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 the last time you helped someone.
Maybe you helped a friend with homework, You dried the dishes as your grown-up washed them.
Or you offered a kind word to somebody who was having a rough day...
We're about to meet a man who has the opportunity to help a whole lot of people.
An entire town, actually. But instead, he leaves them puzzled.
Very puzzled. . . . I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today our story is called The Banker's Riddles.
Variations of this tale come from China and Vietnam, two countries in Asia.
Some really great people came together to bring you our version of this folktale including Jeannie Mai.
Grownups, you might know Jeannie from the talk show The Real and from her podcast Listen Honey.
So circle around, everyone, for the Banker's Riddles.
Long ago, in a far off town, There lived a very clever man.
There's no riddle I can't answer. No puzzle I can't solve!
Ha! Obviously, the clever man was very cocky, too, always bragging about how smart he was.
Only the smartest person in all the land.
Now, in addition to being clever and cocky, the man was also very wealthy.
He made his fortune working as a banker.
He lent money to all the people in town. and those townspeople weren't nearly as well off as he was.
In fact, although they worked very hard, most of them struggled to make ends meet.
So they came to the banker for loans. But there was something very... different about the way the banker lent out money.
Let's say you borrowed money from the banker.
If you couldn't afford to pay him back when your debt was due, He would ask you a riddle.
Okay, listen up. What has three feet but can't walk?
Tells you things but can't talk? Sometimes bends, but is mostly straight, and is like a scale. but can't tell your weight.
If you could solve the riddle... Um... Is it a yardstick?
Your debt would be forgiven. That is correct.
You don't owe me a cent. But if you couldn't...
Figure out the banker's riddle? Uh... If you were totally stumped?
Is it... Uh... Could it be... I don't know.
I give up. Then the banker would charge you extra, a whole lot extra, for every day your payment was late.
And given how tricky the bankers' riddles were, most of the townspeople were up to their ears in debt. and seething with resentment.
One afternoon, the banker was walking around town collecting on his debts.
He arrived at a little house with a tiny front yard where a grocer lived with his daughter.
The grocer's shop hadn't been doing well, and the poor man owed the banker a bunch of money.
Good day, sir. I'm afraid I can't pay back your loan today.
I've been working myself to the bone. My daughter too.
But I just don't have the cash. The banker arched his eyebrows.
You can't pay me back, you say? Not to worry.
Answer my riddle and your debt will be forgiven.
The grocer was a simple man and had never been big on puzzles or brain teasers.
But... What else could he do? All right, what is the riddle?
Well, this one's more of a quest. I need you to bring me two things.
First Fire wrapped in paper. And second, a dead tree that makes music.
Find those two things, deliver them to me by tomorrow, and you... won't owe me a cent.
But If you can't bring me those two things, your debt will be doubled.
No! Tripled. The grocer felt his palms get clammy.
Fire wrapped in paper? A dead tree that makes music?
He had absolutely no idea what the banker was talking about. you As soon as the banker was gone, the grocer burst into tears and collapsed on the floor in a heap.
Oh, oh. Before long, the grocer's daughter arrived home from another slow day at the shop.
To keep busy, she had given the store a thorough cleaning.
Then she lost track of the time. Father!
Sorry I'm late coming home, but I started scrubbing the floor. floors and dusting the shelves and you would not believe how much I had to...
Father? What's wrong? Why are you crying?
Oh, daughter. It's terrible. It's horrible.
The banker, he came by just now to collect on his debt.
I didn't have the money to pay him back, so he asked me one of his riddles.
Oh? Something you should know about the grocer's daughter.
She was as clever as clever can be. though she never boasted about it like the banker did.
And when she heard her father mention the word riddles...
The witty woman's eyes lit up. So, the banker asked you one of his riddles, eh?
What was it, Father? It was impossible is what it was.
But perhaps you can figure it out, my dear.
You've always been so terrifically clever.
So, as his riddle, the banker asked me to bring him two things.
First... Fire wrapped in paper. Fire wrapped in paper.
And second? A dead tree that makes music.
A dead tree that makes music. Right. If I can find those two things, we won't owe the banker a cent.
But how in the world will I ever find them?
The grocer's daughter took a deep breath.
She closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she was beaming from ear to ear.
Don't you worry, Father. I'll solve the banker's riddles. and show him that two can play at this game.
How do you think the grocer's daughter will crack the banker's code?
We'll find out what happens after a quick break.
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Hiring? Indeed is all you need. end. Welcome back to Circle Round.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Today our story is called The Banker's Riddles.
Amen. When we left off, a rich banker offered to forgive a poor grocer's debt.
All the grocer had to do was answer a riddle.
If the grocer got it right... he wouldn't owe the banker a cent.
If he got it wrong, he'd have to shell out a whole lot of extra cash cash that neither he nor his daughter had.
If you remember the banker's riddle, you'll recall he told the grocer to find two things.
One... File wrapped in paper. And two?
A dead tree that makes music. The grocer was positively perplexed by this riddle.
Beyond baffled. But his clever daughter was excited.
The next day, she walked over to the banker's enormous mansion at the edge of town.
May I help you? I believe you can. I'm the grocer's daughter.
I've come to pay his debt. With these. She held up two boxes.
