Quill Soup

Quill Soup is a picture book for children aged 4 to 9 about Noko the porcupine, a tired and hungry traveller who comes to a village where no one will share their food, and the clever plan that ends with everyone sharing a feast.

Noko has been travelling through the Valley of a Thousand Hills and has not eaten for days. The animals of the village see him coming and hide in their homes. Warthog, Rabbit, Monkey, Aardvark, Meerkat and Pangolin all tell him they have no food to spare, but their sleek coats and round bellies tell him otherwise.

So Noko asks for a fire and a pot of water, and drops in three of his own quills to make quill soup, the soup, he says, that the king loves. Each time he tastes it, he wishes for one more thing, and one by one the villagers bring carrots, mealies, beans, peas, potatoes and spinach. Soon there is a thick, rich soup, with plenty for everyone. The villagers who turned him away now give him the best bed in the house, and they end the night singing, telling stories and dancing in the moonlight.

The story shows children how sharing turns strangers into friends, and how, when everyone gives a little, there is enough for all. Noko's story about the king is a trick, and worth talking about. It is written by Alan Durant, illustrated by Dale Blankenaar and published by Tiny Owl. It takes about seven minutes to read aloud and is music-free.

A hungry traveller

Noko the porcupine was hungry and tired. He had been travelling through the Valley of a Thousand Hills and had not eaten for days. When he saw a small village ahead, his spirits lifted. Food and shelter at last, he thought.

In the village, the animals caught sight of him. "There's a stranger coming!" squeaked Monkey. "Quick, run to your homes!" shouted Meerkat.

When Noko trudged into the village, it was silent and empty. "Hello, friends," he called, but no one replied.

No food to spare

He tapped on the first door. Warthog answered, and Noko told her he had travelled a long way and was very hungry. Did she have anything he could eat? Warthog shook her big head. She was sorry, she said, but she had eaten a big lunch and all her food was gone.

At the next house, Rabbit said his greedy brother had come to visit and eaten all his food. Monkey grumbled that they were poor villagers with no food to spare. Noko went to Aardvark's house, Meerkat's house and Pangolin's house, but each time he came away hungry. None of them, they said, had any food.

By now Noko was very tired and very hungry indeed, but his brain was as sharp as the quills on his back. He could see from the villagers' sleek coats and round bellies that they were lying. They had food. But how was he going to get some? He sat and thought, and after a while he came up with a plan.

Soup fit for a king

Noko asked the villagers if he might have a little fire and a large pot of water. They could not refuse him that. He put the pot on to boil and sighed that it seemed he would have to make his own food. He would make quill soup. He plucked three quills from his back and dropped them into the pot.

"But surely the quills are too hard and sharp to eat," said Warthog.

"Wait and see," said Noko. "Soon they will soften and give up their flavour to make a delicious soup." He dipped in his paw, licked it and nodded. "Mmm, tasty. Just how His Majesty likes it."

"You've met the king?" squeaked Meerkat.

"Many times," said Noko casually. "I always make him quill soup. He loves it."

He tasted the soup again. "If only I had some carrots," he said sadly. Rabbit's ears shot up. He wanted to taste quill soup fit for a king, so he blurted out that his greedy brother might have left a carrot or two, and hopped away to fetch them.

Noko added the carrots and tasted again. "Lovely," he announced. "Of course, the king likes mealies in his quill soup." Meerkat squealed that she had mealies and ran off to find them.

Every time Noko tasted the soup, something else was needed: beans, peas, potatoes, spinach. In moments they all appeared. The soup grew thick and rich. "Perfect," Noko declared, and then wondered whether anyone had a few worms. Pangolin did.

Plenty to share

Noko told the villagers to fetch their bowls. "There's plenty of soup to share," he said. And share they did. They drank bowl after bowl of the delicious soup in the firelight until the big pot was empty.

Noko sat back, looked up at the stars and yawned. He asked if they might have a hole where he could sleep.

"A hole?" cried Monkey. "For our friend who has cooked delicious quill soup for the king?"

"And who is generous enough to share it with strangers," said Aardvark.

"No, my friend," said Monkey. "You, Noko, shall have the very best bed in my house."

"You're too kind," said Noko with a smile. Before they went to bed, Noko and the villagers sang together, shared stories and danced in the moonlight. And later, with a full tummy and a happy heart, Noko the traveller went to sleep at last.