The Egg’s Journey 🥚

Based on the poetry of: Hadi Khorsandi
Adapted by: Fereydoun Kian

CHAPTER ONE:
Job Opportunities 🍳

One bright morning, a little egg rolled up to a trendy restaurant for a very important job interview. After all, the best place for an egg to be is in a hip kitchen, where it can truly shine! 🌟

Before stepping inside, the egg paused to check out the outside menu. Oh, what delightful dishes! Everything that had eggs in it sounded so delicious that the little egg nearly wobbled with Egg-citement. 🤩

“Maybe I could be part of a fluffy omelet! Or a sunny-side-up breakfast! Or perhaps an over-easy delight! And since I like to Egg-cersize in rolling back and forth, maybe I could even become an eggroll!” 🍳🥢

Down the menu, more opportunities:

Right there, he wanted to dance. Still, this restaurant offered so many more opportunities. The street menu showed many cakes and pies 🍰, and so, for a fresh egg, the sky was the limit. By now, its yoke had swelled with hope. The egg wanted to be an egg-exemplary fellow—not just for itself, but for eggs everywhere. Most of all, it tried to make Mama proud. 💪

With determination, the egg entered the restaurant, its application form neatly filled out, a photo tucked under its shell—because first impressions matter! 📸

He had his resume too. He was Egg-cited 📝

CHAPTER TWO:
The Hard-Boiled Interview 🍳

Inside the bustling kitchen, the head chef, wearing a tall white hat, pulled out the job description. He cleared his throat and began the interview.

“First things first—tell me about yourself. What nest did you come from? When did your mother drop you off? Did you land on a soft, cozy spot or take a rough tumble on a rock? And tell me—have you been around the kitchen before?”

The egg gulped but stood tall (well, as tall as an egg could). 🐣

“What’s your experience with the frying pan? Have you ever sizzled in butter? How well do you get along with tomatoes, green peppers, and onions? And what about salt and pepper—do they bring out your best flavor?” 🌶️🧂

The egg nodded eagerly. It had always been friendly with seasonings.

“Any allergies to cheese or garlic?” the chef asked, scribbling notes. 🧄🧀

“Not at all!” the egg replied proudly.

The chef looked up, eyes twinkling. “Now, let’s get serious. Have you ever been whipped, stirred, or scrambled? Have you been out of the farm for the last ten years? Have you been on the stovetop before? And when the heat rises, do you stay cool, or do you turn yellow and red?” 🔥🍳

The egg thought carefully. It had never been scrambled but had been gently stirred. It had never been on a stovetop, but it was eager to learn. And when things got hot? Well, it would transform into something even better! 🌟

The chef tapped his chin. “One last thing—have you ever bubbled in oil? Have you ever drummed and sizzled?” 🍽️🔥

The egg hesitated, then grinned. “Not yet, but I’m ready to!” 😄

The egg listened to the chef’s questions in horror. Its yolk nearly turned white with fear. This was not the friendly welcome it had imagined.

And yet, the chef wasn’t finished.

“Do you have a professional CV or résumé?” he asked, tapping his pen. “How about recent experience? Because if you don’t have any, we can’t take you—even if you’re a genius!”

The poor little egg shivered. It had never been this nervous before. 😨

“Your requirements are too high!” the egg finally blurted. “My mom just dropped me off! I’m fresh, with zero mileage—ready to roll!”

The chef raised an eyebrow, but the egg wasn’t done.

“Everyone starts somewhere. Every sun rises at some place! If I can’t find a job, how can I ever get experience? If there’s no shell, how can we ever find a pearl? If a bee doesn’t see any flowers, how can it make sweet, golden honey?” 🐝🍯

The kitchen fell silent. Even the pots and pans seemed to pause in thought.

But then, the chef sighed and shook his head.

“Our time is up, young eggy. I admire your ambition. You seem like a nice fella, but maybe try starting in a fast-food joint first. That’s usually a good step for freshmen like you.”

He seemed Eggsusted himself and ended the interview: “Thank you for being here on time and… à la carte. We’ll keep your application on file for six months—if that’s okay.”

CHAPTER THREE
Our Hero Goes Back Home 🏡

The little egg swallowed its disappointment and nodded.

Then, with a heavy heart, it rolled softly out of the kitchen, its yolk beating slower than before.

It rolled all the way home, back to the warmth of its mother’s nest. 🐣

“Mom,” it whispered, nestling close. “Turn me into a chicken. Let me join the farmyard chicks, because there’s no job for an egg—not with the way the economy rolls!”

But Mama Chicken sighed and shook her head. 🐔

“Baby, you are too late,” she said gently. “You’ve been out in the cold for too long. When you left, I told you to stay, because the world is a tough place for an egg. But you had big dreams—you wanted to be an omelet, a cookie, or a cake. You didn’t want to be a chick. So tell me, what happened to the job?”

The little egg’s eyes welled up with tears.

“Oh, Mama,” it sniffled, “My dream was too small when I left home, but I saw hundreds of opportunities lined up for any egg, but the chef humiliated me. Everybody wanted experience, and my application was rejected.”

The egg’s voice trembled.

“And now, even turning into a chicken is no longer an option! What will happen to me now? I don’t belong in the nest, and I don’t belong in the kitchen. I was driven away from there, and I have no place here. I feel useless, cold… all my chances are gone. What should I do?”

Mama Chicken tucked the little egg close and spoke softly.

“Oh, my dear one, don’t despair. Remember the old saying—where a window is shut, a door will open. Spring is coming, and with it, new life begins. You may have lost some chances, but the world hasn’t ended. Be patient. A new season always brings new beginnings.” 🌸🌱

So the little egg sat and waited, hopeful that spring would bring a fresh start. 🌞

CHAPTER FOUR
A New Beginning 🌷

Finally, on March 20th, spring arrived. 🌼

The Persian New Year filled homes with joy. Everywhere, tables were covered with colorful decorations—candies, cookies, ice cream, and cakes. But there was one thing people needed most—eggs!

Eggs to decorate.
Eggs to color.
Eggs to brighten the world with happiness. 🎨

And Then Came Easter:

And so, children gathered eggs from all over and placed them in beautiful baskets nestled in fluffy green grass. 🐰🥚

And at the very top of one of these baskets sat our little egg—no longer plain, no longer lost.

It was now pink, yellow, blue, and green, shimmering under the spring sunlight. 🌞

It was happy.
It was proud.
It was exactly where it was meant to be.

And in that moment, it remembered its mother’s soothing words:

“There’s always a place in the world for you. Opportunities are everywhere—you just have to find the one that’s right for you. Out of darkness comes the morning light. The earth is round, just like you, and it will always turn. Soon, the sun will shine on you again.” 🌞🌍

Activity for Children 🎨

Can you name these egg dishes?

Let children match names to pictures of each dish, or talk about how they’re made!