Mikaleen loved to travel. He spent his life travelling around, visiting people in their homes and telling them stories. This made people very happy. They welcomed him with food and shelter. Some gave him money too.
Once Mikaleen visited a miserly couple called the Meaneys. On the way, he had picked up a stone from the road and had wrapped it up in his handkerchief.
When Mikaleen knocked at the Meaneys’ house, there was no reply. But Mikaleen knew they were at home because he could see smoke coming out of their chimney. After knocking many times, the door was opened a little and a woman shouted, “Go away. We have nothing for you.”
Mikaleen said, “I want nothing but a little water. I have a magic soup stone. If I boil it in water, it makes the tastiest soup you have ever had.”
The woman then opened the door. Her husband stood beside her. “Show us this magic stone,” they said, “and let us see how it works.”
Mikaleen stepped inside. He took out the stone from his pocket and told the Meaneys to heat some water in a saucepan immediately.
“This is the magic soup stone,” Mikaleen said as he dropped it into the saucepan, “We will have a nice soup.”
While the Meaneys watched him, the water began to boil. Mikaleen tasted a spoonful of it. “It needs some pepper and salt,” he declared. Mrs Meaney gave him some pepper and salt which he put into the water. After a while, Mikaleen tasted the water again.
“It needs meat,” he said. Mrs Meaney brought some pieces of mutton and Mikaleen added them into the saucepan to make it tasty.
He tasted the water again. “It needs onions, carrots and potatoes,” he said. Mrs Meaney gave him those as well and he added them to the soup.
“It’s ready now,” Mikaleen declared, finally. He poured the soup into bowls and the three of them sat at the table and began having it.
The Meaneys were delighted with the tasty soup and thanked Mikaleen profusely.
Mrs Meaney whispered to her husband, “Buy the magic stone off this man. Then, we can have this lovely soup every day at no cost.” Mr Meaney gave Mikaleen a shilling for the stone.
As he left the Meaneys’ house, Mikaleen had a great story to tell. Everyone thought it was the funniest story they had ever heard.
