Elementary Library

Stone Soup

Once upon a time, in a small village, there was a great famine. The people were hungry and didn’t have enough food. They were afraid to share with their neighbors. Everyone was worried. One day, a traveler came to the village. He was very hungry and knocked on a door. “Can you please give me some food?” he asked. The woman who answered looked worried. “I’m sorry, but we don’t have any food,” she said. The traveler nodded and went to the next house, but the answer was the same. The traveler didn’t give up. He had an idea. He went to the center of the village, made a fire, and put a big pot on it. He smiled and said, “I am going to make stone soup! I just need one stone to start!” The villagers were curious. They came out to watch as the traveler dropped a large stone into the pot. “Mmm,” he said. “This soup will taste better with a few more ingredients.”

One villager came closer. “What do you need?” she asked.

“A little cabbage would be perfect,” said the traveler.

The woman nodded. “I have a cabbage!” She brought it to him. The traveler added it to the pot.

Soon, more villagers gathered. “What else do you need?” they asked.

“Some potatoes would be great!” said the traveler.

A man returned with potatoes and added them. The traveler added more ingredients—carrots, onions, and even a little salt. Each time, someone from the village brought what he asked for. When the soup was ready, everyone was around, and the smell was wonderful. The traveler smiled and said, “Thank you, everyone! This soup is now a perfect meal, and we all made it together.” The villagers were amazed. They had shared their food and had enough for everyone. They sat down and enjoyed the soup. It was delicious! From that day on, the villagers learned to share. They helped each other, and the village became much happier.