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 shared something with you.
Maybe a friend shared a book or a game. Perhaps a family member shared some of their dessert.
When people share with us, it feels really good, right?
But as we'll hear in today's bonus episode...
When people don't share, it can leave a pretty bad taste in our mouth.
I'm Rebecca Sheer, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today our story is called The Dinner Date. including Greece, Sweden, and Russia.
Our adaptation is inspired by versions told in parts of Africa.
If you're looking for extra fun while you're listening, try playing Circle Round Bingo.
We've created two versions, one for readers and one for kids who are just starting to sound things out.
You can find both on our website. That's wbur.org slash circle round.
While you're there, you'll also find a coloring page for our story created by our artist, Sabina Hahn.
And now, circle around, everyone, for the dinner date.
If there was one thing Spider loved... It was eating.
Soups and stews, meats and fish. Beans, rice, corn, cassava, Spider enjoyed it all.
But what Spider did not enjoy was sharing.
So the crafty critter often dreamed up all sorts of sly, slippery schemes. just so he wouldn't have to split his food with anyone.
This is the story of one of those schemes.
It was a sizzling, scorching summer, and Spider was sitting down to a nice big dinner of grilled fish. fish, peanut stew, and boiled yams when he heard a knock at the door.
Who could that be? I wasn't expecting guests.
When Spider scuttled to the door and opened it...
Who should he see standing outside his house but Turtle?
Oh, Spider, I'm so glad you answered. I've been out walking in the sweltering heat. all day long and I'm ever so hungry.
As I crawled along the dirt path outside your home, I smelled the delicious aromas wafting through the window and I just had to knock.
Mind if I join you for dinner? Spider knew it would be impolite to turn Turtle away.
But remember, he wasn't very keen on sharing his food.
So the wily fellow plastered a warm smile on his face. and began to cook up a plan.
Welcome, Turtle. Please, come in. Have a seat at the table and help yourself to some grilled fish, peanut stew, and boiled yams.
Thank you, spider. Turtle trundled over to Spider's table and had a seat.
But as Turtle extended her stubby arms to reach for a piece of fish, Spider nearly choked on a mouthful of stew.
Turtle, what do you think you're doing? at those grubby hands of yours.
They're positively filthy. I don't know about you, but where I come from, it's bad manners to come to the table with such dirty mitts.
Turtle blushed. Oh, I'm sorry, Spider. It must be the dirt path outside your house.
It hasn't rained in days and the ground is so sandy and dusty.
Well, luckily that dirt path leads to a nice clean pond.
Go down to the pond, wash your hands, then come back.
So Turtle crawled out of her seat, inched out the door, and trekked down to the pond.
She rubbed and she scrubbed in the clear, clean water.
Then she trudged back up the sandy, dusty path to Spider's house.
Now, as you know, turtles aren't very swift creatures, right?
So, by the time this turtle inched through the door, Selfish Spider had already scarfed down half the food on the table.
Turtle, you're back. Come, sit down. So Turtle went back to the table and sat down.
But just as she reached for a piece of fish, Spider scrunched up his face.
Turtle, what did I tell you? Where I come from, it isn't proper to eat with grubby hands, and yours are still as grimy as can be.
It was true. After trekking up the sandy, dusty path from the pond, Turtle's hands were covered in dirt again.
Apologies, spider. I'll go wash them again.
So Turtle plodded back down the path to the pond.
Again. This time when she returned to Spider's house, the table was empty and Spider's belly was full.
Bulging. Oh. I'm sorry, Turtle, but you were gone so long that I assumed you weren't coming back. and I ate up all the food.
There isn't one crumb left. Purtle's tummy rumbled with hunger, and her blood boiled with anger.
But she took a breath and flashed Spider a grin.
That's quite all right, Spider. Thank you for inviting me to dinner.
Next time you find yourself near the river where I live.
Please come by and allow me to return the favor.
Well, Spider was never one to turn down free food.
So the very next evening, he put on his best jacket and scurried to the river where Turtle lived.
It was a long, hot journey and by the time Spider arrived, he was sweating inside his fancy coat.
Hey there, turtle. Well, hello, spider. Yet you all dressed up in that spiffy little jacket.
Have you come all this way to take me up on my offer?
