Full of the macabre touches and dark humor that have made Paula Rego's reputation, Stone Soup is a new version of the traditional Portuguese folktale by her daughter, the designer and writer, Cas Willing.

 

Typically read to children to encourage cooperation in times of scarcity, the fable has existed in numerous incarnations for centuries. We follow the efforts of a young female traveler in her attempt to save herself from starvation, persuading a suspicious townspeople to supply her with food for her mysterious Stone Soup. All of the thirteen watercolor and ink paintings are reproduced here, bringing together Rego's expressive cast of figures amidst their troubled landscape.