How to eat with just a little Stone

I love the way this story is told. The Stone’s Broth is a Portuguese traditional dish with a traditional tale. I like this story because it shows one of the best characteristics of the Portuguese people: we can always come up with some solution, whatever the fate gifts us. It’s an inspiration to go though depression and other kinds of problems.

Please, do not forget, even if the world is against you, you are the only one that can help you achieve your objectives in live. You don’t have any dreams and hopes for the future? Don’t you mind. Your life is like this stone in this soup. With life, we can add whatever comes in our way and the beauty of being alive turns out into a great soup! By the way, if you come to Portugal, you have to eat it!

Let’s check this tale!

Stone’s Broth legend

A monk was out begging; he came to a farmer's door, but they wouldn't give him anything there. The monk was getting hungry, so he said, “I'll see if I can make some stone broth.”

And he picked up a stone from the ground, shook off the dirt, and looked at it to see if it was good for making broth. The people of the house started laughing at the monk and at that moment.

Said the monk, “So you've never had stone broth? All I can tell you is that it's a very good thing.”

They replied, “We want to see if that it’s true.”

That's what the monk wanted to hear. After having washed the stone, he said: "If you could lend me a small pot.”

They gave him a clay pot. He filled it with water and poured the stone into it.

“Now if they would just let me stand there by the embers.” They did. As soon as the pan began to sizzle, he said, "With a little of the ointment, the broth would be delicious.”

They went and got him a piece of ointment. It boiled, boiled, and the people of the house were amazed at what they saw.

Says the monk, tasting the broth, “It's a bit tasteless; it could use a pinch of salt.” He was also given salt. He seasoned it, tasted it, and said, “Now, with a little cabbage eye, it would be so good that angels would eat it.”

The lady of the house went to the garden and brought him two tender cabbages. The monk cleaned them, and ripped them with his fingers, pouring the leaves into the pot.

When his eyes were already boiling, the monk said, “Oh, a little sausage would be good for you...”

They brought him a piece of chorizo; he put it in the pot, and while it was cooking, he took some bread from his saddlebag and got ready to eat slowly. The broth smelled like a treat. He ate and licked his lips; after the pot was emptied, the stone remained at the bottom; the people of the house, who had their eyes on him, asked him "Mr. Monk, what about the stone?”

He answered, “I'll wash the stone and take it with me another time.”

With that stone, he ate where they didn't want to give him anything.