[Intro] Well, now listen close, folks, gather ’round, There’s a hungry stranger come to town. He had no money, he had no grub, But he sure knew how to work a little kitchen magic up! [Verse 1] He found himself a cooking pot, Though what was in it? Not a lot! He filled it up with water from the well, Put it on the fire, and said, “This’ll be swell!” Then he pulled a stone from out of his sack, Dropped it in the pot and leaned on back. A farmer hollered, “Mister, have you lost your mind?” He said, “Nope! This stone makes soup mighty fine!” [Chorus] Stone soup, stone soup, Put a stone in a pot and give it a stir! Stone soup, stone soup, Ain’t much to look at, but just wait till you hear! It needs a little salt, and maybe a carrot or two, And if you’ve got a tater, well, that’ll do! You might call it crazy, but I call it a lot— It all started with a stone in a pot! [Verse 2] A woman said, “Well, I’ve got some salt.” The stranger said, “Now that ain’t your fault!” She sprinkled some in with a generous hand, And pretty soon the soup was looking grand. Then he said, “You know what would make it divine? A couple of carrots would suit it just fine.” Well, somebody had carrots, somebody had three, And pretty soon they were chopping like a family! [Break] [Honky-Tonk piano Solo] Well, that stone ain't complaining, And nobody's buying— But everybody's cooking, And the soup keeps multiplying! [Verse 3] One fella said, “I’ve got an onion.” Another said, “I’ve got some country ham!” A little old lady brought taters by the sack, And somebody yelled, “Hey! Put some pepper in that!” Then a farmer came dragging a chicken leg, Said, “I reckon this might help it along, I beg.” The stranger said, “Well, bless your heart, I knew that stone was mighty smart!” [Break] [Honky-Tonk piano Solo] [Verse 4] Now the pot was bubbling, steaming, and hot, And everybody wondered what that stone had got. There was meat and beans and vegetables galore, And somebody was knocking on the kitchen door. “Got room for one more?” came a voice from outside. “Come on in!” the whole village cried. The stranger just laughed as he ladled the stew, “Funny how a stone can feed a whole town, ain’t it true?” [Chorus] Stone soup, stone soup, Everybody brought something to the pot. Stone soup, stone soup, Look at all the dinner that a little stone got! A carrot here and a tater there, A little bit of chicken and plenty to share. Nobody had plenty, but nobody got forgot— That’s the magic of a stone in a pot! [Break] [spoken] Now let me tell you something ’bout that stone... It never gave a penny. It never chopped an onion. It never peeled a tater. And as far as I know... It never even washed the dishes! [Verse 5] They sat around the table with their bowls piled high, Laughing and talking as the evening rolled by. The traveler smiled and said, “Now you can see, A little from you makes a whole lot for me.” The stone sat quiet at the bottom below, Getting all the credit for the wonderful show. But everybody knew, when the meal was done, The soup was made by everyone! [Final Chorus] Stone soup, stone soup, Everybody brings a little to the pot. Stone soup, stone soup, Look at all the goodness that we've got. A little bit of kindness, a little bit of care, A little bit of something that you're willing to share. You don't need a fortune, you don't need a lot— Sometimes all you need is a stone and a pot! [Outro] So if you're ever hungry and you've got nothing to eat, Find yourself a stone and a village that's sweet! Add a little salt and whatever you've got— And pretty soon you'll have yourself a mighty fine pot! [Tag] Stone soup! A lot like Sage Hen soup. Add some water and a stone, Then add the Sage Hen and let it cook. Throw the hen away and eat the stone! Ain't that somethin'? All that from a rock!
