ubbling C
B a
d
uld
A Goo
The best market stall
was full of bubbling
ron Sage was cross. Her spells
cauldrons. A tricky tinker
was keen to sell his
pots. He showed Sage a
new bubbling cauldron
that could bubble on an
unlit stove.
Sage gave away her old
cauldron to get it but it was
no good! It could bubble
well but then green and
yellow smoke would seep
from the pot!
had always bubbled in
her old pot but this new
one was rubbish! It made
horrid, smelly bubbles!
No spells worked! She had
to take it back!
Sage went back to the
market but it was gone
and so was the tricky
tinker! Tears fell on her
cheeks. How could she
be a good witch with no
bubbling cauldron?
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 A Good
Bubbling Cauldron
Questions
1. What was the best market stall full of? Tick one.
old cauldrons
dull cauldrons
bubbling cauldrons

2. How does the yellow and green smoke come out of the pot? Tick one.
it seeps from the pot
it leaks from the pot
it pours from the pot

3. Who wanted to sell pots?

a market trader
a tricky tinker
a pot seller

4. Which of these sentences is true? Tick one. 

Sage felt afraid.
Sage felt happy.
Sage felt cross.

5. What was wrong with the bubbles that the new bubbling cauldron made?
they were horrid and green
they were horrid and smelly
they were horrid and yellow

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 A Good
Bubbling Cauldron
Answers
1. What was the best market stall full of? Tick one.
old cauldrons
dull cauldrons
bubbling cauldrons

2. How does the yellow and green smoke come out of the pot? Tick one.
it seeps from the pot
it leaks from the pot
it pours from the pot

3. Who wanted to sell pots?

a market trader
a tricky tinker
a pot seller

4. Which of these sentences is true? Tick one. 

Sage felt afraid.
Sage felt happy.
Sage felt cross.

5. What was wrong with the bubbles that the new bubbling cauldron made?
they were horrid and green
they were horrid and smelly
they were horrid and yellow

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 ubbling C
B a
d

uld
A Goo

The market was noisy

and full of people. It was
ron Sage began casting spells
a busy place with so at home. The new
many things to buy. One cauldron began to boil
stall was hard to pass and bubble as promised.
without a little peek. Then swirls of horrid
It was full of bubbling green and yellow smoke
cauldrons in all shapes seeped from the pot. The
and sizes. smell was awful. Sage ran
into her garden to escape.
A tricky tinker showed Sage
a charming new cauldron.
She was amazed as it even She was cross and
bubbled on an unlit stove! scratched her head!
She was keen to have
it so traded in her old,
dull cauldron. “What is wrong with
this silly cauldron?”

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 A Good Bubbling Cauldron

Sage’s perfect potions had

always bubbled away happily
in her old pot but this new
cauldron was rubbish! It was
a bubbling cauldron but the
only bubbles it made were
ugly and foul smelling!

No spells worked!
She changed the
ingredients.
She changed
the spells.
Then… she changed
her mind!
Sage went back to find
She would take
the tricky tinker but
the bubbling
the market square was
cauldron back!
empty, dusty and bare.
Tears fell on her cheeks.
How could she be a
witch without a good
bubbling cauldron?

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Page 2 of 2
 A Good
Bubbling Cauldron
Questions
1. What word is used to describe the tinker? Tick one.
terrible
tall
tricky
talented

2. Circle one word that means the same as ‘loud’. 

The market was noisy and full of people.

3. Number the events from 1-3 to show the order they happened in.
She was keen to have it so traded in her old, dull cauldron.

She was cross and scratched her head!

It was a busy place with so many things to buy.

4. Why was Sage amazed by the charming, new cauldron?

5. Fill in the missing word.

Then swirls of green and yellow smoke seeped
from the pot.

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 A Good
Bubbling Cauldron
Answers
1. What word is used to describe the tinker? Tick one.
terrible
tall
tricky
talented

2. Circle one word that means the same as ‘loud’. 

The market was noisy and full of people.
Award 1 mark for:
• noisy

3. Number the events from 1-3 to show the order they happened in.
2 She was keen to have it so traded in her old, dull cauldron.

