Stone Soup
Folktale adapted for shadow puppet show by Marilyn Kinsella
Characters – One stranger (St), 2 men villagers (V1 and V2), 1 woman villager (WO),
Props - pot with fire underneath, vegetables (potato, carrot, turnip, onion, etc), stone, other scenery
Introduction: Long ago, but so far away as you might imagine, there was a village nestled in the hills. The people of this village liked to keep to themselves. They went to their work or stayed in their houses. If they passed their neighbor on the street, they didn’t even so much as say hello. They just kept walking by with their heads bowed low. Now they didn’t like each other very much, but they really hated strangers. Well, one day a stranger came to this village…and the village was never to be the same. Some of you know this story: some of you don’t. But we’d like for everyone to help out in one part of the story. Everytime the stranger says something like – this is the most perfect soup ever…you say,
“Stone soup, stone soup, we are making stone soup.”
Let’s try it (repeat) Great, and now for our version of Stone Soup.”
ACT ONE Scene – outside with baseline of grass and a possible tree and some flowers. Stranger comes on first followed by Villager1.
St. Ah, what a lovely village this is. The houses are all neat and tidy, but I don’t see any children out playing, there is no one sitting on the front porches, and hardly anyone is walking along the street. I have come such a long way. I was hoping someone would invite me in for a bite to eat. Wait a minute here comes someone now. Perhaps, this kind man will offer me something to eat. Good day, good man!
V1. (mumble something)
ST. I say, good day! I am new to this beautiful village of yours and have come such a long way. I was hoping you could offer this stranger some food.
V1. Food? Why, I have no food. What do I look like…a grocery store? Do I have a big “Schnucks” sign taped to my forehead, or what? I’ll give you some food…food for thought, that is. How about – get a job? Chew on that for awhile. I am too busy for a foolish man like you. I must go now before the delivery trucks arrive.
ST. Strange attitude. . Surely someone will come along. Look I think I see an old woman. She doesn’t seem to be smiling, but I can change that. (woman enters) Good day, madam. The birds are singing, the sky is blue, and you look like a woman who would like to give a stranger like me a bite to eat.
WO. Good day? You call this a good day? The birds have been using my clothes as target practice ever since I put my wash out on the line. We haven’t had rain in weeks, and my garden is dry as a bone. F Y I, my cupboard is so bare I couldn’t even give my poor dog a bone much less give you a bite to eat. So get out of my way, I’m late for Judge Judy. (exit)
ST It’s a good thing I don’t judge a whole barrel just because there’s a couple of sour apples. But wait here is another villager. From his dress, I’d say he’s a farmer. Surely, he will have something to offer. (V2 enters) Good day, my good man. My, my, my, isn’t it a beautiful day? And, I must say, you have a lovely village. Could you, perhaps, spare a bit of your bountiful harvest with a weary traveler?
V2. Bountiful harvest? Where do you come off telling me I have a bountiful harvest? This has been the most dang-blasted, dry year I can remember! What the sun didn’t burn up, the 17-year locust came in and ate. Bah, I don’t have enough food to feed my family much less a two-bit, tow-headed, tiresome travelin’ man like yourself. Now, if you don’t mind, I got to get home and suck on some rocks for dinner. (exit)
ST. Whoa! That’s what I call an attitude problem – sucking on rocks, indeed! Wait a minute. That gives me an idea. There was an old recipe that my granny taught me, and the main ingredient was a rock – Just big enough that all can share in a hearty bowl. That’s what I’ll do! I’ll make a big batch of my granny’s stone soup. I saw some stones down by the river. I’ll just go down to the levee and pick up the perfect rock.
ACT TWO Scene – large pot with a fire underneath and stone at the bottom of the pot
Later that day
ST. Aha, the makings of stone soup. I have my trustee pot and it’s filled with water. At the bottom is the magic ingredient – a simple stone. It won’t be long now before the delicious aroma spreads throughout this village. Ah, what did I tell you? Here comes the first villager. Good to see you, my good man. I have been very busy since this morning. I hope you can join me for some of my granny’s famous stone soup.
V1. Stone soup! I never heard of such a thing. How do make it?
ST. Well, a good chef never gives away his secret, you know. It shouldn’t be too long now. Too bad I didn’t have a carrot and a potato, though. But, even so, it should be delicious.
V1. A carrot and potato, you say? Well, it just so happens that I have that at my grocery st…I mean, at home. I’ll just run back to the stor..a house and get them. (exit –Black out)
(next scene has a carrot and a potato in the pot)
ST. Now my stone soup smells even better. It’s almost perfect...
stone soup, stone soup, we are making stone soup
But I think I know how to make it even it better. Here comes that woman from this morning. But, judging from that scowl on her face, though, she still doesn’t look too happy. (humming to himself)
WO. Are you still here? Judge Judy would have you evicted if you were in her court. What are you doing there anyway?
ST. Oh, nothing much, I’m just finishing up what I would have to judge as the best batch of soup this side of the Mississippi.
WO. Soup, eh? There’s nothing to take the chill out of this old woman’ bones than a bowl of soup.
ST. And, it would be my pleasure to serve you a hot steaming bowl. It is a shame though.
WO. A shame? Whatever are you talking about?
ST. My granny said that to make this soup – super, one should never forget to add some corn and turnips. But, alas, as Judge Judy would say…it’s not to be.
WO. Some corn and turnips, you say? Now, that I think about it…there are a couple of veggies at the bottom of the bin. If you don’t mind, I’ll run on home and get them.
ST. Don’t mind, don’t mind at all. (both exit – Black out)
(next scene corn and turnips are in pot)
ST. Yes-sir-ee-bob-smith! This has all the markings of the best, most perfect soup ever...
Stone soup, stone soup, we are making stone soup
Almost ready, and I think I see just the man to put this soup over the top. (V2 enters) Howdy-Doody, there, partner.
V2. Howdy do to you too. Say, looks like you’ve been busy since I saw you this morning;
ST. Yep, you might say that. I just had a hankering for some of my granny’s stone soup. Granny’s secret recipe has been handed down from generation to generation, passed on from country to country. Last I heard somebody put it up on the internet. Say, you wouldn’t want to stay and have some, would you?
V2. I sure would! I could smell that soup clear to the edge of town. I followed my nose over here. When will it be ready.
ST. It would be ready right now if I just had some noodles and barley. My granny always said – if you want to add body to your soup, add some noodles and barley.
V2. Why didn’t you say something sooner? I’ll just get in my wagon and run on home and fetch some vittles out of the larder. Be back before you can say ”Soups on!” (both exit – Black out)
ACT THREE Scene – more things added to the pot and all the puppets are on stage.
ST. Well, my new friends. The soup if finally finished. Do any of you know what the secret ingredient is?
(in a jumble of voice – it must be barley, no corn, I think it must be potatoes, now how can you call it soup if you don’t add turnips…..)
ST. You all right! This soup could never have been made, if you all hadn’t contributed something to the pot. So, the secret ingredient is...sharing! I want to thank each and everyone for sharing what little (or lot) you had.
WO. And I want to thank you, a stranger, for reminding us to be mindful of our neighbors. I never knew that my neighbors had such big hearts.
V1. I guess that’s why they call this a hearty soup. (all laugh)
V2. When the soup is finished, I vote that we put the stone at the crossroads that leads to our village. We’ll take a marker and write “Visitors Welcome!” Because from now on, there will be no strangers in our village.
TOGETHER – Hip, hip hooray! The perfect soup…Stone soup, stone soup…we have made Stone soup! (Black out)
