Page 66 - Arrow Publications Pvt. Ltd.

“Since you are poor like me, would you like to have some of my stone soup!”

“Stone soup?” the woman laughed on seeing the stone in his hand. “How can you make soup
from a stone?”

“I have made it before,” replied the traveller.

The woman was hungry too, so she invited him in. Then she lit the fire and placed a big pot
of water on top. The traveller placed the stone inside the water until it boiled. He sipped a

spoonful of hot liquid. “It’s almost done,” he said. But if you could add just a little salt, the
soup would taste so much better!”

The woman brought some salt.

Just as the traveller was adding the salt, the woman’s husband came home with some fresh
carrots and potatoes.

“What are you making?” asked the woman’s husband.
“Stone soup!” said the woman.

“Impossible!” shouted the husband.

“It’s almost ready,” the traveller said to the husband. But it would be tastier if we added some
carrots and potatoes.”

The husband was hungry too. He agreed to give him some carrots and potatoes. And the

traveller added them to the soup.
Soon, the smell of the soup drifted out

of the windows and down the lane. A
neighbour who was passing by heard

them talking about the stone soup.
“Is the stone soup ready now?” the woman
and the husband asked the traveller.

“Yes, but it could be even better if we had

some turnips and beans!” he replied.
“I have some,” yelled the neighbour who
was watching from the window.

The neighbour returned with turnips and

beans. The traveller dropped them into
the pot and the smell of the soup drifted
even further down the lane.

The word about a traveller making stone soup spread around and drew many villagers out
of their homes.

65 Arrow - English Plus-6