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.
WBUR Podcasts Boston Have you ever had a chore to do?
Perhaps you've set the table at dinner time.
Or you've helped fold the laundry and put it away.
Some of us adore chores. Some of us don't.
And in today's story, we'll meet a woman who doesn't quite believe her chore is a barrel of fun. until it leads to a boatload of adventure.
Woo-hoo! I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today, our story is called The Empty Barrel.
It comes from the Jewish community in the North African country of Morocco.
Thank you. Some really great people came together to bring you our version of this tale. including Anjali Bhimani, star of fan favorite video games like Overwatch, Apex Legends, and her latest, Stray Gods, the role-playing musical.
You can also hear Anjali in our season five episode, The Neverending Stories.
So circle around, everyone, for the empty barrel.
Layla the woodworker lived in a humble cottage where she spent her days chopping trees and crafting beautiful bowls and birdhouses, trinkets and toys, which she sold at the market.
Layla made a modest living. and she was content with what she had.
Well, mostly content. Because the one thing the woodworker didn't have was a well.
Oh, if only this cottage of mine had a well beside it.
I would have plenty of water for cooking and washing.
Instead, I have to carry a barrel all the way to the river to fetch water. then lug it all the way back.
It was true. When the working day was done, Layla hoisted an empty barrel onto her back.
In the waning light of the setting sun, she lugged the barrel to the river, filled it with water, then dragged it back home.
After a good night's rest, she woke up with enough water to last her all day.
One morning, when Layla went to get water to boil some eggs, she made a startling discovery.
My barrel! It's empty! But how could this be?
Just last night, it was filled all the way to the brim.
How odd. She searched the barrel for holes or cracks, but couldn't find a single one.
So she returned to the river, filled the barrel again, then hauled it back home.
But when she woke up the next morning...
My barrel is empty! Again! The same thing happened the next morning.
No water? And the next morning. Not even a drop?
Until finally, Layla made a decision. Tonight I will hide. inside this barrel and see what's happening to my water.
At sundown, Layla stepped inside the empty barrel, fastened the lid, then did her best to stay still as the minutes and hours ticked by.
And then, right around midnight, she heard an unmistakable sound.
Wings. I hear wings. And they're getting closer and closer.
And whoa! Layla clutched the sides of the barrel as it began to sway back and forth.
I think this barrel is lifting off the ground and now it's flying.
With me inside it! The barrel flew and flew, until eventually...
It landed. With trembling hands, Layla lifted the cover.
When she peered over the edge... She got two big surprises.
The first was... The sun! It's come up again.
Gosh, I must have been flying all night.
And the second surprise? The sea! I've landed far above the sea on a a tall, steep cliff.
But how did I get here? Oh, that's simple.
I brought you. Leela glanced up. Perched in a tall tree was the large, sharp-billed seabird known as an albatross.
You brought me here? I did. And you speak?
I do. Layla's head was spinning, but it was about to spin even more. because as she gaped at the talking albatross in the tree, she noticed something hanging from the branches.
But they weren't flowers or fruit. Instead, they looked an awful lot like...
Diamonds? Are diamonds really hanging from that tree?
And did a talking albatross really bring me here?
Or am I just having a really strange dream?
The albatross spread its wings and glided to the ground.
Well, if you really want to know, Then yes, diamonds really are hanging from that tree.
And no, you're not. dreaming, a talking albatross really did bring you here.
Though technically, I'm not actually an albatross.
You're not? You look like an albatross to me.
Sharp bill, sturdy legs, strong wings. True, but I'm actually a person.
Or I was. That is, until an evil witch... came sweeping into my village from across the sea.
She made off with all the people, then turned each and every one of us into an albatross.
Layla felt her head spin again. So, let me get this straight.
The witch took all the people in your village And turned you into seabirds?
But why? One word. The albatross extended a wing toward the diamond tree.
This precious tree of hers can only grow with fresh water. not sea water.
So the witch transformed us into albatrosses so we can use our strong wings to fly around and fetch fresh water.
But where is everyone else? You're the only one I see.
Well, an albatross is a mighty bird. But even mighty birds get tired.
And whenever we get too tired to carry water, The witch turns us... into something else.
Layla shuddered. And what would that something else be?
The albatross gestured toward the tree again.
A diamond? And I'm the only villager who hasn't yet met this tragic fate.
Layla stared at the diamonds. There must have been hundreds hanging from the tree... all of them sparkling and glittering in the sun.
I am so sorry. Why don't you escape? You've got strong wings.
You can just fly away and go somewhere the witch will never find you.
I could, but I don't want to leave my friends and family behind.
So I've been pacing myself, conserving my strength, so that I can stay in Albatross long enough to figure out how to reverse the witch's spells.
And now that you're here, maybe you can help me?
