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"Rather than reveal the true source of his power, he pretended that his potions, charms, and antidotes sprang ready-made from the little cauldron he called his lucky cooking pot."
— The wizard's father[src]

The Hopping Pot was a pot, specifically a hopping cauldron, that was owned by a wizard and later his son. It was originally used to brew potions and antidotes for Muggles when they needed the wizard's father's help. However, when he died, it was passed onto to the anti-Muggle son, in hope that it would teach him a lesson by giving him a taste of the Muggles' misery. In the end, the pot finally made the son's conscience awaken, and the son agreed to use his magic to help his Muggle neighbours.[1]

History[]

Helping Muggle neighbours[]

"From miles people came to him with their troubles, and the wizard was pleased to give his pot a stir and put things right."
— The wizard's father[src]

A wizard used the pot to brew potion and antidotes for Muggles when they needed his help. He did not reveal the source of his magic and pretended that his potions, charms, and antidotes sprang ready-made from the little cauldron he would have called his lucky cooking pot.[1]

The wizard's death[]

"Your father used to mix a special poultice in that old cooking pot-"
— The Hopping Pot[src]

After its owner's death, one of the things the wizard left his son was the pot. Soon, the son found the pot and a single slipper inside it, together with a note from his father that reads, "In the fond hope, my son, that you will never need this". Bitter for having been left nothing but a pot, he resolved to henceforth use it as a rubbish pail and the son decides to close the door on every person who asks for his help.[1]

The son's lesson[]

The Wizard and the Hopping Pot 2

The Son and the Hopping pot

"...gradually the cooking pot beside him stopped groaning and retching, and became quiet, shiny and clean"
— The Hopping Pot[src]

The first one seeking help was an old woman whose granddaughter was plagued with warts; the son closed the door on her, so the pot has grew a foot and was afflicted with a case of warts. The next one seeking help was an old man, whose donkey was lost and so could not bring her to the market, meaning that his family would go hungry until she was found.[1]

The son slammed the door on him too, and the pot started making sounds like a donkey. A few more similar incidents took place as the pot became more and more affected by the wizard's neighbours' various ailments, until the son finally gave up and called all the neighbours to offer them help. As the people's troubles faded away, the pot emptied, until at last out popped the mysterious slipper — one that fitted perfectly the foot of the now-quiet pot, and together the two walked off into the sunset.[1]

Powers[]

The Wizard and the Hopping Pot

The Wizard and the Hopping Pot

"Within a few days, it was not only braying and groaning and slopping and hopping and sprouting warts, it was also chocking and retching, crying like a baby, whining like a dog, and spewing out bad cheese and sour milk and a plague of hungry slugs."
— The Hopping Pot's powers[src]

The hopping pot was able to brew complicated potions and antidotes, showing that it had the powers of a cauldron. It was also able to hide the source of the owner's magic from Muggles. The pot was able to sprout a brass foot and to copy the Muggle neighbours' illnesses, as it had sprouted warts, filled itself to the brim with salt water, bad cheese, sour milk and a plague of hungry slugs without the help of another wizard at the time.[1]

Description[]

"...he saw his father's old cooking pot: it had sprouted a singe foot of brass, in the middle of the floor, making a fearful noise upon the flagstones."
— The Hopping Pot[src]

When the wizard's son began to refuse to help any of his neighbours, it sprouted a rather noisy brass foot. It began to be affiliated with the neighbours' ailments, it sprouted warts, and began to fill to its brim with salt water, bad cheese, sour milk and a plague of hungry slugs. However, when the wizard cured all his neighbours of their illnesses, it became shining clean. It also spat out a single slipper and fitted it on its brass foot.[1]

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 The Tales of Beedle the Bard, "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot"
The Tales of Beedle the Bard
By Beedle the Bard
Tales of Beedle the Bard
Stories

Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump · The Fountain of Fair Fortune · The Warlock's Hairy Heart · The Tale of the Three Brothers · The Wizard and the Hopping Pot

Characters

Altheda · Amata · Amata's lover · Antioch Peverell · Antioch Peverell's enemy · Antioch Peverell's killer · Asha · Babbitty · Brigade of Witch-Hunters · Cadmus Peverell · Cadmus Peverell's fiancée · Captain of the Brigade of Witch-Hunters · Charlatan · Death · Evil sorcerer · Gigantic white worm · Ignotus Peverell · Ignotus Peverell's son · King · Maiden · Maiden's kinsfolk · Old man · Old man's donkey · Old man's family · Peasant woman · Peasant woman's granddaughter · Sabre · Sir Luckless · Warlock · Warlock's family · Warlock's friends · Wizard · Wizard's father · Young woman · Young woman's child

Objects

Altheda's potion · Altheda's wand · Cloak of Invisibility · Creepers · Crystal casket · Elder Wand · Fountain · Gold statue of Babbitty · Hairy Heart · The Hopping Pot · Poisonous toadstool · Poultice for warts · Resurrection Stone · Silver chalice

Locations

Altheda's home · Cadmus Peverell's house · Enchanted garden · Lonely, winding road · Never-ending hill · River

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