3 She was cross and scratched her head!

1 It was a busy place with so many things to buy.

4. Why was Sage amazed by the charming, new cauldron?

Sage was amazed by the charming new cauldron because it bubbled on
an unlit stove.

5. Fill in the missing word.

Then swirls of horrid green and yellow smoke seeped from the pot.

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 ubblingC
B a
d

uld
A Goo

ron
Sage’s eyes popped as she
“Spices, spell books!” was tempted inside. There
“Pots, pans and potions!” she discovered a
An array of voices rang charming new cauldron and
through the perfumed was amazed when the tricky
air at the market. It was tinker showed how well it
such a delightful place bubbled. It even worked on
with many choices of an unlit stove! She was
unusual things to buy. eager to have it and quickly
traded her old, dull cauldron
The tinker’s stall was for the shiny new one.
difficult to resist. It was
bursting with rows
of sparkly pots and Sage began making her
bubbling cauldrons in concoctions as soon as
all shapes and sizes. A she was home. The new
magical cloud of golden cauldron began to boil and
dust attracted bubble wildly as promised.
witches Then swirls of green, blue
and and ghastly yellow-coloured
wizards smoke poured from the pot.
from every The stench was unbearable
direction. as Sage tumbled through the
door into her garden to
escape the fumes.

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She scratched her head
in dismay!
“What is wrong with this
ridiculous cauldron?”
she thought.
Sage was the best potion
maker in the kingdom but
something was wrong. Her
plain, old cauldron had never
let her down. Her potions had
always bubbled away happily
in the ancient pot but this
new cauldron was a disaster!
It was indeed a bubbling
cauldron but it only made
ugly, foul-smelling bubbles!
No spells worked!
She changed the ingredients.
She changed the spells.
Then… she changed
her mind!
Page 2 of 2
A Good Bubbling Cauldron
She would take the useless
bubbling cauldron back!
Sage returned to the
marketplace to find the
tricky tinker but the square
was empty. There were no
colourful sights or sounds
ringing in the air. It was
dusty and deserted.
Sage sank down to the floor
in disbelief. A lone tear
trickled down her cheek.
A witch without a good
bubbling cauldron was
not a witch at all. What
would she do?
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 A Good
Bubbling Cauldron
Questions
1. What word is used to describe the air at the market?
smelly
perfumed
spicy
sweet
2. Number the events from 1-4 to show the order in which they happen in
the text. The first one has been done for you.

She scratched her head in dismay!

She was eager to have it and quickly traded her old, dull cauldron for
the shiny new one.
1 The tinker’s stall was difficult to resist.
Sage’s eyes popped as she was tempted inside.

3. Fill in the missing word.

Sage was the best potion maker in the but something
was wrong.

4. What sort of bubbles did Sage’s new cauldron make?




5. Look at the fourth paragraph. Find and copy one word which means the
same as ‘horrible’ or ‘unpleasant’.

6. What do you think Sage might do next?





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 A Good
Bubbling Cauldron
Answers
1. What word is used to describe the air at the market?
smelly
perfumed
spicy
sweet
2. Number the events from 1-4 to show the order in which they happen in
the text. The first one has been done for you.

4 She scratched her head in dismay!

3 She was eager to have it and quickly traded her old, dull cauldron for
the shiny new one.
1 The tinker’s stall was difficult to resist.
2 Sage’s eyes popped as she was tempted inside.

3. Fill in the missing word.

Sage was the best potion maker in the kingdom but something
was wrong.

4. What sort of bubbles did Sage’s new cauldron make?

Sage’s new cauldron made ugly, foul-smelling bubbles.

5. Look at the fourth paragraph. Find and copy one word which means the
same as ‘horrible’ or ‘unpleasant’.
ghastly

6. What do you think Sage might do next?

Pupils’ own responses, such as: Sage needs a good bubbling cauldron
so I think Sage will set off on a quest to find the tricky tinker. Then
she can get rid of her new, useless cauldron and claim her old, dull
one back.

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