本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛Today I want to tell you a story, a simple story. Some of you may have heard this story before and some of you may not have. In either case, we are sure that you will enjoy hearing it. It is the story of Stone Soup. There are many versions of this story; the one we are going to tell you goes like this:
‘STONE SOUP’
Once upon a time, a stranger traveled down a backcountry road on her way home from a long journey. It was late afternoon and the woman was tired and hungry. Ahead she saw a small village. “I’ll get something to eat there and find a place to stay for the night”, she thought.
Suddenly she tripped, and fell to the ground. As she brushed herself off, she saw that she had stumbled over a rock sticking out of the ground in the middle of the road. She walked over to it and dug it out of the earth so that it would not trip anyone else. It was a splendid rock; almost perfectly round and smooth. The stranger liked the rock, so rather than throw it away she put it in her back pack, and continued into the village.
As she passed the first row of houses, some villagers stopped what they were doing to stare at her. She waved to several of them, but no one waved back. She approached one woman standing in front of a small house. “Good evening,” she said cheerfully, “Could you spare a bit of food for a hungry woman?”
The woman began shaking her head almost before she had finished her sentence. “We have had a poor harvest here. We are very worried that there is barely enough food for our family. I am sorry.” And she walked into her home and shut the door.
The stranger continued to the next house where a farmer was working on his wagon. “Do you have a place at your table for a hungry traveler?” she asked.
“It didn’t rain during the last month before harvest,” the farmer said. “What little we have is needed for our children.”
At every home the stranger heard the same sad story: The harvest had been poor; there was not enough food to make it through the winter. Everyone was very worried about themselves and their immediate families.
Completely discouraged and very hungry the woman sat down under a tree in the village square. “Poor people” she thought, “in a few weeks they will be as hungry as I am.” Suddenly an idea hit her. She reached into her saddle bag, took out the stone and addressed a crowd of villagers that had gathered. “Gentle folk of the village”, she shouted, “Your worries are over. I have in my hand a special stone that will help take you through the long winter. This is a magic stone. With it you can make stone soup”.
“Stone soup?” an old man repeated. “I have never heard of stone soup”.
“The wonder of stone soup,” the stranger continued, “is that it not only feeds hungry people, it also brings people together. Now who has a large empty pot?”
Quickly a huge pot was found, and delivered to the stranger. “This kettle is barely large enough, but it will do,” the stranger said. “Now we must fill the pot with water and start a fire.’
Eager hands carried buckets of water and firewood. Soon the pot was placed over a roaring fire. As the water began to boil the stranger dramatically raised the magic stone above her head, and then she gently placed it in the kettle.
“Stone soup needs salt and pepper,” the stranger announced.
Two children ran to find salt and pepper. After the water had boiled for a few minutes, the stranger sipped the brew. “This stone makes an excellent soup, but it would be better if we had a few carrots.”
“We have a few carrots that we’re willing to share,” a farmer replied. Immediately his daughter ran home and returned with an apron full of carrots.
“It’s too bad the harvest was so bad,” said the stranger. “Stone soup is always much more tasty when we add a cabbage or two.”
“I think I know where to find a cabbage,” a young mother shouted as she dashed towards her home. When she returned she was carrying three large cabbages.
The stranger was busy slicing carrots and cabbage with her knife. “The last time I made stone soup was at the castle of a rich man. He added a few potatoes and a portion of beef.”
Several people talked quietly, “A piece of beef and we can eat like rich people!” they whispered. They went home and soon returned not only with beef and potatoes, but others brought milk, onions and barley too. The kettle was now full and the villagers watched and waited.
By the time the soup was ready it was almost dark. It was the most delicious soup that they had ever smelled and to think, it all came from the magic stone. The stranger finally declared that it was now ready and invited everyone to have as much as they could eat.
The villagers and the stranger ate until they could eat no more. After they had finished eating, they spent the night sharing their tales, talents and camaraderie with one another. Never had the village people had such a wonderful time.
