| The story as I know it: Three soldiers wander into a town and watch as the townspeople shutter themselves into their homes. The first two soldiers, out of rations, start to knock on doors and asking if anyone has any food, but no one answers.
The third says: "I have an idea, start a cooking fire in the town square and get some water boiling. I've got to find the right ingredient." They do as they were told, and the third makes a show of trying to find just the right stone. Making sure the town hears and sees them. They bring the "perfect" stone back, and place it in the pot of boiling water.
The other two soldiers start to question, but the third tells them to just shut up and watch. After boiling a stone for 10 to 15 minutes, one of the villagers comes out to ask what the soldiers are doing. "Making stone soup." replies the soldier, "Though it is usually better with some potatoes or carrots." The villager lights up, "I have carrots!" They run to their home, come back with a handful of carrots, and add them to the soup.
Seeing this, other villagers begin to emerge from their homes, and each suggesting a new ingredient. Over and over this happens until someone tries to put raw salmon in and is thrown out of the town.
I mean, until they have a full and hardy stew going, with more than enough to feed the entire town. The morale of the story being to always have enough rations. |