00:05The Secret Ingredient
00:07Once upon a time, there was a small village nestled in the...
00:11Hey, I'm...
00:13I mean, look at all the villagers.
00:15Hardworking, happy, and...
00:17Hold on, I said...
00:20And the view, the hills, the meadows, it's...
00:23Hey, this is my story.
00:27Spotlights on me.
00:28Ha, ha, ha, ha, all right.
00:32Now, in this village lived Megan, a teen with mega problems.
00:37They're called dreams.
00:39You see, Megan and her mother, Clara, lived a humble life, but Megan hated it.
00:45Hmm, oh, to be rich, beautiful gowns, dancing at parties, and eating Turkish delight every...
00:54I made you breakfast.
00:57Mom, I want something exquisite.
01:00Why didn't you get me anything from the market?
01:03I was out in the fields.
01:05And by the time I reached the market, the produce from the town's stall was over.
01:11The town, which was a little away, sold exotic fruits, sweets, and clothes.
01:17Twice a week, they'd come down to the village and sell their produce.
01:22Well, why didn't you go sooner?
01:24Megan, field work is hard.
01:28Maybe if you helped me in the field or gone to the market yourself.
01:31Me, in the fields and market?
01:35Megan refused to work or help her mom.
01:37She would simply sit and grumble about her life.
01:40You know, one day, you'll see that a humble life is quite nice.
01:45Now, Megan's mother had a friend who stayed in the town.
01:49She was a rich lady who often asked Clara to visit her.
01:54So, one day, being unable to bear Megan's incessant grumbling, she decided to send her to her friend's place.
02:05I'm so excited.
02:07Don't get too caught up in the city's richness, okay?
02:11Megan traveled to the town and after a while, came upon the lady's home.
02:19Oh, my goodness.
02:23The lady of the mansion welcomed Megan warmly.
02:26Her name was Darla.
02:28Megan thoroughly enjoyed the rich lifestyle.
02:31She'd wake up to scrumptious breakfasts, sometimes in bed.
02:36She'd go for carriage rides out in the meadows and have picnics near the streams with Darla.
02:42Hmm.
02:43And in the evenings, she danced under the stars that mirrored the jewels on her dress.
02:49Having fun, Megan?
02:51So much.
02:53Compared to this, my life is so boring.
02:57Mom should stay here, too.
02:59While your mother's preferred the humble life, I admire her for that.
03:04Admire her?
03:05For working in the field?
03:07Megan, there's dignity in every kind of work.
03:10As long as it's honest and filled with love.
03:17A week went by, and Megan had to return home.
03:21She was annoyed at saying goodbye.
03:24When she returned, she saw the villagers in their plain clothes and humble homes,
03:31amongst which was her mother.
03:36I can't do this.
03:37I need to go back.
03:42In disgust, she returned to the town.
03:48Megan?
03:49Did something happen?
03:50No, no.
03:52Nothing's wrong.
03:53Uh, well, Mom's supposed to go out for some work for some days, and I, uh, I mean, she was
04:03hoping you'd let me stay a little longer?
04:07Oh, of course, Megan.
04:09Megan had lied to Darla, and she wrote her mother a letter stating that Darla insisted she stay longer.
04:15Oh, dear.
04:17Well, I suppose a few more days is all right.
04:20And so, guarded by her lies, Megan stayed in Darla's home.
04:25But the days went by, and Darla received a letter from Clara, asking about her daughter.
04:32Megan, your mother seems to have returned from her work.
04:35She's asking about you.
04:37And so, to Megan's annoyance, she had to return.
04:41Darla had given her something tasty to share with Clara.
04:46Hmm, bread.
04:49However, the carriage had to stop halfway, due to a mucky path.
04:57Ah, what a terrible day.
05:00I don't want to ruin my new shoes.
05:03Hmm, oh, the bread.
05:06Megan decided to cover her shoes with the bread.
05:09It's just bread.
05:11No sooner.
05:12She had taken two steps.
05:14Then she slipped right through the mucky ground.
05:21Wha-where am I?
05:23Eww!
05:25She had fallen deep underground, into the Marsh Queen's territory.
05:30Who is this?
05:33Megan looked with shock at the huge goblin standing above her.
05:37It was the Marsh Queen, Slapessa.
05:40I-I-um-m-m-m-Megan.
05:46That's a unique name for a muck goblin.
05:50I'm a human.
05:51Just then, another goblin came scurrying to Slapessa, carrying Megan's basket.
05:58Ooh, the special roseberry crumble bread.
06:03With the rose petals, too.
06:06Mmm.
06:07Mmm.
06:08But, I still smell more.
06:12That's because they're on my feet.
06:15Why are they on your feet?
06:17I needed to protect my pretty shoes from the mucky path.
06:21Slapessa was shocked.
06:22She loved that particular bread and asked her goblins to buy it for her every day.
06:27You call yourself human, but you're an evil creature.
06:32Just for stepping on bread?
06:35You're stepping on a million people's hard work.
06:38Farmers, bakers, shopkeepers.
06:42That's got nothing to do with me.
06:44Well, I wanted that bread today, but it was over.
06:48And seeing you mistreat the bread that I so badly craved for, you're gonna have a lot to do with
06:55me.
06:55And so, to Megan's horror, Slapessa kept her as a baker.
07:01But the problem was, Megan couldn't bake.
