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. Ever heard the expression, good things come in small packages?
What do you think about when you hear that phrase?
Well, in today's episode, we'll put this old saying into action with help from a hungry billy goat. a trampled vegetable garden, and the very tiny hero who saves the day.
Woo-hoo! I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today's story is called The Goat in the Garden.
Versions of this tale have been told all over the world, including Latin America, much of Europe, even parts of the United States.
Some really great people came together to bring you this folktale, including one half of Click and Clack, the Tappet brothers.
From the legendary NPR program Car Talk, Ray Maliazzi.
So circle around everyone for the goat in the garden.
Of all the people in Sophia's life, she loved her husband and daughter the most.
But of all the things in Sophia's life, she loved her vegetable garden the most.
Hello, my perky little peppers, my ravishing radishes, my beautiful beans.
How are you, my lovely lettuces? Perhaps you'd like a sprinkling of water before the sun comes up?
Sophia grew enough vegetables in her garden to keep her family well fed, with just enough vegetables left over for Sofia's husband Simon to sell at the market.
Every morning, while Sophia was making breakfast, her daughter Olivia would venture out to the garden and pick vegetables for that night's dinner.
Then she'd go on her way to school. But one morning, while visiting the garden, Olivia saw something that made her jump.
She tossed her empty basket high in the air as she scurried back to her mother, who was flipping pancakes in the kitchen.
Olivia, you weren't even outside for two minutes.
Did you already pick all the vegetables for dinner?
Oh my goodness, you're white as a ghost.
What happened? Trembling, Olivia pointed toward the kitchen window.
Look for yourself. Sophia peered out the window toward where Olivia was pointing.
There, in the middle of the garden, was the biggest hairiest billy goat Sophia had ever seen.
The goat was trampling all over the ground, gobbling up everything.
My vegetables! What are we going to do, Mama?
Sophia pursed her lips and furrowed her brow.
Then she stood up as tall as she could and put her hands on her hips.
I tell you what we're going to do. I'm going to march out there right now and make that billy goat go away.
So Sophia strutted outside and approached the billy goat.
She noticed his mouth was full of turnips.
Morning, Billy Goat. What a fine breakfast you're enjoying.
But listen. You're young, you're strong, and you can find food anywhere else. anywhere, so please get out of my garden.
The goat glared over at Sophia and began to speak.
Ha! Don't you know who I am? I am the billy goat from the hills and mountains.
So you get out! Then he whipped his head around and charged toward Sophia, his horns all set.
Hi! Hi! Sophia ran back to the house as fast as she could.
Olivia! Open the door! Open the door! The billy goat is after me!
Puffing and panting, Sophia dropped onto a kitchen chair.
Olivia lay a hand on her mother's quaking shoulder.
Don't worry, Mother. Maybe we just need to explain a few things to him.
I will go out there and I will make that billy goat go away.
So Olivia made her way outside and approached the billy goat.
She noticed he was now chomping on carrots.
Good morning, Billy Goat. What a delicious breakfast you're having.
But you have to understand, my mother spends hours tilling the soil, planting the seeds, pulling the weeds.
So... Please, please, get out of her garden.
Just as he did with Sophia. The billy goat glared at Olivia and began to speak.
Ha! Don't you know who I am? I am the Billy Goat from the hills and mountains.
So you get out! Then he reared his legs up in the air and bowed his head and horns low, ready to charge.
Olivia sprinted back to the house as fast as she could.
Open the door! The billy goat is after me!
And she too tumbled inside the kitchen. Just then, her father, Simon, came downstairs for breakfast before heading out to market.
He noticed his wife puffing and panting and his daughter on the verge of tears.
My darlings! My loves, what's wrong? Has something happened?
Olivia was too distraught to answer, so Sophia spoke up.
She pointed a shaky finger toward the window.
Look for yourself. Simon gazed out the window and spied the billy goat.
By now, the goat was covered in pulp and seeds as he tore into Sophia's bright orange pumpkins.
Don't you worry, my darlings. Maybe he just needs some sympathy.
I will go out there and I will make that billy goat go away.
So Simon marched outside and approached the billy goat.
The goat looked up from his smashed pumpkins.
Good morning, Billy Goat. Boy, it's no wonder you're enjoying such a hearty breakfast.
You must work really hard. All that, um... billy-goating you do all day.
But my family, we work hard too, and we need these vegetables.
So please, get out of the garden. Now the billy goat glared at Simon.
Then, yes, he began to speak. Ha! Don't you know who I am?
I am the billy goat from the hills and mountains.
So you get out! The billy goat reared up his legs and stomped back down again, sending up a cloud of dirt and pumpkin seeds.
Simon scampered back to the house as fast as his legs could carry him.
Sophia! Olivia! Open the door! Open the door!
The billy goat is after me! Simon staggered into the kitchen, his heart thumping a million beats a minute.
I'm sorry, my loves. I couldn't get the billy goat to leave.
Now all the pumpkins are gone. And the carrots.
Sophia glanced outside. And... Oh, no. Everything else.
Indeed, by this time, the billy goat had ravaged the entire garden.
