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 was found, they fought over it. One day, a poor traveler arrived in a village and set his tent by up 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 from 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.