Will you join me for dinner? After all that traveling, Spider was even more ravenous than usual.
I'd love to join you for dinner, Turtle.
Terrific! I've prepared everything. all sorts of delicious things.
Rice balls, fish kabobs, I even fried up some banana fritters for dessert.
You sit here on the riverbank while I dive down to the bottom and prepare the food.
I'll come back when it's ready. Then Turtle plunged into the river with a splash.
Spider's mouth watered as he waited for Turtle to return.
His belly grumbled. Finally, just when Spider thought he would faint from starvation... I'm back!
Great. But where are those... Rice balls, Turtle.
Those fish kebabs. Those... Banana fritters.
Your hands are empty. Turtle shook her head.
Oh, you must have misunderstood, Spider.
You and I aren't having our dinner date up on the riverbank.
We're having our dinner date down on the river bottom, where I make my home.
Come, follow me. Then what? Once again, Turtle plunged into the river with a splash.
Spider knitted his brow as he watched turtles swim down to the bottom of the river.
Then he took a deep breath and a running start, and he dove into the water with all his might.
Spider sunk down a few inches, but then he found himself floating back up. and bobbing to the surface like a cork.
Oh no! Spider dove into the water again and again, kicking and flapping his spindly arms and legs.
But his body just drifted back up to the surface each and every time.
Oh man, I'm too small and light to sink down to the bottom of the river.
There must be something I can do. Spider dragged himself out of the water and... took off his soaking wet jacket as he laid a coat on the riverbank to dry. he suddenly had an idea.
That's it. Spider pulled his sodden jacket back on and began scuttling around. scooping up rocks and pebbles and stuffing them into his coat pockets.
Soon, the coat was very heavy. So heavy, in fact, that this time when Spider dove into the river, He sank all the way to the bottom, where Turtle was sitting at a table loaded up. with food.
Welcome, spider. Please come here. Have a seat at the table and help yourself to some rice balls.
Fish kebabs and banana fritters. Thank you, Turtle.
So Spider swam over to Turtle's table and had a seat.
But as Spider stuck out a slender arm to reach for a kebab, Turtle's eyes grew wide.
Spider, what do you think you're doing? I don't know about you, but where I come from its bad manners to come to the table wearing a jacket.
We always take off our coats before we eat.
Spider blushed. Oh, I'm sorry, Turtle. I'll take it off right away.
Spider was so hungry that he didn't stop to think about what he was doing.
He just grabbed the sleeves of his heavy jacket, gave them a tug, and pulled the coat right off.
But do you know what happened the moment he did?
You guessed it. Spider began floating up. up, up, away from the river bottom, away from Turtle's table, and away from all of that scrumptious food.
And as he did, his host called out to him in a voice sweeter than the banana fritters piled high on her plate.
Thanks for the dinner date spider. I hope you enjoyed the food I prepared as much as I enjoyed yours.
So, in the end, just as Turtle didn't get to eat at Spider's house...
Spider didn't get to eat at Turtle's house.
But while Turtle didn't serve Spider any dinner, she had definitely served him right.
Coming up, it's your turn. Spider didn't share, so turtle didn't share. but we'll think about ways that you can share.
That and more after a quick break. Support for Circle Round comes from Indeed.
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Hiring? Indeed is all you need. mind. Welcome back to Circle Round.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Now that we've listened to The Dinner Date.
What's one thing you can do this week to share?
It could be something you can see and touch, like a book or a game or a cookie.
Or it could be something you can't see. like a story or a joke or a few minutes of your time.
Think about what you'd like to share and who you'd like to share it with.
Then make it happen. The act of sharing will make you feel good, and it'll definitely brighten someone else's day.
This week's bonus story, The Dinner Date, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear.
It was edited by Circle Round's executive producer, Catherine Brewer.
Trickle Round's original music and sound design is by Eric Shimalonis.
Our artist is Sabina Han. Our actors were Amy Brentano and WBUR reporter Quincy Walters.
Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news 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.
My name is Rowan, and my favorite circle round is...
Dora and the dragon and my favorite part of it is that when she says, she can throw it all the way to the moon.
Hi, I'm Noah. I'm from Pasadena, California.
And my favorite story is the going in the garden. because he ate all the vegetables.
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 Circle Round, or wherever you and your grown-ups get your podcasts.
