The teacup describes its journey from being a lump of clay through the various trials of being shaped on a wheel, fired in the oven, sanded, painted, and fired again. Each step was painful and the teacup begged its master to stop. Finally, after emerging from the second firing, the teacup sees its beautiful finished form in the mirror. The master explains that each painful step was necessary to create the teacup and give it personality, color, and strength to withstand the pressures of life.