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 you helped someone out by giving.
Maybe you donated extra books or clothing to a charity.
Or you gave your time by volunteering at a community cleanup or a fundraiser like a walk-a-thon or bake sale.
In today's story, we'll meet a man who has everything but refuses to give anything until a bit of magic intervenes.
¶¶ I'm Rebecca Sheer, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today our story is called the three-legged pot.
Versions of this folktale come from Denmark, a country in northern Europe.
You'll also hear variations from the Middle East.
Some really great people came together to bring you our telling of this tale, including actress and comedian Aparna Nancherla.
Grownups, you may recognize Aparna from Corporate on Comedy Central. and her Netflix special from season two of The Stand-Ups.
So circle around, everyone, for the three-legged pot.
Bye. Long ago, on opposite ends of a small town, there lived two brothers.
On one side of town was Casper. Casper and his wife, Clara, were struggling to get by.
They had a tiny cottage, an even tinier yard, and one cow named Clover.
But by now, the sweet, hungry creature was so scrawny and weak, she could hardly let out a moo.
On the other side of town lived Casper's older brother, Felix.
Unlike Casper, Felix had everything he wanted, and then some.
He owned a massive mansion, acres of farmland, and hired countless servants.
In fact, rumor had it that Felix was so rich, so extravagant, If any of his silver coins were tarnished, he tossed them into the trash can.
And yet, No matter how many times Casper politely asked his older brother for help, Felix never shared anything, not even a tarnished silver coin.
It was autumn, and Casper and Clara were concerned about the long winter ahead.
Their creaky cottage was drafty, and they didn't have much in terms of food or warm clothing.
Eventually, Clara made a decision. We have no choice, Casper.
We have to sell Clover. But my love, we've had Clover forever.
She's like family. I know, darling, but your older brother Felix, he's family too. and look how he treats us.
I'm sorry, but you and I won't make it through the winter if we don't get money fast.
So the next morning, Casper looped Clover's halter over her bony head and led the cow to market.
On the way, he encountered a man with a white beard, a red cap, and a gray woolen coat.
The man was carrying a burlap sack. Good morning, sir.
Where are you off to with that big, beautiful cow?
Casper knew that skinny, scraggy clover was far from big.
But he did think his beloved cow was beautiful and was pleased that this bearded stranger agreed.
I'm taking her to market. Thanks for asking.
Though... It's tough to see her go. I can tell.
She means a lot to you. Tell me, how much money are you asking for?
What did you say her name was? Clover? Casper was mystified.
I... I didn't say what her name was. But yes, it's clover.
And as for how much money I'm asking, I don't know.
It's hard to put a price on something so very precious and... I tell you what.
The man held up the burlap sack. What if, in exchange for your cow, I give you something even more valuable than money.
What if I give you... This. The stranger reached into the sack and removed a black iron rod.
It looked old and dingy, but it had an elegant curved handle. and three short, sturdy legs.
I'm sorry? You want me to trade my cow for a pot?
My wife and I are so poor, we wouldn't have anything to cook in it.
What I need is money. You keep your pot.
Casper turned to lead Clover away, when... Oh, come on!
Come on! Just take me. Take me. Casper spun around.
Um, who said that? Take what? Take who? Take me, silly.
Take me. Casper gawked at the pot. You, you speak?
Yep, I speak. I speak! Casper blinked at the man in the red cap and gray coat.
He expected the fellow to be every bit as bewildered as he was.
Instead, the stranger just stood there, stroking his long white beard.
Listen, Casper. Um... How did you know my... Casper, I told you.
I could give you something even more valuable than money.
And trust me, this three-legged pot is it.
He's right, you know. He's right. I'm way more valuable, Casper.
Way more valuable. Casper shook his head.
A talking pot. He'd never dreamt of such a thing.
But then it occurred to him. If this three-legged pod could speak.
Imagine what else it might do. All right then, sir.
You take the cow. I'll take the pot. They shook on it.
Then the bearded stranger led Clover away.
Goodbye, old friend. Wish it didn't have to be this way.
But boy, a talking pot. Clara will be blown away.
Casper lifted the pot by its handle and carried it back to the cottage.
Clara was waiting outside with a confused look on her face.
