Hi, Rebecca Shear here. Before we get to our story, exciting news.
Circle Round is going back on tour. with live recordings across the united states our first stop Sunday, October 5th in Parker, Colorado at the Pace Center.
And Circle Round Club members are invited to a special post-show meet and greet with me and composer Eric Shimalonis.
Get your tickets at wbur.org slash circle around and click on events.
We're announcing more tour stops soon, so stay tuned.
We look forward to circling around with you live.
Produced by the iLab at WBUR, Boston. Think about a time someone promised you something.
Maybe a friend promised she would return a toy you let her borrow.
Perhaps a grown-up promised to read an extra bedtime story if you finished your dinner.
When somebody makes a promise, you assume they will follow through, right?
And do what they said they would do? Well, in today's story, a man makes a big promise And he's in for some big trouble when he doesn't follow through.
¶¶ I'm Rebecca Sheer, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today our story is called The Fantastic Fiddle.
Versions of this tale come from the Hispanic community in the American Southwest.
Some really great people came together to bring you our adaptation of this folktale, including Adam Irigoyen, From the hit Disney Channel show Shake It Up and to the new Netflix series Away.
So circle around, everyone. for the fantastic fiddle.
Thank you. There once was a wealthy rancher who owned the biggest and busiest sheep farm in the entire country.
The prosperous fellow was famous for his fine, woolly sheep. and he hired a young man named Pablo to tend his flock.
Paco, Chico, don't wander too far, please.
And Lola, you leave Esmeralda alone. Can't you see she's trying to eat her grass?
Pablo tended the sheep day and night, so he often went weeks without seeing another human soul. save for the wealthy rancher, who would occasionally check in on Pablo and the fleecy flock and complain.
Pablo, why do my sheep look so thin? Are you sure you're feeding them enough?
And what are you doing? Reading a book while you're tending my flock?
One of the wayward creatures could run away and you'd never even notice.
Pay attention, man. The rancher gave Pablo food to eat, half a loaf of bread and a bit of cheese, and a place to sleep. a lumpy mattress on the floor of the bunkhouse.
But the stingy fellow didn't pay Pablo any wages.
He told Pablo he would only get paid after he tended the sheep for a whole decade, exactly 10 years.
In the meantime, Pablo dreamed of the day he could leave the ranch and make his way in the world.
One hot sunny morning, as Pablo was grazing the sheep in a wide pasture of tall grass and clover, He suddenly heard... Excuse me.
...a voice. Young man? Hello? May I talk with you for a moment?
Pablo spun around and saw an old woman shuffling his way.
She wore a long red cloak, and her silver hair hung all the way down to her waist.
Well, hello there, madam. Pardon my surprise, but I hardly ever see other people while I'm tending the sheep.
May I ask what you're doing way out here in the fields?
The woman smiled. Well, would you believe it?
I was going for a little stroll and somehow I took a wrong turn.
I've been rambling around for hours and I'm ever so hungry.
Might you have a bite of food you could share?
Of course. Pablo dipped his hand into his knapsack and gave the woman his bread and cheese.
Why thank you, young man. Tell me, how long have you been tending these sheep?
Pablo did some quick math in his head. Now let's see, it's been nine years and that's 100, 200.
Three hundred. 365 days. Why, I've been working for the rancher for ten whole years.
My, my, my. An entire decade, huh? Impressive.
But listen, young man, since you were kind enough to share your food with me, I'd like to repay your kindness. with this.
The woman reached into her cloak and pulled out a battered leather case with a long strap.
Pablo took the case and opened it. A fiddle?
You're giving me a fiddle? That's very generous, madam.
Thank you. But I should tell you, I've never played the fiddle before.
The woman grinned. Don't worry about that.
You see, this fiddle isn't just any old instrument.
It's touched with magic. You touch the bow to the strings.
And the fiddle will do all the work for you.
Thanks again for the bread and cheese. And congratulations on your 10 years of work.
Then she shuffled away across the pasture.
Once she had disappeared over a rolling hill, Blue took a closer look at his brand new gift.
My goodness! A magic fiddle! Well, might as well give it a try.
He lifted the bow and held it up to the strings.
And the moment he did, All by itself, the bow began moving back and forth, back and forth, creating marvelous melodious music.
And as the merry notes sang out across the pasture, something else happened.
Something that would change Pablo's life forever.
What do you think happened when the fantastic fiddle began to play?
And what will become of Pablo the Humble Shepherd?
We'll find out after a quick break. Support for Circle Round comes from Indeed.
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I'm Rebecca Shear. Welcome back to Circle Round.
Today our story is called The Fantastic Fiddle.
The Fantastic Fiddle you Before the break, we met a shepherd named Pablo, his boss a stingy rancher. told Pablo he would only get his salary after tending the sheep for a decade, ten whole years.
The day Pablo finally completed his 10 years of hard work, he met an old woman. who gave Pablo a very special fiddle.
And the moment Pablo lifted the bow to the strings, the instrument began to play. all by itself.
But that's not all that happened. The moment the sheep heard the fiddles' melodious music, every single one of them began to dance.
