Chapter 18 of 20
Chapter 18: The Magic Porridge Pot
Tara and the Magic Pot, The Magic Words & The Village Porridge Flood | CBSE Session 2026–27
Core Pedagogical Competencies & Concepts
- Story comprehension: Tara helps an old woman in the forest and receives a magical clay pot.
- The magic spell: 'Cook, pot, cook!' (starts cooking) and 'Stop, pot, stop!' (stops cooking).
- The mother's forgetfulness: Calling 'Cook, pot, cook!' when hungry, but forgetting the stopping words.
- The porridge river: Porridge overflows through the house, onto the street, flooding the whole village.
- Moral: Following instructions precisely and mastering knowledge before wielding magic or tools.
All Textbook Exercises & In-Text Tasks (15 Questions)
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Q1
Reading is Fun • The Gift
Where did Tara meet the old woman, and what gift did she receive?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• Tara met the old woman in the forest.
• The kind old woman gifted her a magic clay pot that could cook porridge.
• Tara met the old woman in the forest.
• The kind old woman gifted her a magic clay pot that could cook porridge.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
In the forest
1 M
Magic porridge pot
1 M
Q2
Reading is Fun • The Starting Spell
What magic words did the old woman teach Tara to start the pot cooking?
[1 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• The starting words were: 'Cook, pot, cook!'.
• The starting words were: 'Cook, pot, cook!'.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
'Cook, pot, cook!' quoted
1 M
Q3
Reading is Fun • The Stopping Spell
What magic words stopped the pot from cooking porridge?
[1 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• The stopping words were: 'Stop, pot, stop!'.
• The stopping words were: 'Stop, pot, stop!'.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
'Stop, pot, stop!' quoted
1 M
Q4
Reading is Fun • The Mother's Error
Why did the porridge keep cooking and overflow all over the house?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• Because Tara's mother forgot the exact magic words ('Stop, pot, stop!'). She said 'Do not cook, pot!', so the pot kept pouring out hot porridge.
• Because Tara's mother forgot the exact magic words ('Stop, pot, stop!'). She said 'Do not cook, pot!', so the pot kept pouring out hot porridge.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Forgot exact magic words
1 M
Said wrong command 'Do not cook'
1 M
Q5
Reading is Fun • Village Reaction
What did the villagers do when they saw rivers of porridge flowing on the road?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• The surprised villagers ran out of their houses with bowls and spoons, shouting: 'Come and eat the porridge!'.
• The surprised villagers ran out of their houses with bowls and spoons, shouting: 'Come and eat the porridge!'.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Ran out with bowls and spoons
1 M
Ate porridge on the road
1 M
Q6
Reading is Fun • Rescuing the Village
How was the porridge flood finally stopped?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• Tara ran home as fast as she could and called out loudly: 'Stop, pot, stop!', and the pot instantly stopped cooking.
• Tara ran home as fast as she could and called out loudly: 'Stop, pot, stop!', and the pot instantly stopped cooking.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Tara ran home
1 M
Shouted 'Stop, pot, stop!'
1 M
Q7
Opposites • Story Words
Write the opposite of:
(a) Poor × _______
(b) Remember × _______
(c) Stop × _______
[3 Marks]
(a) Poor × _______
(b) Remember × _______
(c) Stop × _______
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answers:
(a) Poor × Rich / Wealthy
(b) Remember × Forget
(c) Stop × Start / Cook / Go
(a) Poor × Rich / Wealthy
(b) Remember × Forget
(c) Stop × Start / Cook / Go
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
(a) Rich
1 M
(b) Forget
1 M
(c) Start
1 M
Q8
Vocabulary • Food Texture
What is sweet porridge made of? How does it taste?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• Sweet porridge (kheer / daliya) is made of crushed grains boiled in milk and sweetened with sugar or jaggery.
• It tastes creamy, warm, sweet, and comforting.
• Sweet porridge (kheer / daliya) is made of crushed grains boiled in milk and sweetened with sugar or jaggery.
• It tastes creamy, warm, sweet, and comforting.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Ingredients (grains, milk, sugar)
1 M
Creamy/sweet taste described
1 M
Q9
Sentence Construction
Make a sentence using the word 'overflow'.
