Two hungry travelers arrive at a village expecting to find a household that will share a bit of food, as has been the custom along their journey. To their surprise, villager after villager refuses to share, each one closing the door with a bang.

As they sit to rest beside a well, one of the travelers observes that if the townspeople have no food to share, they must be "in greater need than we are". With that, the travelers demonstrate their special recipe for a magical soup, using a stone as a starter. All they need is a carrot, which a young girl volunteers. Not to be outdone, another villager contributes a potato, and the soup grows as others bring corn, celery, and other vegetables and seasonings.

In this cumulative retelling of an ancient and widely circulated legend, storyteller Heather Forest shows that when each person makes a small contribution, "the collective impact can be huge".

Susan Gaber's acrylic paintings portray the optimism and timelessness of a story that celebrates teamwork and generosity.

Includes twenty-seven folktales from Europe, Asia, Africa, India, the Arctic, and the Americas.

A collection of traditional stories from around the world, reflecting the cumulative wisdom of Sufi, Zen, Taoist, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, African, and Native American cultures.