Clara, I have such wonderful news! I went to sell clover, just like you asked.
But then this little guy came up with this long white beard and he offered me this pot and... You traded clover?
For a pot? Um, for your information, Clara, I'm not just any pot.
Nuh-uh. Not just any pot. You speak? You bet I speak.
I speak! Hey, that's not all I can do. And when you folks see me in action, It will change your life.
Change your life! What else do you think the three-legged pot can do?
We'll find out after a quick break. Support for Circle Round comes from Indeed.
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Hiring? Indeed is all you need. side. I'm Rebecca Shear.
Welcome back to Circle Round. Today's story is called The Three-Legged Pot. you When we left off, a poor man named Casper had traded his cow for a three-legged pot.
Well, not just any three-legged pot. This one spoke.
It hinted to Casper and his wife Clara that it could do something else, too.
Listen, folks. Listen, as you can see, I'm kind of dingy.
Really dingy. If you'd please, would you mind washing me, cleaning me, and putting me on the fire?
Then you'll see what else I can do. Casper and Clara did as they were told.
They scrubbed the pot's insides till they gleamed. polished its outsides till they sparkled, and hung its handle over the crackling fireplace.
Thank you. Thank you. Now. Suddenly, the pot leaped to the ground.
You'll see what else I can do. Skip and skip.
Whee! Indeed, before Casper and Clara knew what was happening, The pot had skipped and skipped to the door and clickety-clacked out on its three short legs.
The pot skipped all the way to the other side of town, to the grand estate of Casper's older brother, Felix.
The pot zipped into the red barn, where two of Felix's farmhands were busy threshing wheat.
They'd spent the morning separating the grains, the part you can eat, from the stalks. than storing the grain in big bags.
Uh-oh. We're all out of bags. And we've got bushels more wheat to thresh.
Hundreds of bushels more like. Sheesh. Why does Felix need all this grain anyway?
Beats me. I mean, can the guy really eat that much bread?
I'll bet he ends up throwing most of this stuff away.
Yeah. What a waste. The farmhands didn't notice the three-legged pot standing beside them.
Until... Hey, where'd that pod come from?
I don't know. But I'll bet it could fit a whole lot of grain.
Let's try it. The farmhands poured bushel after bushel of wheat into the pot.
Once it was filled to the brim, Its three short legs began to twitch.
Time to skip and skip. Whee! The farmhands watched with astonishment and amusement. as the pot clickety-clacked to the door and dashed back to the other side of town.
When the pot returned to Casper and Clara's cottage, they couldn't believe their eyes.
Wow, with so much grain, we'll be baking bread all winter.
And all spring, summer, and fall, too. Thank you, Pot.
Thank you. You're welcome. So welcome. But listen, folks, listen.
All that skipping made me grimy again. grossly grimy.
So if you'd please, would you mind washing me?
Cleaning me and putting me on the fire? Again, Casper and Clara did as they were told.
They scrubbed, polished, and hung the pot in the fireplace.
Thank you. Just as before, the pot sprang to the ground.
Time to skip and skip. Whee! And clickety-clacked out the door.
For the second time that day. The pot hopped over to Felix's estate.
This time, it shimmied through a window in the luxurious mansion.
It scuttled to the tailor's room, where Felix's garment makers were unwrapping a new shipment of fancy fabric.
Oh my! Did you see this cashmere? Felix must have ordered a thousand yards.
Well, I'm pretty sure he ordered a million yards of this silk.
And this velvet. There's absolutely no way we can make clothing out of all this fabric.
Let alone find space to store it. Our shelves are bursting.
I'll bet he winds up throwing most of this stuff away.
Indeed! What a waste! The tailors didn't notice the three-legged pot standing beside them.
Until... Say! pot come from? Not a clue.
But it's a perfect place to store all this fabric.
Let's do it. The tailor stuffed yard after yard of cashmere, silk, and velvet into the pot, And when it was filled to the brim, can you guess what happened?
That's right. Its legs began to twitch. Time to skip.
And skip. Whee! The tailors watched with surprise and satisfaction as the pot clickety-clacked out the door. and scampered back to the other side of town.
When the pot returned to Casper and Clara's cottage, They could hardly contain themselves.