And dance and dance. Wow, Chico, look at you cutting a rug.
And Consuela, who knew you had such moves?
Pablo spent hours playing his fantastic fiddle, and the moment he put down his instrument and the music came to an end, The dancing came to an end too In the blink of an eye The sheep plopped down on the grass and fell asleep.
This is amazing! Not only do I have this cool new fiddle, But now that I've officially been working for the rancher for 10 whole years, I can finally collect my wages and make my way in the world.
Just then, who should come galloping over on his horse?
Pablo! but Pablo's boss, the rancher. Pablo, what is going on here?
It's lunchtime. My sheep should be gobbling up grass, not sleeping on it.
Why aren't they awake? Pablo was afraid to tell the rancher about his magic fiddle, Given how crabby and ill-natured the man was, Pablo was worried he would take the instrument away.
I'm sorry, sir. It's just that, um... Well, it's pretty hot today, don't you think?
And I thought perhaps your sheep could, you know, use a little rest since they- Use a little rest?
You thought my sheep could use a little rest?
Look, Pablo, I'm running a business here, not a health spa.
If you were worth your salt as a shepherd, you would know that.
But clearly, you're not up to the task. Return to the bunkhouse right now and pack up your things.
You're fired. Pablo felt his heart drop, but then he felt it flutter.
After all, hadn't he been dreaming of the day he could finally leave the ranch and strike out on his own?
I'm sorry to disappoint you, sir. And I'll get going as soon as possible.
But first, may I please have my wages? The ones you've been saving for me.
Today marks exactly 10 years since I started working for you.
And like you promised, if I tended your sheep for an entire decade, you'd pay me all the money you- Your wages?
You want me to give you your wages? The rancher shrugged his shoulders.
I'm sorry, Pablo. I have no idea what you're talking about.
I never promised you any wages. But I do promise you this, if you don't pack up your things and get out of here right now, I will call the sheriff and tell him there's an intruder on my property.
Pablo didn't know what to do, but what choice did he have?
He rushed back to the bunkhouse, then hurried away from the ranch with his knapsack, his fiddle, and no clue what he would do next.
Oh boy, this is not what I expected. Sure, I don't have to work for the rancher anymore, but I'm broke.
Penniless. Ten years of hard work, and what do I have to show for it?
Nothing. With a heavy heart. Pablo trudged into town and wandered around until he spotted a sign hanging outside a restaurant.
Busboy wanted. Inquire within. Pablo didn't waste a minute.
He hurried inside, inquired about the job, and got himself hired.
The restaurant was a bustling place, and day after day, Pablo was on his feet for hours, clearing and setting tables and refilling water glasses.
After some time, He earned enough money to rent a small apartment in a nearby building, and each night he would stumble home. collapse on his bed, and fall asleep immediately.
His fantastic fiddle, meanwhile, sat in the corner collecting dust.
Pablo was simply too busy and too exhausted to play it.
But then, one evening, as Pablo was straightening tablecloths and laying out silverware, He heard a familiar voice coming from the corner of the restaurant.
This stew, it's so bland. Has a chef ever heard of salt?
And the rice, it's practically raw. I nearly chipped my tooth just now.
Pablo ducked behind the bar and peered over the top.
Sure enough, sitting at the head of a big long table was the rancher.
The one who always complained and who had fired Pablo after a decade of hard work without paying him a cent.
The wheels in Pablo's brain turned And suddenly he got an idea.
Creeping out of the restaurant, he went back to his apartment. knelt down in the corner and dusted off the battered leather case with the long strap.
Then he slung the strap over his shoulder, tiptoed back into the restaurant, and huddled behind the bar.
And as he listened to his former boss complain and complain and complain, "'Do you know what he did?'
You guessed it! He opened the battered leather case, took out the fiddle, and brought the bow to the strings.
Thank you. As the fiddle's melodious music drifted across the restaurant, One by one, the diners put down their forks, pushed back their chairs and began... to dance.
Among those diners turned dancers was, yes, the rancher.
The usually cranky and crabby man had a big smile on his face as he dipped Isn't this music marvelous?
Just marvelous! But then, Pablo began moving the bow faster.
And as the music sped up, so did the dancers, including the rancher.
My, this is quite the sprightly beat. Pablo kept playing faster.
Whoa! And faster. I think my toes are going numb.
And faster. Maybe I should sit down and take a rest.
But to the rancher's surprise, he couldn't sit down and take a rest.
Nobody could. As long as the music kept playing, their bodies kept dancing.
What's going on here? Has someone cast a wicked spell?
Just then, Pablo leaped out from behind the bar.
Oh, you want to talk about Wicked, do you?
It was wicked of you to withhold my wages, after I tended your sheep for an entire decade.
As long as I'm playing this fiddle, everyone in this restaurant will keep dancing.
And I won't stop until you pay me the money I deserve.
The rancher's feet kept boogieing as he looked helplessly at his former employee.
Fine. I'll pay you your wages, Pablo. Just stop playing that fiddle.
Please. Satisfied with the rancher's answer, Pablo pulled the bow away from the fiddle's strings.
