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Have you ever heard the expression, nothing ventured, nothing gained?
What this saying means is if you never venture, if you never try, you never take any risks, then there's not much you can expect to gain or achieve.
This expression comes to life in today's tale, care of a teeny tiny bird with sky-high dreams.
I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round, where story time happens all the time.
Today, our story is called, lighting a spark.
It was inspired by tales from the Western European country of France.
Some really great people came together to bring you our story, including Charlene Amoya, whom you grown-ups may know from such TV shows as Sons of Thunder and How I Met Your Mother.
Watch for her new comedy film, The Breadwinner, coming to a theater near you on May 29th.
So circle around, everyone, for lighting a spark.
Once upon a time, the Earth had no fire.
Because every flame, every spark, every light was contained in the sun.
Living without fire was tough on the people.
They had to go to bed at dusk so they wouldn't stumble in the dark past sunset.
They had to eat their food raw and spend the chilliest months huddled under blankets trying to rub sensation back into their frozen toes.
The animals, on the other hand, fared much better.
They had fur and feathers to keep them warm and many had night vision helping them find their way in the shadows.
But one animal took notice of the people's suffering and took pity.
That animal was the reddish-brown bird known as Jenny Wren.
It isn't fair that the people have to shiver and stumble and chew on rubbery, stringy food.
If only there were a way to fly up to the sun, grab a spark, and bring it down to Earth.
Jenny Wren had a long, fluffy feathery tail, but her round wings were puny and short and her body was no larger than your thumb.
Clearly, I'm too small to do the deed, so perhaps I can get one of my feathered friends to help.
I'll invite the birds to a meeting and see which one of them can bring a spark from the sun.
Jenny Wren put out the call and the next day, as the sun rose above the treetops, she addressed a small group of birds who had gathered in the forest.
Thanks for meeting me, friends.
I've invited you here to ask a favor.
Will one of you please fly up to the sun and bring back fire for the people?
The birds were quiet for a moment.
Then their unofficial ringleader Robin, puffed out his breast which, in those early days, was as brown as a hazelnut.
You can't expect me to volunteer, Jenny Wren.
I'm one of the forest's most beautiful singers.
If I fly too close to the sun, I might ruin my fabulous voice.
And I might ruin my colorful feathers.
Goldfinch spoke next, bobbing his bright red head and fluttering his yellow-striped wings.
See my pristine, polychromatic plumage?
It would get scorched if I flew to the sun.
Well, at least you could make it to the sun.
Now Pheasant piped up, twitching her slender, black-brown tail.
I may look elegant and majestic with my speckled feathers and long flowing tail, but I wasn't built for flying long distances.
And from here to the sun is a very long distance.
Jenny Wren released a sigh.
I understand your hesitation, friends.
But if one of us doesn't get fire from the sun, the people will be in big trouble.
Won't any of you volunteer?
Please?
She fixed the birds with a hopeful gaze, but was met with silence.
Okay, fine.
If none of you will volunteer to bring fire from the sun, then I'll do it.
The birds exchanged a look.
Then Robin let out a cackle.
Ugh!
Have you looked at yourself lately, Jenny Ren?
You're tiny, no bigger than a thumb.
You'll never make it to the sun and back.
Isn't that right, gang?
It's totally right.
You're on a fool's errand, Jenny Wren.
Come along, friends.
Let's get out of here and leave Jenny Wren with her pie-in-the-sky ideas.
Or fire in the sky.
Jenny Wren's small body shook with indignation as Robin, Goldfinch, and Pheasant flew away.
Well, thanks for the vote of confidence, friends.
You know what?
Maybe I am too tiny.
Maybe I'll fail on this mission.
Maybe I'll crash and burn, or given how hot the sun is, just burn.
But I'll never know if I don't try.
Darn tootin' you old Jenny Rand spun around and there was the brown-crested bird known as Skylark.
Skylark!
I didn't see you.
Why weren't you at the meeting?
Skylark shrugged his pointy wings.
I would have been there, Jenny Rand.
Lady Lark's been sitting on eggs for over a week.
Our first clutch ever.
Since those youngsters will be hatching any minute now, I've been keeping close to the nest.
Wow.
You're going to be a dad?
I sure am.
But listen, Jenny.
I got here just in time to hear those turkeys laughing at you.
Oh, there weren't any turkeys there.
It was just Robin and Goldfinch and... Those clowns, I mean.
I heard them teasing and razzing.
And I heard what you said in response.
That whole thing about how you'll never know if you don't try...
That's what I've always believed.
But now, I believe those clowns might be right.
I'd be crazy to fly all the way to the sun.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
But nothing ventured, nothing gained.
And look, let's not sugarcoat things.
Venturing can be scary.
Have a go at something new and unfamiliar can spook the heck out of you.
I mean, look at me.
I'm becoming a dad for the first time and I have no idea what to expect.
I might be great at it, or I might be a big hot mess.
Something tells me it'll be the first one.
Thanks.
I believe in you, Jenny friend.
You just have to decide if you believe in you, too.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I promised Lady Lark a dozen wriggling worms for dinner, and I mustn't leave her hanging.
Thank you, Skylark.
That was just the pep talk I needed.
Congrats on your babies.
And congrats on your boldness.
Brave ideas like yours that set the world on fire, Jenny.
In more ways than one.
What will happen next?
Will Jenny Ren succeed in her fiery feat?
We'll find out after a quick break.
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Welcome back to Circle Round.
I'm Rebecca Shear.
Today, our story is called Lighting a Spark.
Before the break, Jenny Wren was determined to bring fire to the Earth from the sun.
Robin, Goldfinch and Pheasant ridiculed the idea, but Skylark gave Jenny Wren an encouraging pep talk.
And the next morning... Okay.