Oh, let me guess. Those boxes contain the answers to my riddles.
This'll be fun. I can't wait to see what that simple grocer came up with.
All right, then. First, I offer you fire wrapped in paper.
The grocer's daughter reached into one box and pulled out a round paper globe.
Inside the globe was a candle, which the daughter promptly lit.
The bright flame made the paper globe glimmer and glow.
This! Sir is a paper lantern. It's left over from my birthday party last month.
And as you'll see with the candle inside, it's none other than fire wrapped in paper.
The banker blinked his eyes. Well, that riddle was a piece of cake.
I figured I'd go easy on that father of yours.
Surely you didn't bring me the other thing I asked for.
Oh, you mean a dead tree that plays music?
She opened the other box and pulled out...
A flute. This flute, sir, was made from a bamboo tree.
A bamboo tree that someone had to chop down.
A chopped down tree is definitely dead wouldn't you say?
And this flute definitely plays music. Would you like to give it a try?
The banker's cheeks burned a blazing red.
That won't be necessary. Listen, miss, you may have solved my riddles, But I should tell you, the rules have changed.
Your father owes me so much money, I'm afraid that one silly little riddle simply will not do.
You'll have to answer more. The banker expected the grocer's daughter to shudder.
Instead... She smiled. Answer more riddles, you say?
It would be my pleasure. Fine. Next week, I will visit your house.
And when I do, I expect three things. First, you must weave me a cloth as long as the road.
Second, You must make as much wine as there is water in the ocean.
And third, you must raise a pig that's as heavy as a mountain.
Okay. So, a cloth as long as the road, as much wine as there's water in the ocean, and a pig as heavy as a mountain.
Is that all? That should be more than enough for you.
I'll see you next week. One week later as promised, the banker returned to the little house where the grocer and his daughter lived.
The grocer answered the door with a grin.
Come in, sir, come in. We've been expecting you.
The banker looked around the room. He noticed three things sitting on a rickety table—
A ruler, a set of measuring cups, and a weighing scale.
Sir! These aren't the three things your daughter thinks I want, are they?
I told her to weave a cloth as long as the road.
"'to make as much wine as there is water in the ocean.' and to raise a pig that's as heavy as a mountain.
What could, then, are a ruler, measuring cups, and a scale?
Oh, they're plenty good. The grocer's daughter breezed through the door with a gleam in her eye.
She waltzed over to the table and lifted up the ruler.
Good sir, I will gladly weave you a cloth as long as the road.
If you first measure the road, so I know how long the cloth should be.
Next she picked up the measuring cups. And I will happily make you as much wine as there's water in the ocean. if you first measure the ocean so I know how much wine I should make.
Finally, she pointed. to the scale and I would be delighted to raise a pig that's as heavy as a mountain. if you first weigh the mountain, so I know how heavy that pig should be.
The banker was speechless and impressed. and humbled.
At last, he'd been beaten at his own game.
The grocer's daughter had thrown the banker's riddle right back at him.
That was the last time the banker used riddles to separate people from their money.
He became a lot less cocky. and a lot more friendly, especially with his new friend, the grocer's daughter.
The two of them told riddles constantly.
But now, it was just for fun. So, even though their brains got twisted and their minds got tied in knots, they never got bent out of shape.
. . . Now it's your turn. Let's say you want to tell a riddle that will twist somebody's brain.
Maybe you already know one. Maybe you want to use your imagination to make one up.
Either way, find someone you like to have fun with and tell them your riddle.
Maybe they'll tell you one, too. This week's story, The Banker's Riddles, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shearer.
It was edited by Circle Round's executive producer, Catherine Brewer.
Circle Round's original music and sound design is by Eric Shimalonis.
If you like Eric's music, you'll love the music of Circle Round Volume 1, our soundtrack from our first season.
To get your copy, visit our website, wbur.org slash circleround, and click on Soundtrack and Copy. coloring pages.
While you're there, you can find a bunch of black and white illustrations by Circle Round's artist, Sabina Hahn.
She's created a picture for every Circle Round story, and you can color them in.
Special thanks to this week's actors. Evan Casey, Kevin Corbett, Hana Kenny, Tom Whaley. and Jeannie Mai.
Grown-ups look for Jeannie's talk show, The Real, now in its sixth season.
And listen for her new podcast, Listen Honey.
Find it wherever you get your podcasts. Our featured instrument this week was the clavichord.
You can learn more about this early keyboard instrument and see a picture Once more, that's wbur.org slash circle around.
Never want to miss an episode of Circle Round?
Ask a grownup to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or whatever podcast app they 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 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.
Hi, my name is Calliope. I'm from Rochester, and my favorite story is... is the barber's secret because I like when the prince has donkey ears.
My name's Adio and I live in Melbourne. And my favourite Circle Round story is Turtle Island because I like when...
Muskrat brings the soil back and fever and I don't believe Muskrat.
If you're a grown up listening right now, you can help us keep these wonderful stories going by giving a donation to WBUR.
Visit wbur.org slash color and help support another year of Circle Round.
Give $15 or more and you'll get a beautiful circle round coloring book.
Give $30 or more and get an adorable kid-sized circle round t-shirt.
Again, that's wbur.org slash color. Thanks.
