《Stone soup》(石头汤)是一个非常经典的故事，有很多版本，其中以马西娅·布朗的版本最为著名，最初发表于1947年，不仅对孩子有良好的启发，而且值得每位大人阅读与深思，可以说是百本必读童书之一。
作者马西娅·布朗曾经6次获凯迪克奖银奖，3次获凯迪克奖金奖，并3次获得美国图书馆学会最佳童书推荐，这个纪录是空前的。
石头怎么能做汤呢?石头汤会是什么味道呢?石头汤好喝吗?想知道这是怎么回事吗?今天瑞尔悦读带大家一起走进英文绘本故事《石头汤》中一探究竟吧!
Once upon a time, there was a poor village filled with people who did not like to share.
从前，在一个非常穷困的小村庄里，住着一群非常吝啬的村民。
They locked their doors and windows tight and kept what little food they had to themselves.
他们常常紧锁家门，死守着仅有的一点点粮食。
One day, a stranger passed into the village.
一天，一个陌生的旅人路过这个村庄。
He was very tired and hungry from his journey.
他又累又饿，想找一户人家要一点吃的。
He stopped at the first house and knocked on the door, hoping there was food inside.
他敲响了一户家门。
“Who are you?” the woman inside asked the stranger.
“你是谁?”女主人问道。
“I’m a tired and hungry traveler,” he responded, “Please may I have something to eat?”
“我是一个又累又饿的旅人，”他回答，“请问可以给我一点吃的吗?”
“There is hardly any food here!” she said and closed the door.
“这儿没吃的!”女主人说着，关上了门。
The traveler, although he was tired and hungry, was not ready to give up.
尽管旅人已经非常疲惫，但仍不想放弃。
He picked up a large, round stone from the ground and knocked once more at the door.
他捡起了一块又大又圆的石头，再次敲响了门。
The lady opened the door only half way, said : “Yes?”
这次，女主人只把门开了一半，说道：“你还想干什么?”
“Since you are poor like me, perhaps you would like to have some of my magic stone soup.” Said the traveler.
“我想，既然你和我一样穷困潦倒，想必你一定愿意常常我的美味石头汤吧。”旅人说。
“Stone soup?” Though she felt it was impossible, since she was hungry too, she invited him in.
“石头汤?”尽管女主人觉得不可思议，但她也实在太饿了，就答应了旅人。
She lit the fire and placed a kettle of water on top, and opened her windows to let out some heat.
她生起了火，放上一锅水，顺便打开了窗给屋子散散热。
The traveler placed the stone inside the water until it boiled.
旅人把石头放到了水里。
He sipped a spoonful of the hot liquid. “It’s almost done,” he said,
到水快煮开的时候，他蘸了一勺汤，尝了一口，“就快煮好了，”旅人说，
“but if you had just a little salt and butter, the soup would taste so much better!”
“要是能加一点盐和黄油，这汤的味道会更好!”
The lady took them for the traveler.
女主人半信半疑地给了旅人他要的调料。
Just as he was pouring them in the pot, the lady’s husband returned home, with carrots and potatoes in his hands.
就在这时，男主人带着胡萝卜和土豆回家了。
“Impossible!” shouted the husband when he knew what happened.
听说了已发生的事后，男主人直嚷嚷：“荒唐!”
“It’s almost finished!” the traveler assured,
“马上就煮好了!”旅人保证道，
“but it would be even nicer if we added some carrots and potatoes.”
“要是能加一些胡萝卜和土豆，这汤的味道会更好!”
Also hungry, the husband agreed.
由于男主人也实在太饿了，就妥协了。
Soon, the smell of the soup drifted out of her house through the window and down the lane.
没过多久，石头汤的香味就顺着窗户弥漫了整个街道。
One neighbor followed the smell all the way to the first house.
街道上的一户邻居顺着香味找到了这户人家。
“Is the stone soup ready now?” asked the couple.
“石头汤好了吗?”夫妻俩问道。
“Almost done. But it could be better if we had some turnips and beans,” he replied.
“马上就好了。要是能加一些甘蓝和豆子，这汤的味道会更好!”旅人答。
“I have some!” Yelled the neighbor who was watching from the window.
“我有我有!”邻居隔着窗子冲屋子里喊道。
The neighbor, curious to taste soup that was made from a stone, returned with turnips and beans, and poured them into the pot.
他实在太想唱唱石头汤的味道了，没多久，他就带着材料回来了。
The smell drifted even further down the lane.
把东西倒进汤里不久，汤的味道越来越浓郁。
Word about a strange traveler making soup out of a single stone drew many villagers out of their homes.
旅人用石头煮汤的事一下子传遍了整个村子。
They followed the delicious smell.
村民们都循着香味找了过来。
“Is the stone soup ready now?” somebody asked.
“石头汤煮好了吗?”有人问。
“Yes… but I remember having stone soup with chicken and broth in the stew once,”
“差不多了……我记得有一回我在汤里加了一些鸡肉和肉汤，”
he recalled, “It’s so delicious.”
旅人回忆道，“那真是太美味了!”
“I have chicken!” said a farmer.
“我有鸡肉!”一位农夫说。
“I have broth!” said another neighbor.
“我有肉汤!”另一位邻居说。
After they dropped all these inside, the traveler finally said: “It’s done!”
当这些材料都被加到汤里后，旅人终于说：“汤煮好了!”
And he served a bowl of stone soup for every single one of the villagers to taste.
接着他把美味的石头汤分给了在场的每一个人。
From that day on, long after the traveler had left,
从那天起，到旅人离开了很久很久以后，
they reminisced about the finest soup they had ever eaten.
村民们仍念念不忘那顿有生以来最美味的汤。
