The traveler goes from door to door only to be told, We are poor and have no food to spare. Finally, the traveler calls together all of the villagers for a meal of stone soup. People bring the traveler a large pot of water and build a fire. In goes the stone. The traveler asks for a little salt and pepper.
Someone runs to get some.
By now the villagers curiosity is stirred. The traveler takes a taste, pronounces it is good. But it could be better with a little onion. Someone volunteers an onion. And so it goes until the whole town has contributed something and they have a wonderful soup.