Stone Soup

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:57:01 GMT

     Once upon a time a stranger rode his tired horse down a back
     country road on his way home from a long journey.   It was late
     afternoon and the man was tired and hungry. Ahead he saw a small
     village. "I'll get something to eat there and find a place for
     the night.", he thought.

     Suddenly the horse tripped, throwing the stranger to the ground.
     As he brushed himself off, he saw that the horse had stumbled
     over a rock sticking out of the ground in the middle of the road.
     He walked over to it and dug it out of the earth so that it would
     not trip anyone else. It was a splendid rock, almost perfectly
     round and smooth. The stranger liked the rock, so rather than
     throw it away, he put it in his saddle bag, climbed up on his
     horse, and continued into the village.

     As he road past the first houses the village people stopped their
     to stare. He waved to several of them, but no one waved back.
     He got off his horse and approached a woman standing in front of
     a small house. "Good evening," he said cheerfully, "Could you
     spare a bit of food for a hungry man?"

     The woman began shaking her head almost before he had finished
     his sentence. "We have had a poor harvest here. We are very
     worried that there is barely enough food for our family. I am
     sorry." And she walked into her house and shut the door.

     The man continued to the next house where a farmer was working on
     his wagon. "Do you have a place at your table for a hungry
     traveller?" he asked.

     "It didn't rain during the last month before harvest," the farmer
     said. "What little we have is needed for our children."

     At every home the stranger heard the same sad story: The harvest
     had been poor, there was not enough food to make it through the
     winter. Everyone was very worried about themselves and their
     immediate family.

     Completely discouraged and very hungry the man sat down under a
     tree in the village square. "Poor people,": he thought, "in a
     few weeks they will be as hungry as I am." Suddenly an idea hit
     him. He reached into his saddle bag, took out the stone and
     addressed the villagers. "Gentle folk of the village", he
     shouted, "Your worries are over. I have in my hand a special
     stone that will help take you through the long winter. This is a
     magic stone. With it you can make stone soup."

     "Stone soup?" and old man repeated. "I have never heard of stone
     soup."

     "The wonder of stone soup," the stranger continued, "is that it
     not only feeds hungry people, it also brings people together.
     Now who has a large empty pot?"

     Quickly a huge iron pot was found, and delivered to the stranger
     in a wheel barrow. "The kettle is barely large enough, but it
     will do," the stranger said. "Now we must fill the pot with
     water and start a fire."

     Eager hands carried buckets of water and firewood. Soon the pot
     was placed over a roaring fire. As the water began to boil the
     stranger dramatically raised the magic stone above his head, and
     then he gently placed it in the kettle.

     "Stone soup needs salt and pepper," the stranger announced.

     Two children ran to find salt and pepper. After the water had
     boiled for few minutes the stranger sipped the brew. "This stone
     makes an excellent soup, but it would be better if we had a few
     carrots."

     "We have a few carrots that we're willing to share," a farmer
     replied. Immediately his daughter ran home and returned with an
     apron full of carrots.

     "Its too bad the harvest was so bad," said the stranger. "Stone
     soup is always much more tasty when we add a cabbage or two."

     "I think I know where to find a cabbage," a young mother shouted
     as she dashed towards her home. When she returned she was
     carrying three large cabbages.

     The stranger was busy slicing carrots and cabbages with his
     hunting knife. "The last time I made stone soup was at the
     castle of a rich man. He added a few potatoes and a bit of
     beef."

     Several people talked quietly, "A bit of beef and we can eat like
     rich people", they whispered. They went home and soon returned
     not only with beef and potatoes, but some brought milk, onions
     and barley too.

     By the time the soup was ready it was almost dark. It was the
     most delicious soup that they had ever smelled and to think, it
     all came from the magic stone. The stranger finally declared
     that it was done and invited everyone to have as much as they
     could eat.

     After everyone had eaten their full, some folk brought out their
     fiddles. Everyone began to sing and dance - and they continued
     till the wee hours of the morning. Never had the village people
     had such a wonderful party.

     The next morning the whole village gathered to say goodbye to the
     stranger. As he mounted his horse a small child called out, "You
     forgot to take your magic stone!"

     The stranger smiled. "I am going to leave the stone with you as
     gift of gratitude for your hospitality," he said. "Remember, as
     long as you make stone soup, you will never have to worry about
     being hungry."

     As he rode off a grandfather put his arm around the shoulders of
     his young granddaughter and said, "Do you remember the other bit
     of magic that the stranger promised when you make stone soup?" he
     asked.

     "Yes," she said, "the stone brings people closer together."

(re-told by Richard J. Fairchild, Golden, BC)

STONE SOUP: stories

Stone Soup