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Sample Sentence:
• The river began to overflow its banks after three days of torrential rainfall.
• The river began to overflow its banks after three days of torrential rainfall.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Meaningful sentence with 'overflow'
2 M
Q10
Moral Reasoning • Knowing the Full Method
Why is it dangerous to start using a powerful machine or magic before learning how to turn it off?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Step-by-Step Explanation:
• If you don't know how to stop a process, it can quickly spin out of control and cause destruction (like flooding a house or causing accidents).
• Always learn complete operating safety rules before starting any task.
• If you don't know how to stop a process, it can quickly spin out of control and cause destruction (like flooding a house or causing accidents).
• Always learn complete operating safety rules before starting any task.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Danger of spinning out of control explained
1 M
Importance of complete operating knowledge
1 M
Q11
Grammar • Action Words (Verbs)
Underline the verbs in the sentence: 'The hot porridge flowed out of the pot and spilled onto the road.'
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• The verbs (action words) are: flowed and spilled.
• The verbs (action words) are: flowed and spilled.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
flowed identified
1 M
spilled identified
1 M
Q12
Spelling Check • Magical Story
Fill in the missing letters: P _ R R _ D G _ (cooked cereal).
[1 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• P O R R I D G E = PORRIDGE.
• P O R R I D G E = PORRIDGE.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
PORRIDGE correct
1 M
Q13
Direct Speech • Mother's Plight
What did Tara's mother desperately yell at the boiling pot when it wouldn't stop?
[1 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answer:
• She yelled: 'Do not cook more, pot!', but the pot did not listen.
• She yelled: 'Do not cook more, pot!', but the pot did not listen.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
'Do not cook more, pot!' quoted
1 M
Q14
True or False
State True or False:
(a) Tara and her mother remained hungry forever.
(b) Tara's mother forgot the stopping magic words.
[2 Marks]
(a) Tara and her mother remained hungry forever.
(b) Tara's mother forgot the stopping magic words.
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answers:
(a) False. The magic pot ensured they never went hungry again.
(b) True. Mother forgot the exact command 'Stop, pot, stop!'.
(a) False. The magic pot ensured they never went hungry again.
(b) True. Mother forgot the exact command 'Stop, pot, stop!'.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
(a) False with reason
1 M
(b) True
1 M
Q15
Chapter Reflection
What timeless lesson does 'The Magic Porridge Pot' teach children?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Summary:
• A half-learned lesson is dangerous.
• Before we begin an action, we must ensure we understand how to bring it safely to an end.
• A half-learned lesson is dangerous.
• Before we begin an action, we must ensure we understand how to bring it safely to an end.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Dangers of incomplete knowledge summarized
2 M
🌟 NEP 2020 Competency-Based Case Study
The Magic Porridge Emergency in Village
Tara and her poor mother lived in a village hut. An old woman gifted Tara a magic pot that cooked sweet porridge on the command: 'Cook, pot, cook!' and stopped on: 'Stop, pot, stop!'. One afternoon while Tara was out playing, her hungry mother said: 'Cook, pot, cook!'. The pot cooked delicious porridge. After eating her fill, mother said: 'Do not cook more, pot!'. But the pot kept cooking! Porridge overflowed onto the floor, down the stairs, and into the streets. Villagers ran with bowls to eat porridge on the road until Tara arrived.
Analytical Task: What magic words started the pot? What mistake did mother make? What magic words finally stopped the porridge river?
Evaluation & Model Answer:
1. Starting words: 'Cook, pot, cook!'.
2. Mother's mistake: She forgot the exact magical command to stop the pot and shouted: 'Do not cook more, pot!', which the pot did not obey.
3. Stopping words: Tara arrived and shouted: 'Stop, pot, stop!', and the magic pot immediately ceased cooking.
2. Mother's mistake: She forgot the exact magical command to stop the pot and shouted: 'Do not cook more, pot!', which the pot did not obey.
3. Stopping words: Tara arrived and shouted: 'Stop, pot, stop!', and the magic pot immediately ceased cooking.
Rubric: 1 M for 'Cook, pot, cook!' + 1 M for mother's wrong words + 1 M for Tara's 'Stop, pot, stop!'