Hello there! Today, we’re going to dive into a wonderful story called The Empty Pot, written and illustrated by Demi. It’s a tale about honesty and courage, and I think you’re going to love it!
Once upon a time in China, there was a boy named Ping. Ping had a special gift: he loved flowers, and anything he planted would grow beautifully. Flowers, bushes, and even big fruit trees would bloom as if by magic! Everyone in the kingdom adored flowers, and the air was always filled with their sweet scent. The Emperor, who ruled the land, loved flowers more than anything else, even more than birds and animals. He took care of his own garden every day.
The Emperor was getting very old and needed to find someone to take his place as the ruler. But how would he choose? Since he loved flowers so much, he decided to let the flowers help him decide. He announced that all the children in the land should come to the palace to receive special flower seeds. “Whoever can show me their best flower in a year’s time,” he said, “will become the next Emperor!” This news spread excitement everywhere! Children from all over the country hurried to the palace to get their seeds, hoping to be chosen.
Ping was thrilled when he got his seed from the Emperor. He was sure he could grow the most beautiful flower. He carefully planted the seed in a pot filled with rich soil and watered it every day. But as days turned into weeks, nothing grew. Ping was worried. He tried planting the seed in a bigger pot with even better soil, but still, nothing happened. A whole year passed, and spring came again.
All the children dressed in their best clothes and rushed to the palace with their beautiful flowers, hoping to be chosen. Ping felt embarrassed because his pot was empty. He thought the other children would laugh at him.
Ping’s father told him, “You did your best, and your best is good enough to show the Emperor.” So, with his empty pot, Ping went to the palace. The Emperor looked at all the flowers, but he didn’t smile. When he reached Ping, Ping felt ashamed and expected to be punished.
The Emperor asked, “Why did you bring an empty pot?” Ping, with tears in his eyes, explained, “I planted the seed you gave me and watered it every day, but it didn’t grow. I tried everything, but nothing happened. So I brought the empty pot because it was the best I could do.”
Hearing this, the Emperor smiled and put his arm around Ping. He announced to everyone, “I have found the one worthy of being Emperor! The seeds I gave you were cooked and couldn’t grow. I admire Ping’s courage to bring the empty truth, and now I make him Emperor of all the land!”
This story teaches us that honesty and courage are very important. Even when it’s hard, telling the truth is always the right thing to do. Thank you for joining us for this story. Keep reading and discovering more amazing tales!
Plant Your Own Seed Experiment: Gather some seeds, soil, and small pots. Plant the seeds and take care of them by watering them regularly. Observe what happens over time. Discuss with your friends or family what you notice about how the seeds grow. What do you think would happen if the seeds were cooked like in the story? Try planting some cooked seeds and observe the difference!
Honesty Role Play: With a friend or family member, act out different scenarios where you have to decide whether to tell the truth or not. For example, pretend you accidentally broke a toy. Discuss how it feels to be honest and why it’s important, just like Ping was in the story. How does being honest make you feel inside?
Draw Your Own Story: Create a comic strip or a series of drawings that tell a story about a time when you or someone you know was honest and brave. Share your story with your class or family. How did being honest help in your story? What did you learn from it?
Welcome to Storyline Online, brought to you by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. I’m Rami Malek, and today I’m going to be reading one of my favorite books, *The Empty Pot*, written and illustrated by Demi.
A long time ago in China, there was a boy named Ping who loved flowers. Anything he planted burst into bloom. Up came flowers, bushes, and even big fruit trees, as if by magic! Everyone in the kingdom loved flowers too. They planted them everywhere, and the air smelled wonderful. The Emperor loved birds and animals, but flowers most of all, and he tended his own garden every day.
But the Emperor was very old and needed to choose a successor to the throne. Who would his successor be? And how would the Emperor choose? Because the Emperor loved flowers so much, he decided to let the flowers choose.
The next day, a proclamation was issued: All the children in the land were to come to the palace. There, they would be given special flower seeds by the Emperor. “Whoever can show me their best in a year’s time,” he said, “will succeed me to the throne.” This news created great excitement throughout the land! Children from all over the country swarmed to the palace to get their flower seeds. All the parents wanted their children to be chosen Emperor, and all the children hoped they would be chosen too!
When Ping received his seed from the Emperor, he was the happiest child of all. He was sure he could grow the most beautiful flower. Ping filled a flowerpot with rich soil and planted the seed very carefully. He watered it every day, eagerly waiting to see it sprout, grow, and blossom into a beautiful flower!
Day after day passed, but nothing grew in his pot. Ping was very worried. He put new soil into a bigger pot and transferred the seed into the rich black soil. Another two months passed, and still nothing happened. By and by, the whole year passed.
Spring came, and all the children put on their best clothes to greet the Emperor. They rushed to the palace with their beautiful flowers, eagerly hoping to be chosen. Ping was ashamed of his empty pot. He thought the other children would laugh at him because he couldn’t get a flower to grow.
His clever friend ran by, holding a great big plant. “Ping!” he said. “You’re not really going to the Emperor with an empty pot, are you? Couldn’t you grow a great big flower like mine?” “I’ve grown lots of flowers better than yours,” Ping replied. “It’s just this seed that won’t grow.”
Ping’s father overheard this and said, “You did your best, and your best is good enough to present to the Emperor.” Holding the empty pot in his hands, Ping went straight to the palace. The Emperor was looking at the flowers slowly, one by one. How beautiful all the flowers were! But the Emperor was frowning and did not say a word.
Finally, he came to Ping. Ping hung his head in shame, expecting to be punished. The Emperor asked him, “Why did you bring an empty pot?” Ping started to cry and replied, “I planted the seed you gave me and watered it every day, but it didn’t sprout. I put it in a better pot with better soil, but still it didn’t sprout! I tended it all year long, but nothing grew. So today I had to bring an empty pot without a flower. It was the best I could do.”
When the Emperor heard these words, a smile slowly spread over his face, and he put his arm around Ping. Then he exclaimed to everyone, “I have found him! I have found the one person worthy of being Emperor! Where you got your seeds from, I do not know. For the seeds I gave you had all been cooked, so it was impossible for any of them to grow. I admire Ping’s great courage to appear before me with the empty truth, and now I reward him with my entire kingdom and make him Emperor of all the land!”
What I love about *The Empty Pot* is that it allows me to look inside and realize just how much truth means. Because ultimately, the only consequences are feeling courageous, honorable, and like a bigger person, and I guarantee you, the truth always wins.
So thank you to *The Empty Pot* for such a strong message. Keep telling the truth. Thank you for watching Storyline Online. Make sure to check out all of our stories. Keep watching and definitely keep reading.
