one day, a poor traveler arrived in

one day, a poor traveler arrived in a village and set up hit 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 from every doorway. He smiled with satis faction 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 the time, the villagers were full of curiosity. Several of them had gathered around the pot. "What are you making?" they asked.
"Stone soup," repiled 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.