The next morning the whole village gathered to say goodbye to the stranger. As she began to walk down the road, a small child called out, “You forgot to take your magic stone!”
The stranger smiled. “I am going to leave the stone with you as a gift of gratitude for your hospitality,” she said. “Remember, as long as you make stone soup, you will never have to worry about being hungry”.
As she walked away, the little girl’s grandfather put his arm around her shoulder and said, “Do you remember the other bit of magic that happens when you make stone soup?”
“Yes,” she said, “the stone will bring people closer together.”
We are indeed truly blessed living in this country. Let me share with you a few statistics that will show the variety of blessings that we have been given:
• If you own just one Bible, you are abundantly blessed. One third of the world does not have access to even one…
• If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people around the world…
• If you attend a church of your choice without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost a billion people in the world…
• If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 50 percent of this world’s population…
• If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish or jar someplace in your home, you are among the top 8 percent of the worlds wealthy…
• If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not…
• If you can hold someone’s hand, give them a hug or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God’s healing touch…
• If you prayed yesterday and today, you are in the minority because you believe in God’s willingness to hear and answer prayer…
This coming Thursday, they well be celebrating Thanksgiving across the USA. The question is often asked; 'Why is Thanksgiving day in the USA different from the Thanksgiving day in Canada (and the UK, for example.) Well that is certainly worth investigating, so I plan to do just that at the ESL class this coming Saturday. But that is based on history. Regardless of the reason for the different dates; the focus is identical. And regardless of our roots or cultures, languages, or customs, privately we are very grateful for the horn of plenty and the lap of luxury that we in the West are privileged to have.
The story of Stone Soup is a story about sharing and caring when blessings seem scarce. The stone brings people closer together, and feeds those who are hungry.
It reminds us that everyone, no matter how poor they may seem, has some gift or contribution they can make for the betterment of all. A gift that we should give thanks
This Thanksgiving Weekend in the USA enables families and friends to re-unite and to share a huge meal together in love and gratitude. Enable us to focus outwardly and to act by bettering the quality of lives everywhere. Make thanksgiving and thanks sharing our aim daily and not only at Harvest time.
Feel free to pass this on!更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
‘STONE SOUP’
Once upon a time, a stranger traveled down a backcountry road on her way home from a long journey. It was late afternoon and the woman was tired and hungry. Ahead she saw a small village. “I’ll get something to eat there and find a place to stay for the night”, she thought.
Suddenly she tripped, and fell to the ground. As she brushed herself off, she saw that she had stumbled over a rock sticking out of the ground in the middle of the road. She walked over to it and dug it out of the earth so that it would not trip anyone else. It was a splendid rock; almost perfectly round and smooth. The stranger liked the rock, so rather than throw it away she put it in her back pack, and continued into the village.
As she passed the first row of houses, some villagers stopped what they were doing to stare at her. She waved to several of them, but no one waved back. She approached one woman standing in front of a small house. “Good evening,” she said cheerfully, “Could you spare a bit of food for a hungry woman?”
The woman began shaking her head almost before she had finished her sentence. “We have had a poor harvest here. We are very worried that there is barely enough food for our family. I am sorry.” And she walked into her home and shut the door.
The stranger continued to the next house where a farmer was working on his wagon. “Do you have a place at your table for a hungry traveler?” she asked.
“It didn’t rain during the last month before harvest,” the farmer said. “What little we have is needed for our children.”
At every home the stranger heard the same sad story: The harvest had been poor; there was not enough food to make it through the winter. Everyone was very worried about themselves and their immediate families.
Completely discouraged and very hungry the woman sat down under a tree in the village square. “Poor people” she thought, “in a few weeks they will be as hungry as I am.” Suddenly an idea hit her. She reached into her saddle bag, took out the stone and addressed a crowd of villagers that had gathered. “Gentle folk of the village”, she shouted, “Your worries are over. I have in my hand a special stone that will help take you through the long winter. This is a magic stone. With it you can make stone soup”.
“Stone soup?” an old man repeated. “I have never heard of stone soup”.
