Stone Soup
Once there was a poor soldier. His service was done, so he traveled home. But when he got there, he saw his home and his town were destroyed. He was poor before, but now he had no home!
The soldier went off looking for food and shelter. He was all alone on the road. Finally, the soldier saw a town. He rode up to the first home and said hello.
“Hello, I am a poor soldier. I am on the road, and I have nothing to eat,” he said. “Can I have a little food?”
But the people in the house said “No!” Quickly, they closed the door.
The poor soldier was very sad. He went off to the next home. He hoped they were more generous.
At the next home, he asked for food. But again, the people cried, “No! Go away.”
The soldier was so sad! He had no food. He had no home. And he had no hope. The poor soldier walked off, but soon he was dizzy. He had not had any food in days. The soldier fell to the ground.
It was at that moment that he saw something. It was a simple stone. But it gave him an idea. “A stone!” he cried. “This stone is my only hope!”
So the man rode up to the last home. It was on the edge of town. There was a woman inside, but she looked so poor.
“Hello,” he said in a happy tone.
“Hello?” said a woman. She was curious.
“My name is Soldier, and I am on the road,” he said. “But I saw this delicious stone!”
“A delicious stone?” said the poor woman. “I have not eaten in many days. But even I do not think a stone is delicious.” She looked sadly at the soldier.
“Of course, it is delicious. But I need a pot,” said the man. The woman was curious. So she gave the soldier a pot.
The soldier put the stone in a pot with water. He put the pot on the stove. Soon, the pot was hot. The soldier smelled the soup and cried, “MMM…Delicious!”
The curious woman smelled the soup. But it was not good. “A soup needs a bone,” she said.
“Good idea!” said the soldier.
So the woman got a bone. She put the bone in the pot. Quickly, the soup got hot. It’s smell filled in the little home.
At that moment, a boy passed by. He smelled the soup from the road. “What smells delicious?” said the boy. He looked in the door.
“Stone soup…with a bone,” said the soldier.
“Just a stone and a bone?” said the boy. “But a soup needs tomatoes!”
“Good idea!” said the soldier. So the boy got tomatoes. He put the tomatoes in the soup. Soon the soup smelled delicious. Others smelled it from the road.
“What smells so good?” said a man.
“Stone soup with tomatoes,” said the soldier.
“But a soup needs potatoes,” said the man.
“Good idea!” said the soldier.
So the man went home. He got potatoes. Happily, he put them in the soup.
An old woman was in a home close by. She was curious and said, “That smells delicious!”
“It’s soup,” said the soldier. “With a stone, a bone, tomatoes, and potatoes.”
“It smells good,” said the old woman. “But a good soup needs corn.”
“Good idea!” said the soldier.
So the old woman put corn in the soup. Finally, the stone soup was delicious! The little boy smelled the soup and smiled. “I hope I get a little,” said the boy.
“Me, too!” said the others. They all smiled.
“Yes, there’s soup for us all!” said the soldier.
Then, the people of the town ate the delicious soup with the soldier. They were very grateful to the soldier. But soon it was time for the soldier to go.
“Don’t go back on the road,” said the woman.
“Yes, stay,” said the others. “Stay and be our village cook.”
The soldier was surprised and very happy! So he made the little village his home. He spent his days cooking stone soup for the people. And he lived happily ever after.