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. Ever heard the phrase, giving back to your community?
When we give back to our community, we're doing something to help the people around us.
In today's story, we'll meet a brave woman who helps the people in her village And she goes to very great lengths to do it.
Woo-hoo! I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today, our tale is called Long Hair and the Waterfall.
Versions of this story come from China. Some really great people came together to bring you our telling of this folktale. including Rosalind Chow.
You grownups might know Rosalind from such films as The Joy Luck Club, The Laundromat, and Disney's live action adaptation of Mulan, Now available in many countries on Disney Plus with Premier Access.
So circle around, everyone, for Long Hair and the Waterfall.
Once upon a time, in a village nestled beneath a mountain, There lived a woman with the longest hair you've ever seen.
Her glossy, raven-black locks float all the way from her head to her ankles.
So the villagers all called her... Long Hair.
One year, Long Hair's village didn't see rain for months and months.
The nearby creeks and streams dried up, so everyone had to carry their buckets and pitchers to the river. which was five exhausting miles away.
Then they had to trudge all the way back. being extra careful not to spill one drop of the precious liquid they had collected.
As Longhair watched her neighbors' gardens and fields wither, and their families waste away from hunger, she knew she had to do something.
I know. I'll climb the mountain, the one that looms over the village.
It's so tall and foggy that no one dares to venture too far up.
But perhaps if I get high enough, I'll find a mountain spring and I can bring fresh, clean water. water back to my people.
Longhair shared a small hut with her aging father.
After tying her shiny black hair and a big knot on top of her head, She kissed her father goodbye, then clambered up the mountainside.
At first, the mountains seemed every bit as parched as the village was.
Long Hair's feet kicked up great clouds of dust as she scrambled among the rocks.
She noticed that the few plants that sprouted among the jagged stones were wilted and brown, Except, oh, for one.
Well, would you look at that plant there?
It's so leafy and green. The other plants on the mountain are dried up and shriveled, but this one looks so moist. so healthy.
As Longhair gazed at the leafy green plant, she decided she would take it back to the village.
Maybe it was edible. and she could share it with her hungry neighbors but when she wrapped her fingers around the leaves and gave them a tug The plant wouldn't budge.
Hmm. Maybe if I pull a little harder? Longhair gritted her teeth and gave the leaves a good yank.
And when she did... Out of the ground popped a big red radish the size of a pumpkin.
Oh my! But what happened next was even more surprising. because the moment Longhair unearthed the radish, a stream of cold, Cold, clear water came gushing from the hole the radish left behind.
Wow! This is incredible! This radish must have been blocking up a spring.
I can't wait to tell the other villagers.
But first, all that climbing made me so thirsty.
I think I'll take just one little drink.
Long Hair laid the radish on the ground. then cupped her hands and brought some water to her lips.
The cool liquid tasted as sweet as a summer peach.
She was about to take another sip. when all at once, She felt the wind pick up as the air whooshed and howled around her.
Whoa! A great gust lifted the radish off the ground.
Yikes! And plugged it back into the hole.
Oh no! Stopping the flow of water. The wind kept blowing, loosening long hair's jet black locks from their knot on top of her head.
As her ankle-length hair swirled around her like a cape, she suddenly heard... You!
A voice. Who are you? And why are you drinking my water?
Longhair swiveled her head this way and that, but she couldn't see where the voice was coming from.
Um, well, sir, my name is Long Hair. Or that's what people call me anyway.
And I'm so sorry. but I didn't know this was your water.
You see, it hasn't rained in months, And my neighbors and I are so thirsty, I figured I'd take just one little sip. then go back and tell the villagers all about... Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you.
You see, I am the spirit of this mountain and this water. is mine.
I have been guarding it for years and years.
And if you tell anyone about my secret spring, trust me, long hair.
You will regret it for the rest of your days.
Then, before Long Hair knew what was happening, a blast of wind lifted her off her feet.
Then it whisked her back to her tiny hut in the village, where she landed by the doorway in a heap.
The mountain spirits threat rang in Longhair's ears all day long. and all night too.
As her father slept in his bed, long hair paced around the hut. wringing her hands with worry.
What do I do? Everyone in the village is so thirsty and hungry.
If I told them about the mountain spring, it would change everything. but she gazed at her father's peaceful face.
The mountain spirit clearly has formidable powers.
If I give away his secret, surely he'll punish me dearly.
And then what will become of my poor father?
He needs me. Days passed. The drought continued.
And then, one morning... Longhair noticed an old woman returning from the river with a big pot of water.
