There was once a poor man named Wilf. He would travel from town to town looking for work, with only his dog, Scruff, and a very special stone. One day he came to a small cream cottage with a thatched roof. “ let’s try here,” he said to Scruff and rapped on the door. It was opened by a woman who gave him a suspicious look. “ Who are you?” She snapped. “ what do you want?” “ good morning ma’am,” said Wilf. “ I was wondering if you had any small jobs I could do, in return for some lunch?” “ i’m sorry I don’t have any jobs,” said the woman, starting to close the door. “ I can make soup from a stone,” Wilf said, quickly. “ really?” said the woman. “ that I’d like to see,” and she invited him inside. “ first, we need to put some water on to boil,” said Wilf. So the woman filled her biggest cooking pot and set it on the fire. Wilf reached into his pocket and took out a shiny stone. “This stone,” he said, “ Will make the most delicious soup you have ever tasted.” He waited for the water to steam and then dropped the stone into the pot. The soup began to boil and bubble. Wilf dipped in a spoon and tasted it. “Mmm, not bad,” he said. “ it tastes pretty good,” he went on, “ but I think an onion would make it better.” “ well, I have onions,” said the old woman. And she put four on the kitchen table and sliced them swiftly. A sharp Oniony smell filled the room. The Old woman scooped up the onion slices and dropped them into the pot. Wilf let the soup bubble for a little longer. Then he dipped in his spoon and tasted it again. “Mmm, getting tasty,” he said. He pointed to a sack of potatoes on the wall. “ perhaps a potato...?” “ what a good idea!” Said the woman. She lifted the sack from the wall, took out six large potatoes and peeled them. Then snick!snack! snick! snack! She chopped the potatoes into neat squares... scooped up the Glistening cubes and dropped them into the pot. The soup bubbled. Wilf dipped his spoon in the third time and slurped a mouthful.”Mmmm!” “ It’s tasting wonderful now,” he said.” But it needs a little something else...” he spotted a string of plump sausages hanging above the fire and licked his lips. “ sausages would be perfect!” He said. So the Old woman unhooked several sausages and chopped those up too. As she added them to the pot, Wilf smiled. A rich, meaty smell drifted up. “ I think it’s ready!” Said Wilf. The Old woman found some bowls and a ladle, and Wilf served two very generous helpings. “ Stone soup really is delicious!” Said the old woman.” I think your stone must be magic.” Wilf smiled. He fished in the pot for his stone, spooned it out, washed it and put it back in his pocket. “ it is a magical stone,” Wilf agreed with a wink. “ whereever I go with it, I am never hungry.” “ would you like to stay for supper?” said the woman. There’s plenty of stone soup.”