A fable which was written down by Marcia Brown in 1947; the
story exists in many variations throughout the world. This one is
said to be an old French story (sometimes it is said to be
Russian), and is therefore not copyrighted.
Three soldiers trudged down a road in a strange country. they
were on their way home from the wars. Besides being tired, they
were hungry. In fact, they had eaten nothing for two days.
"How I would like a good dinner tonight," said the first. "And a
bed to sleep in," added the second. "But that is impossible," said
the third.
On they marched, until suddenly, ahead of them, they saw the
lights of a village. "Maybe we'll find a bite to eat and a bed to
sleep in," they thought.
Now the peasants of the place feared strangers. When they heard
that three soldiers were coming down the road, they talked among
themselves. "Here come three soldiers," they said. "Soldiers are
always hungry. But we have so little for ourselves." And they
hurried to hide their food. They hid the barley in hay lofts,
carrots under quilts, and buckets of milk down the wells. They hid
all they had to eat. Then they waited.
The soldiers stopped at the first house. "Good evening to you,"
they said. "Could you spare a bit of food for three hungry
soldiers?" "We have no food for ourselves," the residents lied. "It
has been a poor harvest."
The soldiers went to the next house. "Could you spare a bit of
food?" they asked. "And do you have a corner where we could sleep
for the night?" "Oh, no," the man said. "We gave all we could spare
to the soldiers who came before you." "And our beds are full," lied
the woman.
At each house, the response was the same -- no one had food or a
place for the soldiers to stay. The peasants had very good reasons,
like feeding the sick and children. The villagers stood in the
street and sighed. They looked as hungry as they could.
The soldiers talked together. The first soldier called out,
"Good people! We are three hungry soldiers in a strange land. We
have asked you for food and you have no food. Well, we will have to
make stone soup." The peasants stared.
The soldiers asked for a big iron pot, water to fill it, and a
fire to heat it. "And now, if you please, three round smooth
stones." The soldiers dropped the stones into the pot.
"Any soup needs salt and pepper," the first soldier said, so
children ran to fetch salt and pepper.
"Stones make good soup, but carrots would make it so much
better," the second soldier added. One woman said, "Why, I think I
have a carrot or two!" She ran to get the carrots.
"A good stone soup should have some cabbage, but no use asking
for what we don't have!" said the third soldier. Another woman
said, "I think I can probably find some cabbage," and off she
scurried.
"If only we had a bit of beef and some potatoes, this soup would
be fit for a rich man's table." The peasants thought it over, then
ran to fetch what they had hidden in their cellars. A rich man's
soup, and all from a few stones! It seemed like magic
The soldiers said, "If only we had a bit of barley and some
milk, this soup would be fit for a king!" And so the peasants
managed to retrieve some barley and milk.
"The soup is ready," said the cooks, "and all will taste it, but
first we need to set the tables." Tables and torches were set up in
the square, and all sat down to eat. Some of the peasants said,
"Such a great soup would be better with bread and cider," so they
brought forth the last two items and the banquet was enjoyed by
all. Never had there been such a feast. Never had the peasants
tasted such delicious soup, and all made from stones! They ate and
drank and danced well into the night.
In the morning, the villagers gathered to say goodbye. "Many
thanks to you," the people said, "for we shall never go hungry now
that you have taught us how to make soup from stones!"
