The Tale of the Magical Rice Cooker
Once upon a time, in a small, peaceful village nestled between green mountains and clear rivers, there lived a kind but poor young man named Eli. Eli lived in a tiny wooden house at the edge of the village. Although he had very little, he was always willing to share what he had with others. Everyone in the village loved him for his kind heart.
Eli’s main challenge in life was food. He worked hard on the farms during the day, but sometimes it wasn’t enough to fill his empty stomach. Still, he never complained and always found ways to make others smile.
One evening, as Eli walked home from the fields, he saw an old woman sitting by the roadside. Her clothes were tattered, and she looked tired and hungry. Eli didn’t hesitate for a moment. He handed her the small loaf of bread he had saved for his dinner.
The old woman’s eyes lit up with gratitude as she took the bread. “You are a very kind soul,” she said warmly. “Because you have chosen to help me even when you have so little, I want to give you something special.”
From a small bag, the old woman pulled out a peculiar-looking object—a shiny, golden rice cooker. Eli stared at it in confusion. He had never seen anything like it.
“This is a magical rice cooker,” the woman explained. “It can cook endless rice whenever you need it. All you have to say is, ‘Cook, little pot, cook!’ and the rice will pour out. But remember, when you’ve had enough, you must say, ‘Stop, little pot, stop!’ Never forget to stop it.”
Before Eli could ask any questions, the woman smiled mysteriously and disappeared into the trees.
At first, Eli wasn’t sure whether to believe her. A magical rice cooker that never ran out of rice? It sounded like something from a fairy tale. But his curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to give it a try.
That night, when Eli sat down for dinner, he placed the golden rice cooker on his table. He took a deep breath and said, “Cook, little pot, cook!” To his amazement, fluffy white rice began to flow out of the cooker steadily. Soon, his bowl was filled, and the wonderful smell of freshly cooked rice made his stomach rumble with excitement.
Eli didn’t waste any time. He grabbed his spoon and tasted the rice. It was perfect—soft and delicious, better than any rice he had ever eaten before. “Stop, little pot, stop!” he said quickly, remembering the old woman’s warning. The rice cooker instantly stopped producing rice, and Eli laughed in delight.
From that day on, Eli never had to worry about being hungry. No matter how tired or poor he felt, the magical rice cooker would always fill his belly with as much rice as he needed. But Eli didn’t keep this gift to himself. He began inviting his neighbors, especially the poorest villagers, to share his meals. Everyone who came to his house left with a full stomach and a warm heart.
Before long, word of Eli’s magical rice cooker spread across the village. People from nearby towns visited him, hoping to see the rice cooker in action. Eli happily welcomed them, feeding anyone who needed help and making sure no one left hungry.
But as the days passed, a greedy man named Victor heard about the magical rice cooker. Unlike Eli, Victor didn’t want to share anything with anyone. He was rich, but he always wanted more, and he couldn’t stand the thought of someone like Eli being admired by the village.
One night, Victor came up with a plan. He snuck into Eli’s house while Eli was fast asleep and stole the golden rice cooker. Victor grinned to himself, imagining all the rice he could have without sharing it with anyone.
Victor placed the rice cooker on his table and shouted, “Cook, little pot, cook!” Just like Eli had described, rice began flowing out of the cooker. At first, Victor was thrilled. But in his greed, he kept yelling, “Cook more! More!”
The rice cooker followed orders and continued producing rice. Soon, Victor’s dining room was overflowing with rice, spilling onto the floors and out of the windows. Victor finally realized his mistake. He tried to stop the rice by shouting other words, but he had forgotten the old woman’s instructions. He couldn’t remember how to make it stop.
The rice continued flooding Victor’s mansion, spilling out to the streets. Villagers gathered to see what was happening. Victor was caught in a sea of rice, begging for help. Eli, despite knowing Victor had stolen from him, rushed to his rescue.
“Stop, little pot, stop!” Eli shouted. Instantly, the rice cooker stopped, and the flooding came to a halt.
Victor was embarrassed and apologized to Eli and the villagers. From that day forward, Victor learned to value kindness and share his wealth with others. As for Eli, he continued using the magical rice cooker to help those in need, proving that generosity and kindness could create magic far greater than any rice cooker.
And so, the village lived happily ever after, with Eli’s kindness spreading far and wide—a tale of gratitude, sharing, and never letting greed take over.
The end.