In fact, it looked less like a vegetable garden now and more like vegetable soup.
Olivia sighed. Now we'll have nothing to eat.
And nothing to sell. And I'll have to start the whole garden over from scratch.
But even then, who's to say the billy goat won't return from the hills and mountains again?
Just then. Sophia, Simon, and Olivia heard a small voice call out to them.
Hey! I'll make sure that Billy Goat never comes back!
I'll just need a little something in return.
Who do you think is speaking to Sophia and her family?
And what do you think she wants in return for getting rid of the goat?
We'll find out what happens after a quick break.
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Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear.
Our story today is called The Goat in the Garden.
When we left off, a big, hairy billy goat was munching up every bit of Sophia's beloved garden.
Sophia tried making him go away. Her daughter Olivia tried making him go away, and her husband Simon tried making him go away.
But each time they did... They heard this.
Ha! Don't you know who... I am. I am the billy goat from the hills and mountains.
So, so you get out. The family was huddled in their small kitchen worrying about what they would do when suddenly they heard a voice. a small, mysterious voice offering to rid them of their problem in exchange for...
For something. Sophia, Olivia, and Simon began glancing around the room.
Hello? Who are you? And where are you? We're interested in your offer.
Can you tell us a... Suddenly, Simon felt a little sting on his left ear.
He began shaking his head and as he did, down-dropped A tiny black ant.
Simon caught the tiny black ant in the palm of his hand.
Wait, you're the one who can make sure the billy goat never comes back?
Why, you're no bigger than a drop of water. you do.
The little ant stood up as tall as she possibly could.
I can help you! That's what I can do! I can get rid of the billy goat and make sure he stays in those hills and mountains forever.
Only in exchange, I need something. Just a little something.
If it isn't too much trouble. Of course not.
We'll give you anything. Yes, yes. Anything at all.
The little ant thought for a moment. All right, then.
I would like some wheat for my family. Olivia looked at her mother and father.
We can do that, right? We can. We'll give you two sacks full of wheat, little ant.
The ant shook her head. Two sacks full?
Oh, I can't handle that much. One sack? Still too much.
Half a sack? Still too much. Now Sophia spoke up.
How about a few grains then, little ant?
Just enough for each member of your family.
The ant smiled. would be wonderful. I'll take four grains.
One for me, one for my husband, and two for my twins.
You have yourself a deal. Once everything was settled and Sophia had carefully placed four grains of wheat into a tiny sack, The ant crawled out of Simon's hand, down the legs of the kitchen table, and disappeared through a crack in the wood floor.
Quietly, the ant scuttled over to the unsuspecting billy goat.
Luckily, the goat hadn't paid one lick of attention to the conversation inside the kitchen.
He was too busy bending over the garden, gulping up every last bite of Sophia's vegetables.
In a flash, the ant climbed up one of the goat's legs.
She crawled across his hairy back and dashed over to his right ear.
Then... She bit down hard. Out! The goat raised one of his legs to scratch himself, but then...
Ow! The ant scurried over to his other ear and bit that one, too.
Now she was running up and down his back, taking tiny sharp bites as she went.
No! An anthill! I've stepped on an anthill!
The billy goat bucked up his legs and leaped out of the vegetable garden.
Believing he was covered with ants, he began rolling around on the ground to shake all of them off.
The billy goat kept rolling and rolling faster and faster.
Next thing you know, he had rolled all the way back to the hills and mountains where he remains to this day.
As for the little aunt, well, now that she'd helped out Sophia and her family...
She was excited to take her four grains of wheat back home to her own husband and kids.
But four grains of wheat, it turns out, is too heavy a load for one little ant to carry.
So, Sophia, Simon, and Olivia each lent a hand.
The aunt carried the first grain, Sophia carried the second, Simon carried the third, and Olivia carried the fourth. carried the fourth.
And they were all happy, having helped out a new friend in need.
. . . Now it's your turn. When was the last time you helped someone solve a problem?
Maybe you lent a hand with a friend's homework, or you offered a family member some advice.
Think about a time when, like the ant, you helped get someone out of a bind.
Tell a grown-up in your life all about it, then ask them to share a time they came to someone's aid.
After all, as the ant in today's story shows, no matter how big or small we are, We all can be heroes and save the day.
Woo-hoo! Can't get enough of the goat in the garden?
We have other versions of this tale on our website. wbur.org slash circleround.
We also have a bunch of other stories from all across the world.
You can listen now on our website or by subscribing to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.
And if you have a moment, please write us a review.
It helps other people find Circle Round.
Today's story, The Goat in the Garden, was adapted by Jessica Alpert and me, Rebecca Shear.
Original music and sound design is by Eric Shimalonis.
Casting by Amy Lippins, CSA. along with help from our executive producer, Jessica Alpert.
Our artist is Sabina Han. Special thanks to this week's actors, Lauren Weissman, Rosie, Elisa, and Brian Amador. and Ray Maliazzi.
The Amador family are voiceover artists.
You can hear them on the audiobook, The Story of Ferdinand.
And grown-ups, you can catch Ray on The Best of Car Talk from NPR.
Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling around with us.
