“Stone Soup” is a story that has been around for a very long time. Its origins are unknown, but it is likely to have come from Europe to America. Earlier versions of the story feature a beggar or travelers entering a village carrying a pot. They ask for food, and when they are turned away by the villagers, they build a fire, fill the pot with water and put a stone in it. The curious villagers come along and are intrigued by the concept of stone soup. One at a time, each villager adds an ingredient to the pot, eventually creating a delicious feast. It is a story about cooperation and generosity.
This script includes a study guide, extension activities and two pages of production notes that will ensure your performance is a success!
Excerpt from the play:
Milk Man’s Wife
(Other Villagers if needed.)
OPTIONAL OPENING SCENE: If your group has made up a “Stone Soup” song, the entire group can rehearse the song with some dance steps and home-made instruments. The song can be performed right before the show begins. Here are some sample lyrics:
We started with a stone
And added in some beets
Next, a juicy bone
A fine and tasty treat
We’re making Stone Soup
A soup made from a stone
It’s better when we work together
More fun than working alone!
SCENE: Autumn. A village that sits along the side of a dusty road. A group of villagers are doing what villagers do. The Boot Maker is pounding leather, the Tailor is measuring fabric, the Farmer is harvesting his crop, and so on. Each villager pantomimes an activity they would be doing in every-day life.
Town Crier: (runs onto the stage to center stage) Soldiers are coming! Soldiers are coming!
The villagers huddle together on one side of the stage as three soldiers enter on the opposite side of the stage as the villagers. They walk with heavy feet.
Narrator One: Three soldiers trudged down a road in a strange country. They were on their way home from the war. They were tired and hungry. Suddenly, ahead of them, they saw the lights of a village.
Soldier One-Maybe the villagers will give us food and somewhere to sleep.
Narrator Two: But the villagers were afraid of strangers. And they wanted to keep all of their food for themselves.
Bootmaker: Soldiers are always hungry.
Tailor: And we don’t have very much food.
Farmer: The drought this year destroyed my crops!
Milk Man’s Wife: The soldiers might take what little food we have.
Baker: I have an idea. Let’s hide everything we have to eat.