Oh, pot, is that cashmere and silk? And velvet?
Our old clothing is so threadbare and torn.
Now we can make new clothes for the winter.
Thank you, Pot. Thank you. You're welcome.
So welcome. But listen, folks, listen. All that skipping made me grubby again.
Way too grubby. So if you please, would you mind washing me, cleaning me, And putting me on the fire?
Once more. Casper and Clara scrubbed, polished, and hung the pot over the fire.
Thank you. Again, the pot jumped to the ground.
Time to skip and skip. Whee! And yes, clickety clacked right out the door.
By now it was evening, and can you guess where the pot skipped this time?
That's right, back to Felix's estate. Only now it's slipped into the counting house. the sturdy brick building where Felix hoarded his gobs and gobs of money.
Now, do you remember that rumor we mentioned at the beginning of the story?
The one about Felix being so extravagant that he threw out any silver coins that were tarnished, Well, as the pot crept inside the counting house...
Felix was sitting at his table. Disgusting.
Hurling coin after tarnished coin. Abominable.
Into a trash can. Oh, this is pathetic. Why do these blasted silver coins tarnish so quickly?
I've tossed away so many of the beastly things, my wastebasket is overflowing.
Felix didn't notice the three-legged pot standing by the door until...
Huh. How'd that dingy part get here? Never mind.
The grimy and grubby thing is the perfect vessel for these detestable coins.
Once the pot was filled to the brim, you know what happened, right?
Time to skip and skip. Whee! But before it could skip a step... Not so fast!
Felix grabbed the pot's curved handle. Listen, you bewitched creature. you can skip and skip all the way to the North Pole if you want.
Just give me those coins. Felix jumped into the air, flung himself on to the three-legged putt, and stopped.
Duck there! Cheerfully, the pot began clickety-clacking forward. with Felix glued to its side.
So, Felix! They're not poor, eh? What? How did you?
What did you? You did say I can skip. and skip all the way to the North Pole, right?
Right? Well, you know what, Felix? You know what?
What? I can! I can! No, stop! Next thing Felix knew, the pot switched direction and raced northward.
And it didn't stop until it reached, you guessed it, the North Pole, the northernmost point on Earth.
The pot gave a little shake, then dropped a very stunned and exhausted Felix into the snow.
Then the pot clickety-clacked back to Casper and Clara's cottage.
It tumbled across the floor, spilling tarnished but perfectly usable silver coins. everywhere.
Thank you, Pot. Thank you. Casper and Clara never saw the pot again.
When they woke up the next morning, it was gone.
But now, they had all they needed for the winter.
And then some. In fact, for the first time in their lives, they could help out other people who were struggling to get by. just like a certain cheerful, rambunctious, three-legged pot did for them.
. . . Now it's your turn. You heard the farmhands and tailors talk about how wasteful Felix was.
If we're not careful, the stuff we throw away or don't use can actually harm the planet.
So what's one thing you can do to reduce waste?
Maybe you can use reusable containers to pack your lunch instead of baggies or plastic wrap.
You can switch off the lights when you leave the room, or turn off the faucet while you're brushing your teeth.
Find a grown-up and talk with them about one way you both can reduce waste.
Put your plan into action. Try it for a day, then a week, then a month.
Before long, you'll both feel great. And the Earth will feel better, too.
. . . This week's story, The Three-Legged Pot, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear, and edited by Circle Round's founder, Jessica Alpert.
Eric Chimalonis is our composer and sound designer.
Our artist is Sabina Hahn. Sabina's made a black and white illustration for every Circle Round story, and you can color them in.
Ask your grown-up to visit our website, wbur.org slash circle round, and click on Coloring Pages.
Special thanks to this week's actors. Jeffrey Song, and Aparna Nancherla.
Grown-ups, you can check out Aparna's comedy on season two of The Stand-Up. on Netflix.
And watch for her on corporate on Comedy Central.
Our featured instrument this week was the steel pan or steel drum.
You can learn more about this percussion instrument made from a former industrial drum and see a picture on our website.
Again, that's wbur.org slash circle round.
Never want to miss an episode of Circle Round?
Why not subscribe? Find us on Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
And please write us a review. It helps other families find the show.
Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling around with us.
