The Trial of the Stone: A Folktale

Brenda Baltensperger is a playwright, a director of children’s
theatre, an editor of children’s fiction, and the author of Fractured
Fairy-tales.

Matt, a young boy, travels from his village to the next to visit his
grandfather. Along the way, he decides to hide his few coins under a
large stone while he sleeps beside it overnight. When Matt awakes the
next morning, the money is gone. He searches everywhere, looking under
all the stones, but to no avail.

Matt’s crying becomes so loud that the people in a nearby village
hear him and come to see what has happened. After Matt tells them, the
village chief instructs the constable to arrest the stone in order that
it can stand trial for robbery. During questioning the stone does not
respond and the village people are unable to stifle their laughter at
the absurdity of the situation. The chief is not amused and fines
everybody one penny for being in contempt of court. Consequently, the
money is given to Matt, who buys his breakfast and continues on his way,
while the stone is returned to its original place.

Richardo Keens-Douglas’s retelling of this simple but enjoyable folk
tale with a happy ending is suitable for preschoolers. The earthy tones
of Stéphane Jorisch’s illustrations wonderfully convey the vastness
of the jungle through which the boy travels.