“The wonder of stone soup,” the stranger continued, “is that it not only feeds hungry people, it also brings people together. Now who has a large empty pot?”
Quickly a huge pot was found, and delivered to the stranger. “This kettle is barely large enough, but it will do,” the stranger said. “Now we must fill the pot with water and start a fire.’
Eager hands carried buckets of water and firewood. Soon the pot was placed over a roaring fire. As the water began to boil the stranger dramatically raised the magic stone above her head, and then she gently placed it in the kettle.
“Stone soup needs salt and pepper,” the stranger announced.
Two children ran to find salt and pepper. After the water had boiled for a few minutes, the stranger sipped the brew. “This stone makes an excellent soup, but it would be better if we had a few carrots.”
“We have a few carrots that we’re willing to share,” a farmer replied. Immediately his daughter ran home and returned with an apron full of carrots.
“It’s too bad the harvest was so bad,” said the stranger. “Stone soup is always much more tasty when we add a cabbage or two.”
“I think I know where to find a cabbage,” a young mother shouted as she dashed towards her home. When she returned she was carrying three large cabbages.
The stranger was busy slicing carrots and cabbage with her knife. “The last time I made stone soup was at the castle of a rich man. He added a few potatoes and a portion of beef.”
Several people talked quietly, “A piece of beef and we can eat like rich people!” they whispered. They went home and soon returned not only with beef and potatoes, but others brought milk, onions and barley too. The kettle was now full and the villagers watched and waited.
By the time the soup was ready it was almost dark. It was the most delicious soup that they had ever smelled and to think, it all came from the magic stone. The stranger finally declared that it was now ready and invited everyone to have as much as they could eat.
The villagers and the stranger ate until they could eat no more. After they had finished eating, they spent the night sharing their tales, talents and camaraderie with one another. Never had the village people had such a wonderful time.
The next morning the whole village gathered to say goodbye to the stranger. As she began to walk down the road, a small child called out, “You forgot to take your magic stone!”
The stranger smiled. “I am going to leave the stone with you as a gift of gratitude for your hospitality,” she said. “Remember, as long as you make stone soup, you will never have to worry about being hungry”.
As she walked away, the little girl’s grandfather put his arm around her shoulder and said, “Do you remember the other bit of magic that happens when you make stone soup?”
“Yes,” she said, “the stone will bring people closer together.”
We are indeed truly blessed living in this country. Let me share with you a few statistics that will show the variety of blessings that we have been given:
• If you own just one Bible, you are abundantly blessed. One third of the world does not have access to even one…
• If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 500 million people around the world…
• If you attend a church of your choice without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost a billion people in the world…
• If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 50 percent of this world’s population…
• If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish or jar someplace in your home, you are among the top 8 percent of the worlds wealthy…
• If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not…
• If you can hold someone’s hand, give them a hug or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God’s healing touch…
• If you prayed yesterday and today, you are in the minority because you believe in God’s willingness to hear and answer prayer…
This coming Thursday, they well be celebrating Thanksgiving across the USA. The question is often asked; 'Why is Thanksgiving day in the USA different from the Thanksgiving day in Canada (and the UK, for example.) Well that is certainly worth investigating, so I plan to do just that at the ESL class this coming Saturday. But that is based on history. Regardless of the reason for the different dates; the focus is identical. And regardless of our roots or cultures, languages, or customs, privately we are very grateful for the horn of plenty and the lap of luxury that we in the West are privileged to have.
The story of Stone Soup is a story about sharing and caring when blessings seem scarce. The stone brings people closer together, and feeds those who are hungry.
It reminds us that everyone, no matter how poor they may seem, has some gift or contribution they can make for the betterment of all. A gift that we should give thanks
This Thanksgiving Weekend in the USA enables families and friends to re-unite and to share a huge meal together in love and gratitude. Enable us to focus outwardly and to act by bettering the quality of lives everywhere. Make thanksgiving and thanks sharing our aim daily and not only at Harvest time.
Feel free to pass this on!更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net