This story happened a long time ago, somewhere in Europe, in the middle of a bitter winter. There was a terrible famine throughout the land. In the villages, people were so hungry that each family kept their food hidden away, so that no one else would be able to find it. They hardly spoke to each other, and if any food were found, they fought over it.
One day, a poor traveler arrived in a village and set up his tent by the side of the road. He had with him a large pot, a wooden spoon, and a stone.
“You can’t stay here,” said the villagers. “There’s no food for you!” And they raced back to their houses to make sure no one would steal their food while they were away.
“That doesn’t matter,” said the stranger. “I have everything I need.”
He gathered sticks and built a fire in the middle of the main square. Then he placed his pot on the fire and added some water. He glanced around and noticed that he was being watched from every window and every doorway. He smiled with satisfaction as the steam rose from the pot. Next, he took an ordinary stone from his pocket, which he carefully placed in the pot. He stirred the soup and waited patiently for it to boil.
By this time, the villagers were full of curiosity. Several of them had gathered around the pot. “What are you making?” they asked.
“Stone soup,” replied the man. “It smells good, doesn’t it?” And he sniffed the soup and smiled in anticipation. “Of course, a little salt and pepper would really help the flavor.”
“I think I could find some salt and pepper,” said one of the women, and she ran to her house to fetch the salt and pepper to add to the soup.
“How tasty it would be with a piece of garlic,” said the traveler.
“I might have a tiny piece of garlic,” said another villager.
“If we only had some potatoes, too, then it would really be delicious,” said the stranger.
“I’ll get you some potatoes,” said a man from the village and rushed home to fetch some.
Soon the rumor had spread around the whole village. Someone was making a delicious soup with a special stone. People came from every house to smell the bubbling soup, and each of them brought a special ingredient to make the soup taste even better. They were so hungry, and the soup smelled so good.
“It must be that special stone,” they said.
Finally, the man declared that the soup was ready, and it was time to eat. The villagers each brought a dish, and there was plenty of food for everyone. They talked and laughed, and for a while they forgot the famine and the cold. Even long after the famine had ended, people still remembered that night and the finest soup they had ever tasted.