2021-10-04

Long ago, a young man came into a poor little town. All he had was a soup pot and a spoon. The man was very hungry.

The young man stopped at a house. He knocked at the door.

"I am cold and hungry," he said. "May I have a bit of food? "

"This is a poor town," said the woman. "We don’t have any food I’m sorry."

Now the woman had some beans but not enough to share.

The young man went on until he came to another house. He knocked at the door.

"I am cold and hungry," he said. "May I have a bit of food?"

"I’m sorry, " said an old man. "This is a poor town. We don’t have any food."

Now the old man had a bit of meat but not enough to share.

The young man went on and on from house to house. All the people said they were sorry. But no one gave him any food. "This is a poor town, " they said. "we don’t have any food."

Now, all the people had a little food, but not enough to share.

The young man was still very hungry. So he came up with a plan.

First, he made a fire right in the middle of the town.

Then, he filled his pot with water.

Next, he set the pot on the fire.

Last, he picked up a nice, round stone and put it into his pot.

Steam rose from the pot. The young man stirred and stirred with his spoon.

"Stone soup! stone soup! Delicious stone soup!"

"This stone soup looks good," he said loudly. "Soon it will be ready to eat."

People came out to see what the young man was doing.

"What are you doing?" they asked.

"I am making stone soup," he said.

"I’ll give you some when it is ready there will be plenty for all of us."

"How do you make stone soup?" asked a girl.

"It’s easy," said the young man. "All you need is a stone. But it would be so much better with a few beans."

"Stone soup, stone soup, Delicious Stone soup."

"I have a few beans." a woman said.

The woman went off and got the beans. She dropped them into the pot.

"Mmm." said the young man. "Thank you. This stone soup looks good. But it would be so much better with a bit of meat."

An old man said "I have a bit of meat." The old man went off and got the bit of meat. “Here you are."

"Thank you!" Said the young man. "Our stone soup is getting better and better."

"Do you want some carrots?" asked a woman. "I have some carrots.”

“Do you want a potato? "asked a boy. "I have a potato."

"Do you want some corn?" asked a man. "I have a little corn."

"Do you want some salt?" asked the girl. "I have some salt."

"Yes, yes, yes!"said the young man.

So they all ran off to get the food. “Here you are."

"Mmm," said the young man. “Now the soup is ready. Get your Bowls, and we can all eat."

The soup smells very good.

"Mmm." Said the man.

"Mmm." Said the woman.

"Mmm." Said the children.

"Thank you," said all the people. "Now we know how to make stone soup. We will never be hungry again." The young man just smiled and went on his way.

(The end)