Rock Soup, originally uploaded by Theresa111.
This rock belonged to my Father-in-law and knowing about my rock collection and how I would always admire this one rock he had, told me I could have it upon his death. I have kept it safe and have cherished it since his death February 14, 1999. What a lovely man.
There are veins of something running throughout this rock. It reminds me of a turtle’s shell, but it really is a rock and not a petrified shell. The feel of it is heavy, very cool and mostly smooth. There are a few spots that are a bit abrasive.
The other day while I was turning the rock over in my hands, I remembered a children’s fable or storybook tale about “Rock Soup” and it goes like this.
Once upon a time a man was traveling and came upon a kingdom after wandering for many days. He was very hungry and when he tried stealing some food he was caught. He was imprisoned. So now he was cold, tired, hungry, imprisoned and perhaps going to be put to death because he had stolen.
The next morning the guards escorted the prisoner to the king. The king told him what he had done was terribly wrong and he would have to be punished. The man was glad he was not to be put to death but he was so hungry his stomach was grumbling. He had to do something,
He asked the king if he had ever eaten rock soup. This got the king’s attention and he repeated the words. “Rock Soup?” The king shook his head and replied “Never. I have never heard of rock soup.”
The man said he could make the best rock soup and that it was a soup made for a king. Intrigued the king ordered the guards to release the prisoner and demanded he make this delicious rock soup.
The man ordered the kitchen staff to go out into the fields and bring to him twenty medium sized rocks. Then he told the others to get the biggest pot and to boil water. When the rocks were brought to the door of the kitchen the man told them to scrub them three times until they were perfectly clean. Having done this he told them to rinse them off for ten whole minutes and then to bring the rocks to the stove.
Once the rocks were placed into the hot water, the water rose over three quarters to the top of the huge pot. The man turned to the kitchen staff and immediately told them to gather potatoes, celery, onions, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage and barley.
When they returned, their arms loaded down with the vegetables, he told them to scrub them and cut them into small pieces. This accomplished the man instructed the staff to put all of the vegetable pieces and the barley into the water. By now the water was bubbling nicely. There rose a faint odor of food wafting through the kitchen. It smelled very good.
Then the man tasted the soup and said “You know, it needs some big chunks of beef.” The staff hurried to do his bidding. The meat went in and the bubbles kept surfacing, letting little bursts of flavor permeate the kitchen. This was going to be a tasty soup.
When no one was looking, the man reached into his pocket and withdrew a handful of a white powdery and granulated substance. Making sure he wasn’t being observed, he quickly tossed it into the now vigorously boiling soup. This time when he tasted it he smiled and told everyone to set the grand dining table, for the king was to have his rock soup.
When he stirred the soup the long ladle hit the rocks at the bottom. But no matter, no one was really going to try to eat the rocks. He didn’t need to worry.
The king was served rock soup and when he tasted it he proclaimed “You have truly made rock soup and it is the most delicious soup I have ever eaten. I pronounce you be set free and join me at the table.”
Well you can guess that the white substance or secret ingredient was salt. No one had ever tasted it before and the man knew exactly where he could get as much as he needed. He was free and going to become very wealthy indeed.
