Short Stories » When Adversity Knocks

When Adversity Knocks

Mary was a young girl. She used to get annoyed with everything. She had a negative attitude towards life.

Once, when she felt that life was unbearable, she asked her father what to do. She told him that if she was able to manage and solve one problem, another one followed quickly.

Her father consoled her and took her to the kitchen. He asked Mary to take a potato, an egg and two spoons of tea leaves. Mary was surprised, and asked her father, “Do you want me to cook?”

“No,” her father said.

He then took three vessels and poured one cup of water in each vessel. The vessels were placed on the stove. Once the water started to boil, he dropped the potato in a vessel, egg in the second one and the tea leaves in the third one.

“Why are you doing all these things?” Mary asked, really annoyed with her father.

“Just wait fifteen minutes,” said her father.

The impatient daughter managed to wait for around 15 minutes.

Father removed the potato from the pot and placed in a plate. He did the same with the eggs. He filtered the tea decoction using a cup.

Now, he placed the two plates, one with the potato and the other with the egg, and the cup of tea in front of Mary.

He asked Mary, “What do you see?”

“Potato, egg and a cup of tea,” said Mary.

“No, you are wrong,” said her father. “Look at it closely and answer me.”

Mary replied the same.

“Now touch it and answer me.”

The potato was cooked and was soft, the egg was boiled hard, and the tea carried a nice aroma.

Mary couldn’t find the correct answer.

Her father said, “The potato was so hard and strong before it was boiled; now it has turned soft and smooth. Also, the egg was delicate but after boiling it became hard. Sip the tea. It is delicious!”

Mary asked, “What does it mean father? I don’t understand!”

“Each object responded differently to water. Each object was put under the same kind of circumstances, faced similar adversities, but reacted differently. The potato, when put in boiling water, became very weak. The soft egg became very hard when we put it in boiling water. And the tea leaves are unique. It changed the water itself, giving it a unique flavour and aroma! It gave something new.”

Mary understood that we can create something new and unique even when we experience adversities.

So, what are you? A potato, an egg, or a tea leaf?

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When Adversity Knocks - Takeaway for Class 1,2,3

When life gets tough, just like the carrot, egg, and coffee bean, you can choose how to respond and become stronger and better.

When Adversity Knocks - Takeaway for Class 4,5,6

When life gets tough like the boiling water in the story, try to be like the coffee bean that changes the water itself and turns it into something new and better.

When Adversity Knocks - Takeaway for Class 7,8,9

When facing challenges, remember that how you respond can change the outcome, just like a carrot, an egg, or coffee beans when boiled in water.

3 Fun Facts

• The story uses the analogy of potatoes, eggs, and coffee beans to show how different people react to adversity.
• Potatoes, though initially strong, become soft when boiled, symbolizing people who may appear tough but become weak in difficult situations.
• Coffee beans transform water into delicious coffee when boiled, representing individuals who thrive and create positive outcomes from challenges.

Quiz for Class 1,2,3

• What are the three pots in the story filled with, and what happens to them when they are placed on the stove?
• How does the young girl feel when she first faces a problem, and what advice does her mother give her?
• What lesson does the young girl learn about facing challenges and difficulties by the end of the story?

Quiz for Class 4,5,6

• What did the young woman complain about to her father in the story?
• How did the father demonstrate the idea of changing the situation by using carrots, eggs, and coffee beans?
• What lesson did the young woman learn from her father’s explanation using the three different items?

Quiz for Class 7,8,9

• How does the young girl in the story feel when she first encounters problems and challenges in her life?
• What metaphor does the girl's father use to teach her about dealing with adversity, and how does he use it to illustrate his point?
• After the father finishes his explanation about the boiling water and different food items, how does the girl's perspective on her problems change?