The Empty Pot

Illustrated By: Stella Wei

ONE DAY LONG AGO IN CHINA, the King announced a contest with a very special prize - the winner would be the next ruler of the land.  The King was getting old and had no sons to take over the throne.  (In those days, only boys could become King.)

One thing about this King is that he loved to garden.  And so he announced that any boy who wanted to enter the contest must come to the palace on a certain day and get a royal seed. Six months later, the boys would return with their plants and the one who grew the best plant would win the contest - and be next to sit on the throne.

Every boy in China was wild with joy!  Each was sure that he would win! Boys all over started to walk with pride as if they already won the contest.  Mothers and fathers were excited, too - it sure would be grand to live at the palace!

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Every boy in China was wild with joy!

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One boy named Ping was also hopeful.  He knew he was good at growing things - didn't everyone in his village fight over his melons, snow peas, and baby corn?  All summer long, Jun carefully pulled weeds and kept pests away so his plants could thrive.  

On the appointed day when the royal seeds were to be distributed, hundreds of of boys rushed to the palace. Jun was one of the boys in the crowd.  Each boy took home a royal seed, clasped tightly in his hand.

At home, Ping chose a good-sized flowerpot.  He lay large pebbles at the bottom and over them, smaller pebbles.  Over those, he filled the rest of the pot with rich black dirt.  He made a hole at the top of the soil about one inch deep. Carefully, he dropped the royal seed into the hole and sprinkled dirt on top till the top was level. 

Over the next few days, Ping watered his pot every day.  All over China, boys were doing the same thing.  Each one watched his pot impatiently.  When would the first little green dot appear?  Day after day, Ping, too, watched and waited.

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Over the next few days, Jun watered his pot every day.

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The first boy in Ping’s village to announce that a green leaf was coming up was Chen.  His news was met with great cheers. Chen said in a loud voice that he knew he would be King! 

Han was next to announce a little green plant was poking up from the soil in his pot.  Then Wong made the same announcement.  Ping was bewildered - there was no sign of a little green plant in his pot, but none of the other boys could grow plants as well as he!  

Soon sprouts were popping up in pots all over the village. Boys moved their baby plants outside so the little leaves could grow even bigger in the sun. Many stood guard over their dear pot every moment possible.  It seemed to Ping that every boy in the village who had planted a seed had a sprout by now.  Every boy, that is, except him.

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Soon sprouts were popping up in pots all over the village.

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Ping carefully took out the seed and moved it to another pot.  He put the very best and richest black soil from his garden in the new pot. He broke up every clump of soil into a tiny bits of dirt. With great care, he pressed the royal seed in the soil on top.  Ping watched the pot every day, adding drops of water here and there. Yet still, his seed did not grow.

Strong, mighty plants were rising tall from pots cared for by other boys in the village.  Sadly, Ping walked around, despondent. The other boys laughed at him.  Whenever a barrel, vase, or box had nothing inside of it, the young people in the village would say it was “as empty as Ping’s pot.”

Ping moved his seed another time.  This time he made a powder out of dried fish and dusted it over the soil as a fertilizer.  But it was no use. Ping's seed did not grow.

Six months passed. At last, the day came when the boys needed to bring their plants to the palace to be judged. Chen, Han, Wong, and hundreds of other boys cleaned their pots till they shone bright in the sun.  They wiped with care each green leaf.  They dressed in their best clothes for the judging. 

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At last, the day came when the boys needed to bring their plants to the palace to be judged.

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“What will you do, Ping?” said his mother, looking anxiously at her son.  Jun was peering out the window, watching other boys carry their plants with pride on the road that led to the palace. Sometimes parents helped by walking alongside their son on both sides and holding up the plants so they wouldn't tip over.

“You did the best you could, son," said his father gently.

“I will bring my pot the way it is," said Ping.  "I did everything I could, everything anyone could do."

"We will go with you," said his mother. 

At the palace, all the boys lined up.  Holding their sturdy, blooming plants in front of them, they waited to be judged. The King, in his rich silk robe, walked slowly down the line.  He looked at each plant with a blank look in his face. When he came to Ping, he frowned and said, “What is this? You brought me an empty pot?”

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At the palace, all the boys lined up.

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It was all Ping could do to keep from despairing. “If you please, Your Majesty,” said Jun, “I tried my best! I planted your seed in the best soil I could find. I kept it wet and watched it every day. When the seed did not grow, I moved it to new soil, and I even moved it again. But it just did not grow!"  Ping hung his head.  "I’m sorry.” 

“Hmm,” said the King. Turning so everyone could hear he roared, “I do not know where all these other boys got their seeds. There is no way anything could grow from the seeds we passed out for the contest because all those seeds had been cooked! As everyone knows, nothing can grow from a cooked seed!"

And he smiled at Ping.