Here I go.
The small-bodied, long-tailed bird set out on her mission.
Her short round wings a-blur as she whizzed toward the sky.
Boy, it sure is a long way to the sun.
But I won't give up.
I won't.
And she didn't.
When she finally reached the sun, she plucked out a spark of fire.
Gotcha!
Then set the flame on her long, fluffy tail. to keep it safe till she landed.
But as she headed to Earth, she noticed a sizzling sound and a smoldering smell.
Oh no!
My tail feathers are on fire!
They're going to burn to a crisp.
Why didn't I think of this before?
Somebody help me!
Please!
The tiny reddish-brown bird was too high up for anyone to hear.
But she wasn't too high up for anyone to see.
When Robin looked up and saw the bright blazing ball hurtling his way, he immediately put two and two together.
It's Jenny Wren!
She did it!
She brought fire from the sun!
But now she's on fire.
I wasn't very helpful before. but I'm determined to be helpful now.
Robin launched himself skyward.
Jenny Wren frowned as he approached.
Oh, Robin, you were right.
I was a fool to think I could pull this off.
No, Jenny Wren.
I was a fool for thinking you couldn't.
Hang on.
Robin flapped his wings to snuff out Jenny's flames.
Soon, her tail was no longer on fire.
But Robin's breast was.
The brown feathers crackled and sparked as they turned a blazing crimson.
Oh no!
Oh dear!
Oh drat!
Jenny Wren jumped into action, beating her puny wings to stifle the fire.
The flames refuse to go out.
They keep blazing bright.
But I'll keep trying.
That's my girl.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Am I right?
Jenny Wren and Robin glanced down.
And there, rocketing upward with a cluster of twigs in his claws, was Skylark.
Hey, Robin.
Is it just me, or is there something you want to get off your chest?
He dove toward the burning bird.
As he zipped past, the flames leapt off Robin's breast feathers and onto the twigs.
There.
That's better.
I'll see you two fireballs back on Earth.
Skylark spread his wings and glided to the ground like a parachute.
He dropped the burning twigs onto a pile of rocks sprinkled in some dried grass and began fanning the flames, helping the air flow and the fire glow.
Jenny Wren and Robin joined him.
Eventually, Goldfinch and Pheasant fluttered over.
Great work on that daring feat, Jenny Wren.
Nice going on that daring rescue, Robin and Skylark.
As the scent of burning wood filled the air, the forest filled with people beaming, awestruck people who drifted over to admire the dancing, crackling flames and rejoice.
After that, the world was never the same, and neither were Skylark Robin or Jenny Wren.
Skylark had so much fun rocketing up to the sky that he's done it ever since.
To this day.
You'll see male skylarks launch from the ground in a near vertical line, hover for a moment, then glide back down like a parachute.
As for Robin, the feathers on his breast are no longer as brown as a hazelnut.
After the fire they turned bright crimson, giving him a nickname you may have heard before, Robin Redbreast.
Then there's Jenny Wren.
The petite little bird is still no larger than your thumb.
But after her tangle with the flames, her long, fluffy tail became short and stumpy.
Still she holds it high, nearly straight up from her body, as a mark of pride for taking a leap of faith and setting the world on fire.
Now it's your turn.
Jenny Rand had a big goal and worked hard to achieve it.
You can do the same by playing Three Stars and a Wish.
First, ask a grown-up to help you cut out three paper stars.
Inside each star, draw a picture of something you feel confident doing.
Examples might include doing a somersault, telling funny jokes and ordering all by yourself at a restaurant.
Show your stars to your grownup and talk about how you got these skills.
Did it take a while?
How and how much did you practice?
Now that you have your stars, get more paper and draw your wish.
Something you'd like to be confident doing.
It could be swimming underwater, riding a two-wheeled bike, or doing a backflip on the trampoline.
Show your grown-up your wish and talk about the steps you can take to achieve it.
It won't happen overnight, but with practice and persistence you're bound to make your wish come true.
This week's episode, Lighting a Spark, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear.
It was edited by Dean Russell.
Our original music and sound design is by Eric Shimalonis.
Eric's featured instrument this week was the acoustic guitar.
You can learn more about this popular string instrument, whose earliest versions date back over three centuries.
And you can color them in while you listen.
Grownups, download our coloring pages at wbur.org slash circle round.
Special thanks to this week's actors Evan Casey, GM Hakim, Erica Rose, Matt Zambrano and Charlene Amoya.
Watch for Charlene in the new comedy film, The Breadwinner, coming to theaters this May.
Grownups.
If Circle Round is a favorite in your household, please leave us a five-star rating or review on whatever podcast app you're using right now.
And to learn more about our merch picture books and more, visit our website wburorg slash circleround.
Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR.
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 Alana.
I live in Japan and I'm seven years old.
My favorite circle round stories are them all, but my most favorite circle round story is the fairy fort.
I like the part when the fairies are having a party.
My name is Miranda and I live in Wisconsin, and my favorite story is the chattering clams, and my favorite part is when the owl takes them up and then they say, ah.
My name is Lois.
I live in Weston, Vermont, and my favorite circle around story is the nine sticks.
I like the part when the servant cuts her stick two inches shorter.
Hi, my name is Lucia and I live in Fallbrook California, and my favorite circle round story is the big ball game and my favorite part is when the bat acts Everybody if he can play and what side he's on.
My name is Sage and I'm from Logan, Utah.
And my favorite Silk Round episode is the Upside Down Tree.
I like the part when it's the Upside Down Tree.
Hi, my name is Margo, and I live in Michigan.
My favorite circle around the story is The Seamstress and the Deep.
My favorite part is when The Seamstress Did someone mention a story you've missed?
Not to worry.
Grown-ups.
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 wburorg slash circleround.