The vessel was so heavy, the frail elder struggled to grip it in her bony arms as she trudged down the long, long road.
All of a sudden, the woman's knees buckled and she fell to the ground.
The pot cracked open and ribbons of precious water seeped into the parched earth.
Longhair went hurrying over. Ma'am! Ma'am, are you all right?
Longhair wrapped an arm around the woman and helped her to her feet.
Thank you, my dear. I've been toiling along this...
Dry and dusty road, every day for months.
Five miles to the river. Five miles back.
I guess my tired legs just can't handle the trip anymore.
Well... Looks like it'll be a long, thirsty summer for me.
Longhair gazed at the woman. Then she gazed at the broken pot. and she knew exactly what she must do.
She took a deep breath, then went sprinting around the village, calling out to her neighbors as she ran.
Listen, friends, listen! I know where we can find water And it's closer than the river.
Grab your knives and your chisels and come with me.
Brandishing their tools, the villagers followed Longhair up the mountain.
When they reached the radish, Longhair yanked it from the earth. and the villagers clapped and cheered as clear, cool water came spewing from the hole.
Alright friends, now we must chop this radish into pieces We must hack it to bits so that it won't fill up the hole again.
The villagers did as Long Hair instructed, and soon the radish was nothing more than a mangled clump. on the ground.
Nice going everyone! Please return to the village.
Watch this spring as it casts its skates down the mountain and becomes a waterfall.
A waterfall that will bring sweet wonderful water to our village forever.
As Longhair's neighbors traveled back down the mountain, her heart was filled with happiness and joy.
And then, with sadness and fear. for she knew she had defied the spirit of the mountain and given away his secret.
And now her fate was in his mighty and ferocious hands.
What do you think will happen to Longhair?
We'll find out what the spirit of the mountain has in store. after a quick break.
Support for Circle Round comes from Indeed.
You just realized that your business needed to hire someone yesterday.
How can you find amazing candidates fast?
Easy. Just use Indeed. There's no need to wait.
You can speed up your hiring with Indeed. and Circle Round listeners will get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility. at indeed.com slash circle round.
Just go to indeed.com slash circle round right now.
Support the show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.
Indeed.com slash circle round. Terms and conditions apply.
Hiring? Indeed is all you need. it. Welcome back to Circle Round.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Today our story is called Long Hair and the Waterfall.
Before the break, a woman known as Long Hair discovered a spring guarded by the spirit of the mountain.
The mighty spirit warned her not to tell anyone his secret.
But a drought was wreaking havoc on Long Hair's village, and the people were suffering.
So Longhair led her neighbors up the mountain and unplugged the spring.
Longhair's neighbors returned home, but she stayed on the mountain.
All at once, the wind picked up and the mountain spirit's voice rumbled in her ears.
Longhair, didn't I tell you to leave my spring alone?
Didn't I tell you not to breathe a word about it to your friends?
You have defied me, and for that you must pay.
Instantly, Long Hair felt a tingling sensation all over her head.
As the wind whipped her ankle-length hair around her face and body, she realized that her jet-black locks were no longer jet black.
They were snowy white. From now on, Longhair, you shall lie on the side of this mountain, beneath this waterfall with your hair hanging over the precipice.
And as the foamy white water rushes over you, It will pour down through your long, white locks.
Forever! Long hair shivered but stood strong.
I will do what you say, Mountain Spirit.
I will suffer for the sake of my friends and neighbors.
But please grant me one favor. Allow me to go back to the village so I may bid farewell to my father.
Longhair braced herself for the mountain spirit's response.
All right. you may say goodbye to your father.
But if I don't see your long white hair drifting over the edge of the falls by sundown, Thank you.
I will unleash all the water in this mountain and flood your entire village.
Longhair hurried to the bottom of the mountain where the majestic waterfall had created a deep, shimmering pool.
She saw her neighbors filling their buckets and pots, all of them excited to... water their crops and give their families a long overdue drink.
Longhair rushed past the villagers and returned to her hut.
With tears in her eyes, she told her beloved father she had to go away.
The old man was shocked to see his daughter's frosty white hair, but he gave her a hug and a kiss and wished her well.
But just as Longhair began trudging back toward the mountain...
Long hair? Oh, long hair! She heard a familiar voice. and as she turned around, she spotted a familiar face.
It was the old woman who had dropped her heavy pot of water on the dry and dusty road.
The frail elder longhair had helped back to her feet.
Well, hello there. I'm glad to see you're doing well after that fall you took.
