Workshop 4

In groups, students imagine the rest of the story. Then, each group presents what they have prepared in front of the class. At the end of the presentations, the animator.ice proposes a debriefing time. 

The group resumes reading the second part of the story. 

Then the first wanderer shouted: Good people!

The villagers approached them. We are three hungry wanderers in a foreign country. We asked you for food and you have no food. In that case, we will have to prepare a soup with pebbles. 

The villagers looked at each other. A soup with pebbles? We would be very curious to know what it is.

First, we will need a large iron pot, the vagabonds said. The villagers brought them the largest pot they could find. Otherwise, how to cook enough for everyone? It’s big enough! said the vagabonds. 

And now we need water to fill it and a fire to heat it. It took a lot of buckets of water to fill the pot. A fire was lit in the village square and the pot was boiled. 

And now, please, three round smooth pebbles. These were pretty easy to find. The eyes of the villagers widened when they saw the vagabonds throw the stones in the pot. Any soup needs salt and pepper, the vagabonds said, as they began to stir the pot. The children ran for salt and pepper. 

These rocks usually make a good soup. But oh, if there were carrots, it would be even better. Oh, I think I have a carrot or two, said Françoise, and she ran away. She came back with an apron full of carrots that she had taken from the plants hidden under the old sheets. 

A good pebble soup should contain cabbage, the wanderers said as they cut the carrots in the cauldron. But you don’t have to ask what you don’t have. I think I could find a cabbage somewhere, said Marie and she hurried home. And she came back with three cabbages from under the bed.

If only we had a little beef and a few potatoes, this soup would be worthy of a rich man’s table. The villagers thought about it. They remembered their potatoes and beef ribs hanging in the cellars. They ran to get them.

The soup of a rich man! And all from a few stones. It seemed magical! Ah, the wanderers sighed while mixing beef and potatoes, if only we had some barley and a cup of milk! The villagers exchanged glances. They brought their barley hidden in the granaries. They brought their milk from the bottom of the well. The vagabonds mixed the barley and milk with the steaming broth while the villagers watched. The soup was finally ready.

You will all taste our soup, the vagabonds said. But first, a table must be set. A large table has been placed in the square. And all around were lit torches. Such a soup! How good it smelled! Soon a banquet was organized and everyone sat down to eat. There had never been such a feast. The villagers had never tasted such a soup. And all this with stones! They ate and drank and ate and drank again. And after that, they danced. They danced and sang until late at night. 

In the end, all were tired. Then the three wanderers asked: Is there an attic where we could sleep? Let three such wise and radiant people sleep in an attic? But no see! You must have the best beds in the village. So they went to bed and all the villagers and the 3 vagabonds slept well that night. 

In the morning, the whole village gathered in the square to say goodbye to the vagabonds. Thank you very much for what you taught us, the villagers told the vagabonds. We will never be hungry, now that we know how to make soup with stones. Thank you for all your kindness, answered the vagabonds and they left on the road.