An old, mean woman living alone was skeptical of a starving tramp who came to her door asking for food and water. He claimed to have a magic leaf that could make soup. She reluctantly allowed him into her kitchen and provided a pot of water and some spices. When the soup was ready and they sat down to eat, the tramp revealed the "magic" leaf was just a common bay leaf. The soup was delicious and the tramp had tricked the woman into showing kindness to a stranger through harmless deception.