Layla smiled. Of course I'll help you. Where is the witch now?
Before the albatross could answer, a fearsome voice rang out.
Where is the witch, you ask? I'm right here!
And now that you're here, You will become my newest albatross!
Layla whirled around and came face to face with a tall, cloaked woman.
Her hair was jet black and wild. Her eyes were fierce and bright.
Leila's heart began to pound. Her hands grew cold and her brow grew damp.
She knew she must find a way to reverse the witch's spells.
But could she do it without becoming a well-water-snatching albatross herself? there was only one way to find out.
What will Layla do next? What would you do if you were in the woodworker's shoes?
We'll find out what happens after a quick break.
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Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear.
Today our story is called The Empty Barrel.
Before the break, a witch turned an entire village into albatrosses. then sent the seabirds to fetch fresh water for her tree by the sea.
When the birds grew too weak to do their jobs, the witch turned them into diamonds.
Layla the woodworker was determined to save the villagers without becoming an albatross herself.
So she began to hatch a plan. Listen, witch.
I know you say you'll turn me into an albatross, but I don't believe you can.
Is that so? The witch folded her arms and stuck out her chin.
I will have you know that I am so powerful, I've turned hundreds of people into albatrosses!
Alright, fine, whatever you say. But if you're truly so powerful, Then can you turn all those albatrosses back into people again?
Like this one here? Layla pointed at the albatross who had carried her across the sea.
Can you really change him back into a person again?
I'll bet you can't. The witch's eyes blazed.
You have a lot of nerve talking to me like that. absolutely can turn this albatross back into a person.
Watch this. She took a breath. then threw her hands high above her head.
When she brought them down again, she pointed them straight at the albatross.
All of a sudden, there was a burst of smoke.
And when the haze cleared... Wow! Look at me!
The albatross was a person again. a short, stocky man who began jumping around for joy.
You see, I've done it. I've turned an albatross into a person.
Now, are you convinced how great my powers are?
Inside, Layla smiled. Outside, she shrugged.
I have to say, witch, I'm not convinced.
I mean... If your powers were really so amazing, You couldn't just turn an albatross into a person.
She cocked her head toward the tree. You could turn a diamond into a person, too.
The witch's mouth curled into a sneer. Are you serious?
Of course I can turn a diamond into a person.
Watch this! She raised her hands high above her head.
When she brought them down again, she thrust them toward a diamond on the tree.
This time there was an explosion of light.
And when the light faded... Oh my goodness!
There was a boy wearing a cap and overalls.
His eyes were shining with delight and surprise.
So, now do you believe how great my powers are?
Again, Layla shrugged. You know, I wish I could say I believed it, but I can't.
You'll have to prove yourself some other way.
The witch clenched her teeth in frustration.
Right. Fine. Watch this! She tossed her hands into the air.
Then she proceeded to point her fingers in the direction of Diamond.
After diamond. After diamond. And after an explosion of light so blinding it was like the sun had plummeted down to Earth...
There were all the villagers, dancing, twirling, hugging and cheering on the top of the cliff.
All right, the deed is done. So, now do you believe how great my powers are?
Layla couldn't believe how well her plan was working.
But she wasn't finished yet. Listen, witch.
I've seen you transform an albatross into a person.
I've seen you transform diamonds into people.
But what would really, truly convince me that you... are the most powerful witch in all the world. would be if you transformed Yourself.
The witch narrowed her fiery eyes. If I transformed myself?
Yes! If you used your extraordinary powers to transform yourself into, I don't know, a diamond, perhaps?
The witch didn't say a word. She just took a deep, deep breath.
And then, with more fury than ever, she shot her hands up into the air.
She waved them around in a frenzy before pointing them directly at herself.
There was a big swirl of wind, like a miniature cyclone.
And then the witch was gone. gone. Layla looked up at the tree and that's when she saw it.
A single, bright diamond, sparkling and glittering on one of the branches.
Without missing a beat, Layla raced over, plucked the diamond from the tree, And then, with every ounce of strength she could muster, She flung it over the cliff and into the sea.
Hi-ya! When the gemstone struck the water's surface, there was a burst of smoke, then an explosion of light.
Then the diamond and the witch disappeared beneath the crashing waves.
The villagers crowded around Layla, showering her with gratitude for breaking the spell. and defeating the witch.
But then, the short, stocky man And the boy in overalls motioned for everyone to quiet down.
Hang on, friends. Hang on. Listen, I'm as happy to be free from the witch as you are, but I have to ask...
How are we going to get home? He's right.
Our village is far across the sea. And we no longer have wings to fly.
Layla flashed everyone a grin. But you don't need to fly.
Not when you can float. We'll take the diamond tree here and we'll turn it into a boat.
I'm a woodworker by trade, and though I've never built a boat before, If we all work together, I'm sure we can do it.
