can guess what your magic pot does!
Pasta Art: Use different types of uncooked pasta to create a picture. You can glue the pasta onto a piece of paper to make shapes or patterns. As you create, think about the different shapes and sizes of pasta. How many different types can you find in your kitchen? What do they remind you of? Share your pasta art with your class or family.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Welcome to Storyline Online, brought to you by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. I’m Mary Steenburgen, and today I’m going to read “Strega Nona,” written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola.
In a town in Calabria, a long time ago, there lived an old lady everyone called Strega Nona, which means “Grandma Witch.” Although the townspeople spoke about her in whispers, they all went to see her when they had troubles. Even the priest and the sisters of the convent visited her because Strega Nona had a special touch. She could cure headaches with oil, water, and a hairpin. She made special potions for girls who wanted husbands and was very good at getting rid of warts.
But Strega Nona was getting old and needed someone to help her with her little house and garden, so she put up a sign in the town square. Big Anthony, who wasn’t paying attention, went to see her.
“Anthony,” said Strega Nona, “you must sweep the house, wash the dishes, weed the garden, pick the vegetables, feed the goat, milk her, and fetch the water. For this, I will give you three coins, a place to sleep, and food to eat.”
“Oh, grazie,” said Big Anthony.
“The one thing you must never do,” said Strega Nona, “is touch the pasta pot. It is very valuable, and I don’t let anyone touch it!”
“Oh sì, yes,” said Big Anthony.
And so the days went by. Big Anthony did his work while Strega Nona met with the townspeople who came to see her for various reasons. Big Anthony had a nice bed to sleep in next to the goat shed and food to eat.
One evening, while milking the goat, Big Anthony heard Strega Nona singing. Peeking in the window, he saw her standing over the pasta pot. She sang:
“Bubble, bubble, pasta pot,
Boil me some pasta, nice and hot,
I’m hungry, and it’s time to sup,
Boil me some pasta to fill me up.”
The pasta pot bubbled and boiled, soon filled with steaming hot pasta. Then Strega Nona sang:
“Enough, enough, pasta pot,
I have my pasta, nice and hot,
So simmer down, my pot of clay,
‘Til I’m hungry another day.”
“How wonderful!” said Big Anthony. “That’s a magic pot for sure!” Strega Nona then called Big Anthony in for supper. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t see Strega Nona blow three kisses to the magic pot, and this is what happened next.
The following day, when
