★Fables and Folk Tales
Grade 3 · Reading · On Level · Worksheet 1
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The Empty Pot (a folk tale from China)
Long ago in China, a boy named Ping loved to grow flowers. Anything he planted bloomed bright and tall.
The emperor was getting old. He needed to choose who would rule after him. One day, he gave a flower seed to every child in the land. "Whoever shows me the best flower in one year," he said, "will be the next emperor."
Ping planted his seed in a pot of rich soil. He watered it every day. But nothing grew. He moved it to a bigger pot with better soil. Still, nothing grew.
When the year was over, children filled the palace with pots of beautiful flowers. Ping carried his empty pot. His friends laughed at him. Ping's face felt hot, but his father said, "You did your best. Your best is enough to show the emperor."
The emperor walked past every flower without a smile. Then he stopped in front of Ping. "Why is your pot empty?" he asked.
Ping looked down. "I tried my best, but the seed would not grow," he said.
The emperor smiled for the first time. "I cooked all the seeds before I gave them out," he said. "None of them could grow. These other children planted new seeds. Only Ping was honest enough to bring me the truth."
The emperor placed his hand on Ping's shoulder. "Ping will be the next emperor," he said.
What did the emperor give every child?
Why did the emperor give out the seeds?
What did Ping do when his seed did not grow?
Why did Ping's face feel hot at the palace?
Why did Ping's father tell him to bring the empty pot?
Why could none of the seeds grow?
How did the other children get their flowers?
The lesson is "Honesty is worth more than a pretty show." Which detail supports it?
What lesson does this folk tale teach?
What does the word "honest" mean in this folk tale?
