Don't Open The Box  by Caroline Picking & Edward Preston - 7 to 13 yrs - KS2  (2m 07s)

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Theme  -  Self control and associated issues - controlling destructive feelings

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Story  -  by Caroline Picking (approx. 8 mins)

Extract:  
Long ago, according to the story-tellers of ancient Greece, there lived a woman named Pandora. There had never been anyone more beautiful than she was. Her skin was as white and smooth as cream, her eyes were like pale blue crystals, and her long hair tumbled around her face in golden curls.Pandora had everything she could possibly want, including the love of a handsome man called Epimetheus, who had promised to marry her. Surely nothing could possibly go wrong. Or could it?

Pandora and Epimetheus were about to suffer because of something his brother had once done, which had angered the Greek gods. Mercury, the messenger of the Greek gods, brought a special box to the happy couple. He asked them to look after it for him, but there was one very important rule which he told them they must obey. He said: “Don’t open the box.”

Pandora gasped in wonder at the outside of the box. It was large, and very heavy, glittering with gold so bright it dazzled and hurt her eyes. On the lid were thousands of sparkling jewels: scarlet rubies the size of her fist, diamonds glistening in the sunlight and sapphires so blue they seemed to contain the sea itself!

How Pandora loved to touch the box, to stroke the lid and dream of the delights that might be inside it! She imagined herself dressed in beautiful clothes: silky robes and fine furs that might lie within the box. She pictured bracelets, earrings and necklaces, and wondered how heavy they would feel...

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Song  -  by Caroline Picking, Edward Preston & Ruth Kenward              

Using the metaphor of Pandora’s Box, this song makes a strong statement about keeping hatred, greed and anger under control - for everyone’s benefit!  Punchy, assertive and with a dramatic edge, this song is strengthening and empowering for children to sing.

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Reflection points  -  sample

1.  What do you think was the worst thing that escaped from the box?

2.  What was the good thing that Pandora and Epimetheus set free?  

3.  Our heads can be a bit like Pandora’s box! Sometimes we all feel and think bad things. If we let those things get out of control, and allow them to escape out of our heads, what kind of things can happen?

4.  How can we learn to be in charge of bad thoughts and feelings, and stop them from controlling us?

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This song has a partner story and complete assembly on the same theme.  You can find this in 'Assemblies Alive KS2', which also contains 14 other assemblies, songs and stories.