07:09Hmm.
07:10Nope.
07:11Megan tried again.
07:13Ew.
07:15And again.
07:17Wow.
07:19But she couldn't get it right.
07:23Hmm?
07:28This is pointless.
07:30My hands are calloused, my clothes are mucky, and my hair has mice in it.
07:38It's a wonder how just bread is so difficult to make.
07:45Slapessa decided that Megan needed to understand the entire process of making bread.
07:50And that began in the field.
07:53Don't you know how to sow?
07:56I've never worked in a field before.
07:59Bah.
08:00You don't need to work in a field to know how to plant a tiny seed.
08:08She's harsh to everyone.
08:10Let me help you.
08:12Oh.
08:12Uh.
08:15Despite the mistakes and scolding, she worked hard, and soon the grain was up and ready for
08:20harvesting.
08:21Wow.
08:22Feels good to be rewarded for your hard work.
08:25Huh?
08:26Megan had never felt so elated before.
08:29She'd spent weeks working in the hot sun, and had even made a few kind friends.
08:35She was then placed in the mill.
08:37There, too, she got into trouble.
08:40The mill owner, however, was a kind person.
08:46Good job, everyone.
08:48I brought you all soup.
08:50The last owner would make us work till midnight.
08:54That's because he never respected us for our work.
08:57Some rich people are crude and arrogant.
09:00But isn't she rich, too?
09:02Exactly why I said some.
09:05There are those who respect and care for others.
09:08Our lives aren't something to be ashamed of.
09:11There's dignity in honest work.
09:12I used to look down on everyone, too.
09:16After that, she worked in a bakery.
09:19Here, she observed the bakers carefully.
09:22I don't get it.
09:23Why won't my breads taste the same?
09:26Do you like baking?
09:28What?
09:29No.
09:31Then it'll never taste good.
09:33You see, there's a secret ingredient.
09:36Baking needs love.
09:38Love?
09:40Some people like sweet bread.
09:41Some like hard-crusted bread, while others like it fluffy.
09:45Depending on that, I choose my ingredients carefully.
09:48And then, I knead the dough and sprinkle some love into it.
09:53I thank all of the people who've worked hard for this bread
09:56and of those who will eat it.
10:03She worked a few more days in the bakery
10:05until Slapessa brought her back to the land of muck.
10:13Megan went into the kitchen
10:14and looked at the ingredients in front of her.
10:17Hmm.
10:18I'll use this.
10:20Her mind drifted to the kind field hands,
10:22the generous mill owner,
10:24and workers, too.
10:25And the patient baker.
10:27As she kneaded,
10:28she thought about Darla,
10:30who had welcomed her into her home.
10:32And then,
10:33her own mother,
10:35selfless and kind.
10:40Oh!
10:41Oh, my goodness!
10:43My queen,
10:44I've baked the bread.
10:47Really?
10:48Is this going to break my teeth?
10:51Slapessa examined the bread.
10:53It smelled glorious
10:54and looked quite edible.
10:56She took a chunk and ate it.
10:58Oh, it's delicious!
11:02But it's...
11:03The roseberry crumble bread.
11:06How did you bake this?
11:08I realized when I used to bake earlier,
11:12I'd do it with anger and hatred.
11:15And this time?
11:16This time,
11:18I baked it with love.
11:20Hmm.
11:20You put in so much effort
11:23just for this bread?
11:26It's not just bread.
11:28It's a bundle of love
11:30and effort from people that,
11:32I've learned,
11:33must be respected.
11:34Good girl!
11:36Well,
11:37since you've learned to be good and respectful,
11:40I shall reward you.
11:47She walked back home,
11:49attracting stares at her mucky dress.
11:52But Megan didn't care.
11:55Mother!
11:56Mother,
11:57I...
11:58Huh?
11:59Megan?
12:01Megan!
12:03Clara hugged her daughter tight.
12:05Darla was there too.
12:07Oh,
12:08my sweet daughter.
12:09Where were you?
12:11We've been so worried.
12:13Megan told them
12:15the whole tale
12:16of how Slopessa
12:17had taken her in
12:18because she stepped on the bread.
12:20Darla,
12:21I'm so sorry
12:22for treating the bread that way.
12:24And mom,
12:25I'm...
12:25I'm...
12:27sorry for everything.
12:28I promise from now on,
12:30I'll change for the better.
12:32Megan helped her mother
12:33in the fields
12:34and everywhere else.
12:36She was kind
12:37and compassionate
12:38to everyone.
12:39Filling her mother's heart
12:41with pride.
12:44Never in my life
12:45have I known
12:46a nicer person.
12:47I have the muck queen
12:49to thank for that.
12:50Megan had understood
12:51that a humble life
12:52wasn't something to snub.
12:54It was filled with something
12:56gold and shimmer
12:57couldn't buy.
12:58She was no longer discontent,
13:01but felt happy
13:02and satisfied
13:03because she'd found
13:05the secret ingredient
13:06into a happy life.
13:07Love.
13:08Love.
13:09Love.
13:09Love.
13:10Love.
13:10Love.
13:10Love.
13:11Love.
13:13Love.
13:14Love.
13:15Love.
13:15Love.
13:15Love.
13:15Love.
13:16Love.
13:16Love.
13:17Love.
13:18Love.
13:21Love.
13:24Love.
13:24You
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