And all at once, the music stopped. Immediately, everyone in the restaurant collapsed on the floor.
"'their pulses racing and their skin bathed in sweat.'
The owner of the restaurant came rushing out of the kitchen to see if everyone was okay.
The rancher pointed a trembling finger at Pablo.
Well, I for one am not okay. "'Did you see what this young man did just now?
"'He bewitched us all!' That fiddle of his is dangerous.
I say we call the sheriff and have him arrested.
He's a musical menace to society. Well, the rancher was a powerful man, so the restaurant owner did as he was told.
Before Pablo could say a word, the sheriff was leading him to the jailhouse. and Pablo's trial was set for the following day.
The next morning, the courtroom was packed with spectators all of them eager to see the young man and his bewitching fiddle.
After the judge heard testimony from both sides, she folded her hands on the bench and locked eyes with Pablo.
Alright, so let me get this straight, Pablo.
You say the rancher owes you wages for 10 years worth of work tending his sheep?
Pablo nodded his head. I do, your honor.
Well, can you prove it? Do you have a contract? something that shows this agreement written out on paper.
Now Pablo hung his head. I don't, Your Honor.
I see. The judge turned to the rancher.
And you? You say Pablo tried bewitching you at the restaurant last night?
The rancher threw back his shoulders. I do, your honor.
Well, can you prove it? Can you prove that Pablo's fiddle has magical powers? that make everyone get up and dance the moment they hear it play?
Now the rancher hunched his shoulders. "'I can't, your honor.'
But I tell you, it's true. That fiddle, it's mesmerizing.
It's spellbinding. It's... Suddenly, the rancher fell silent.
But even though his mouth stopped moving, every other part of his body... Oh, no! started moving.
Because while the rancher was talking to the judge, Pablo had snuck out the battered leather case with the long strap and started playing his fantastic fiddle.
And now the rancher was dancing harder and faster than ever, as was everybody else in the courtroom.
They jumped, they hopped, they swiveled, they swung, faster and faster and faster.
Before long, everyone was begging Pablo to stop playing.
But he didn't stop. Instead, he called out to the judge. whose long black robe was swishing all around as she spun over and over on one foot.
Your Honor, I will do as everyone asks and stop my playing. as soon as the rancher tells everyone the truth that he owes me ten years' worth of wages for tending his sheep.
The rancher was growing dizzy from all the twirling and whirling.
He was certain his racing heart was about to leap out. out of his chest.
So what else could he do? Fine! But tell everyone the truth.
This young man is correct. I promised him I'd pay his wages and that I didn't follow through.
But I swear, I'll pay him double, no triple, if he'll just put down that fiddle.
And just like that, Pablo put down his fiddle.
Everyone stumbled to the ground. their chests heaving up and down as they tried to catch their breath.
Once the judge got her wind back, she pulled herself up to the bench... and ordered the rancher to pay Pablo his wages in triple.
Now that Pablo had his hard-earned money, and then some, he packed up his fiddle and at last went out to make his way in the world.
So happy and content, he was practically dancing on air.
Thank you. Now it's your turn. What kind of music makes you get up and dance?
Find a piece of paper and something to draw with. and create a picture of you dancing to your favorite music. share your picture with someone you have fun with a family member a friend and if you'd like share it with us Grown-ups, you can post all Circle Round-inspired art on Instagram and tag at CircleRoundPodcast.
Woo-hoo! This week's story, The Fantastic Fiddle, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear.
It was edited by Katherine Brewer. Our original music and sound design is by Eric Shimilonis.
Circle Round's artist is Sabina Han. Sabina has drawn a black and white illustration for every story, and you can print them out and color them in.
Ask a grown-up to visit our website, wbur.org slash circleround. and click on Soundtrack and Coloring pages.
Special thanks to this week's actors, Theodore Chin, Carolina Hoyos, Dolores King-Williams and Adam Irigoyen.
Grown-ups watch for Adam in Away on Netflix.
Our featured instrument this week was the fiddle, played by guest musician Eric Buddington.
You can learn more about this bowed string instrument and see a photo of our guest artist playing it on our website.
Again. That's WBUR.org slash Circle Round.
Have you subscribed to Circle Round yet?
Grownups, you can find us on Apple Podcasts or whatever podcast app you use.
And please leave us some stars, write us a review or just tell your friends about the show.
Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR station.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling around with us.
One of the best things about creating Circle Round is hearing from listeners like you.
Circle Round fans have been telling us about their favorite Circle Round stories, and we're excited to share some of their voices with you.
Hi, my name is Leah. I live in Dublin and my favourite folklorum story as the true mother, because I liked the part when the mother dressed in red got the baby.
Hello, my name is Angus. I'm from Olympia, Washington.
And my favorite story is Sailor and the Dragon.
I like the part where The dragon lets Stella have all the gold.
Hello, my name is Iona and I live in New York.
And my favorite turnaround story is the month of the year.
Did someone mention an episode you missed?
No problem. You can find every single Circle Round story on our website.
That's wbur.org slash circleround, or wherever you and your grown-ups get your podcasts.