All we need are the right tools. The villagers searched the witch's cottage and found hammers and nails, plus a big bolt of fabric and a sturdy axe.
Gripping the axe in her hands, Layla gave the tree a few chops.
And to the moment it hit the ground... Her eyes opened wide.
The tree's trunk is hollow. And tucked inside it is a chest.
A chest filled with diamonds, real diamonds, that the witch was hiding away?
Leila set about divvying up the diamonds, as luck would have it. there were just enough for everyone to get one diamond apiece Layla included.
All right, friends. Now that we have our treasures, let's build our boat.
And they did. They constructed a nice, solid sailboat, just big enough to fit them all.
Then they carried the vessel down to the sea, pushed it into the water, and set sail.
Layla made sure her new friends reached their village safely before sailing back to her own home.
By the time she stepped foot in her humble cottage, it was dusk and the sun was about to set.
Oh. Usually around this time I grab my big wooden barrel and trekked to the river to fetch water.
But after today's adventures... I think I'll just go to bed.
The next morning, Layla woke up and went off to the market.
Not to sell her wooden bowls and birdhouses, trinkets and toys, but to sell her new diamond from the diamond tree.
She received a handsome sum of money in exchange. some she set aside as savings, some she gave to charity, The rest she used for herself to build a fine, deep well beside her humble cottage.
But even though Layla never again had to carry water, She definitely had one gem of a story to tell.
Hmm. Now it's your turn. Layla used her smarts and imagination to solve a problem and help others.
Think about a time you used your wits and creativity to solve a problem.
What was the problem? How did you solve it?
And how did you come up with your creative solution?
Find a grown-up and tell them your story.
Then have them tell you about a time they did some creative problem solving.
This week's episode The Empty Barrel was adapted by me, Rebecca Shearer.
It was edited by Sophie Codner. Our original music and sound design is by Eric Shimilonis.
Our artist is Sabina Han. Want to color while you listen?
Sabina has drawn a black and white picture for all 200-plus Circle Round stories. and you can print them out and add your own colors.
Grownups, visit our website wbur.org slash circle round and click on Coloring Pages.
And while you're at wbur.org slash circleround, By becoming the newest member of the Circle Round Club.
As a member, you'll get brand new Circle Round swag, weekly activity emails, a monthly newsletter, and early access to Circle Round events.
Other benefits can include ad-free episodes, bite-sized bedtime stories, music education videos, even a personalized birthday message from me.
Visit WBUR.org slash Circle Round and click Circle Round Club.
Special thanks to this week's actors, Theodore Chin, Igor Shimalonis, Dawn Ursula, and Anjali Bhimani.
Fans of the gaming world will know Anjali Bhimani from her roles in Overwatch and Apex Legends.
Her newest game is Stray Gods, the role-playing musical.
And if you're a Circle Round superfan, you'll remember Anjali from our Season 5 finale episode, The NeverEnding Stories.
If you haven't heard it, it's definitely worth a listen.
You can find a link on our website, wbur.org.
Just click on Archive. Our featured instrument this week was the qanun.
You can learn more about this Arabic lap harp with a whopping 78 strings on our website.
Again, that's wbur.org slash circleround.
Grown-ups, if you enjoy Circle Round, please tell your friends about the show.
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It really does. Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling around with us.
Now that you've made it to the end of this Circle Round episode, we want to know...
What's your favorite Circle Round story?
Thousands of fans just like you have been telling us about the Circle Round stories they like best.
Take a listen. Maybe one of their favorites is one of yours, too.
My name is Lumi and I live in Finland. My favorite Circle Round story is blowing hot and cold.
My favorite part is when the queen hired the farmer to be her Chief Gardener.
My name is Ethan. And my name is Luke. And we're from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
And our favorite one is the Mountain Guardian.
My name is Eliza and I live in Truckee, California.
My favorite Circle Round story is the Unselfish Shellfish.
And my favorite part is when the farmer and his daughter open all the oysters and see many pearls.
My name's Olivia. I live in New York City.
My favorite circle round story is the three-legged pot.
My favorite part is when the part goes, skippity, skip, skip, whoo!
My name is Harrison. I live in Wisconsin.
My favorite episode is Stella and the Dragon.
My name is Kate, and I live in the forest with Sonson.
And my favorite story is called The First Customer because I like the part where she moves in. and sell rice and beans and potatoes and carbs.
My name is Evie and I live in Oakland. My favorite circle round is the tail of Koala's tail.
I like the part where all the animals tug on Koala's tail and it pops off.
I love you circle my eyes Did someone mention a story you've missed?
Not to worry. Grownups, you can find all of our Circle Round stories plus links to the Circle Round Club, picture books, coloring pages, and oh so much more on our website.
WBUR.org slash Circle Round.
