Spouted Pot Teacup Travels

Here they come,

my two intrepid explorers.

Charlotte and Lokesh.

I'm their Great-Aunt Lizzie, you see.

-And I wonder which one is coming to see me today.

-Your turn.

Ah, so it's Lokesh.

-Hello, Lokesh.

-Hello, Great-Aunt Lizzie.

Once upon a time, I travelled the world,

discovering treasures from long ago and far away

and no end of stories to remind me.

But my most precious possession of all

is my extraordinary collection of teacups.

Here we are.

No time to count the clouds.

Let's have a nice cup of tea and a story.

But first we need the teacup.

But which one?

That one.

Ah.

The spouted pot.

What an excellent tea-time choice, Lokesh.

This story is about a young woman

who wanted to make her special tea party absolutely perfect.

Like you do, with a teapot and teacups?

I suppose I do.

-Are you ready?

-Ready.

Then let me tell you the story of Lokesh

and the adventure of the spouted pot.

This story begins in Japan,

which is famous for the magnificent snow-topped Mount Fuji,

where glassy lakes reflected the wondrous colours of the maple trees,

dazzling in the autumn sunshine.

It was in the middle of one of these colourful forests

that Lokesh arrived, one beautiful, bright morning.

He came to a clearing

and saw a young woman holding a mat and looking about her.

Maybe here's too shady.

Maybe here's better,

in the dappled sunlight.

Oh, I don't know.

Excuse me...

..maybe I can help you choose?

This place is nice.

Thank you, but nice isn't good enough.

It has to be perfect for the chakai.

A tea ceremony?

Excellent.

It has to be done in a calm way, almost like meditation.

This afternoon,

I have invited my mother-in-law to join me and my husband for it.

What about...here, then?

Half in the sun, half in the shade.

Yes, that is perfect.

Good.

Now, I need to lay everything out.

Would you pass me the boxes?

That would be very helpful.

I am so worried about today.

I need to give a good impression.

My husband's family are Samurai.

Uh-oh, you wouldn't want to upset them!

You are so right.

I just want to show them I can do this perfectly and calmly.

Whoops!

Oh, no!

What if my mother-in-law tripped on the tatami?

That would be a disaster.

We could use stones to weigh down the corners -

then they won't curl up.

That's a good idea.

Won't be a minute.

It didn't take Lokesh long to find some stones.

I had no idea you needed all these things.

And it is important to be calm and set them up in the correct order.

This was the chakai - the famous tea ceremony.

Shall I help you?

That's kind, but I must do it as part of the ceremony.

That tree looks like it's growing out of a rock.

Please, the tea ceremony must be done without

any unnecessary words or movement.

We need to be quiet and contemplate.

Oh, I see. I'll sit still and be quiet, then.

Thank you.

Lokesh concentrated on sitting still.

-(Your hand.)

-Oh.

(Sorry.)

The last thing he needed was an itch!

Oh, dear.

Sorry, itchy nose.

So Lokesh did his very, very best to stay still and quiet.

SHE GASPS

Oh, no!

I didn't move.

No, I have forgotten my spouted pot.

I must have left it at home.

Oh, no.

It's a very unusual spouted pot that I use for hot water.

My father gave it to me and it's very precious.

I can't do the tea ceremony without it.

Maybe I can go and get it for you?

But it's miles away!

It was an awfully long way over the mountain

and even further to Sakiko's house in the city.

It was barely past lunchtime, and goodness, had it got tricky.

Lovely dancing, Lokesh.

-It's much easier than keeping still and quiet for the ceremony.

-I know.

When someone tells you to sit still, all you want to do is jump about.

-I can't do things so slowly and silently.

-It's good to try.

Don't forget, you manage to sit with me and listen to the story.

That's true. I do, don't I?

Being calm and still is a very important part of the ceremony.

Just as important as the tatami that Lokesh helped put down.

-And maybe as important as the spouted pot.

-Exactly.

So what happened next?

Lokesh couldn't give up without getting

the spouted pot, now, could he?

Off went Lokesh, in his hat, bag and boots.

Through the maple forests...

..up the mountainside...

..until, when he was almost out of breath...

..the path ran out!

There was only one way to get to the other side.

Lokesh took a deep breath.

At last, Lokesh could see the magnificent city of Tokyo

spread across the great plain.

But there was no time to stand and stare.

Lokesh was on a mission to get that spouted pot.

He made his way to Sakiko's house.

The spouted pot should have been on the table.

He searched and searched and it was nowhere to be seen.

Lokesh was about to give up

when he heard whistling coming from the garden.

Whoa! Hello.

Hello. I'm Lokesh, a friend of Sakiko's.

Pleased to meet you. I am Sakiko's father.

I had just come to visit her, but she's not here.

She's having a tea ceremony with her mother-in-law,

-in the maple forest.

-I forgot that was today.

She forgot her spouted pot.

She said she left it on the table, but I can't find it anywhere and...

This one, you mean?

I know Sakiko loves to use it to hold hot water for the tea ceremony.

But I tease her.

I use it for watering plants

even though it makes steam coming out of her ears!

HE WHISTLES

Well, anyway, you have to admit it is shaped like a watering can.

Lokesh looked at the funny-shaped stone-coloured pot,

all decorated with little flowers.

It was indeed the shape of a watering can.

It's very pretty.

-I gave it to her.

-She told me, and she said it was very precious.

I'm very pleased she likes it.

-Well, you'd better take it straightaway.

-Thanks.

Bye.

Back came Lokesh...

..down the mountain...

..and through the maple forest.

This is my friend, Lokesh.

-Please join us.

-Thank you.

(I got the spouted pot.)

-(Thank you!)

-And I met your dad.

He was watering plants with it.

Oh, he's always doing that to tease me.

Is everything all right now, Sakiko?

Everything's all right.

How lovely!

What an exquisite little pot.

Sakiko turned the cup twice in her hand and took a sip of tea.

Everybody was so serious.

When it was Lokesh's turn, he concentrated his hardest,

took the cup and did exactly as he'd seen Sakiko do.

What a charming, polite young fellow, Sakiko.

You two have made this tea ceremony quite perfect.

May I?

CAMERA CLICKS

So, that was that -

the story of Lokesh and the spouted pot.

-I like the way they were calm and peaceful in the ceremony.

-So do I.

Sometimes things can get a little frenetic.

It's good to take a moment to stop and contemplate.

We do it at school sometimes.

How nice.

Oh, no time to relax now.

We have to get ready to get you home.

Oh, how did that get there?

Home time now, Lokesh.

-Thanks, Great-Aunt Lizzie.

-Cheery-bye, Lokesh.

-Bye.