Ages 8 and up — 25 min read
A man, a cupboard, and the trouble with hiding things instead of facing them.
A parable about pride, hidden sin, and the difference between guarding the outside of our lives and tending what is actually inside. Read it with a child, or read it for yourself.
There once was a house with a very tall chimney and a very blue door. There lived in the house a man named Barnaby. Barnaby had inherited this house from his father, and it was a wonderful, sturdy gift.
Barnaby was a man who loved to cook. For him, a meal wasn’t just food; it was a way to be recognized by his friends. Because he loved to cook so much, he had spent years collecting the finest tools. He didn’t care much for fancy gadgets, but he adored his pots and pans.
He had a Copper Skillet that shone like a new penny, a Deep Blue Pot for bubbly stews, and a Tiny Silver Pan perfect for melting butter. They were his prized possessions. He kept all these favorites in one special place: a large wooden cupboard right above the kitchen sink. It was the heart of his home.
One sunny Tuesday, Barnaby decided to throw a grand feast. He pulled every single pot and pan out of the cupboard.
His friends laughed and ate until their bellies were full of roasted rosemary chicken and buttered carrots. “Barnaby!” they cried. “You are the chief of the Pots! No one uses those pots and pans as well as you do!” Barnaby beamed. He felt like the most important man in the world.
But after the friends left, the kitchen was a mountain of metal. Barnaby was tired. As he washed the last pan, he looked at the special cupboard. It had always been a tight fit, but tonight it looked smaller than usual.
He jammed the Deep Blue Pot in first. Then he shoved the Copper Skillet in sideways. He put his shoulder against the cupboard door and HEAVED with all his might. CREAK… SNAP! The latch clicked shut. “There,” he panted. “The door stays shut to keep the treasure safe.”
He turned to walk away, but before he reached the kitchen rug, he heard it. CLUNK. A heavy iron lid had slipped inside. SLIDE… THUMP. The Deep Blue Pot shifted, and the Tiny Silver Pan fell forward, leaning its full weight right against the wooden door.
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