Anyway, I'd love to stop and chat, but there's somewhere I need to be.
Oh, I know where you need to be. Longhair tilted her head.
You do? You mean... You know about the mountain spirit's punishment? how he wants me to live beneath the waterfall forever and ever with my white hair hanging over the edge?
Why, yes, I do. And that's why I'm here.
To help you, come with me. The old woman led Longhair to a shack deep within the woods.
Inside the rickety structure, a big cloth was draped over something tall and slender.
Longhair watched as the old woman reached up, pulled off the cloth, and revealed...
A statue? But not just any statue. This statue looked exactly like... like me!
But why? What's it for? The woman's lips crinkled into a grin.
Don't you see, long hair? We're going to use this statue to fool the spirit of the mountain.
We'll lay this stone carving down at the top of the waterfall.
So he thinks it's you. That way. The stone statue will take the eternal punishment Of icy cold water.
Not you. Longhair took a closer look at the statue.
I appreciate your help, ma'am. But isn't there something missing?
The statue doesn't have any hair. The head.
It's bald. So it is. But not for long. The old woman waved her hand.
Longhair felt a tickling sensation as her silky white locks lifted off of her head.
Ooh, then floated over to the statue. In an instant, each and every hair took root, and flowed all the way down to the stone carving's delicate ankles.
You see, long hair? When the spirit of the mountain spots these long white locks flowing over the foaming, churning edge of the waterfall.
He'll be none the wiser. He'll see a waterfall of white.
Hair. Your white hair. Long hair ran a hand over her smooth, bare head.
She hadn't been this bald since she was a newborn baby.
This is unbelievable! You must tell me how I can repay you.
But first, let's take this statue up the mountain.
It's a long way up, and we... before Longhair could utter another word.
The old woman hoisted the statue over her shoulder, then zipped toward the mountain at lightning speed.
What? But what happened next was even more amazing than that.
As Longhair watched the woman bolt up the mountain, her head felt another tingle.
Next thing she knew, something soft and familiar was swishing down her back.
Just like that, her long, lustrous locks had grown back.
And once more. They were as black as a raven.
With a smile on her face and a spring in her step, Long Hair went back to the village. back to her father, whom she loved with all her heart. back to her neighbors for whom she had nearly given up her life. and the rest of her days flowed happily and peacefully. just like the crystal clear water and snowy white hair that would tumble down the mountainside.
Forever. . . . Now it's your turn. Long Hair showed kindness to the people around her.
And you can, too. with help from your very own Kindness Wheel.
How do you make a kindness wheel? Well, first find something round that you can draw on. a paper plate, a cardboard disc, or a piece of paper cut in the shape of a wheel.
Use markers or crayons to divide your wheel into wedges, like pieces of a pie.
Inside each wedge, write the name of someone you care about. or draw their picture.
Next, ask a grown-up to help you cut an arrow shape out of something fairly sturdy. like an old cardboard box.
Use some sort of fastener to attach your arrow to the middle of your wheel.
After that, spin the arrow, see which name it lands on, then decide what act of kindness you can do for that person.
If they live far away, you can send them a card or give them a phone call.
If they're with you at home, you can help them with a chore or just give them a nice warm hug.
¶¶ Woo-hoo! This week's story, Long Hair and the Waterfall, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shearer.
It was edited by Catherine Brewer. Our original music and sound design is by Eric Shimalonis.
Our artist is Sabina Han. Sabina has drawn a black and white illustration for every Circle Round story, and you can print them out and color ask a grown-up to visit our website and click on Soundtrack and Coloring Pages.
Special thanks to this week's actors, Theodore Chin, Lisa Lord, and Rosalind Chow.
Rosalind stars in Disney's live-action adaptation of Mulan which you can see in many countries on Disney Plus with Premier Access.
The film will be available to all Disney Plus subscribers in December.
The featured instrument in today's story was the pipa.
You can read about this stringed instrument from China and see a picture on our website.
Again, that's wbur.org slash circleround.
Never want to miss an episode of Circle Round?
Ask a grown-up to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever they get their podcasts.
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 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 Sri and I live in Memphis, Tennessee.
My favourite Circle Round story is The Very Busy Fairies.
My favourite part is when Grandpa tells Oliver the plan to make the fairies go to the fairy mound.
Hi everybody, I'm Clover and I'm from Seattle, Washington. and my favorite is the star-shaped tree because I like the fruit.
Hello, my name is Elliot and I live in Salem, Oregon.
My favorite store is Mills and Shul. My favorite part is when she helps the aunt.
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.
