Hey, Story Pirates podcast listeners, Lee here.
On today's episode, Niminy once again uses one of her inventions to really make things weird for all of the other Story Pirates.
And Peter breaks his personal record for number of different accents he uses in a single episode.
And of course, we have two brand new stories written by kids and more story love with Lee and Peter.
And it's all coming up after a few words for the grownups.
Hey, grownups, Lee here.
See Story Pirates Live.
Our amazing touring cast, including Eric, will be visiting some East Coast cities this spring to perform some of your favorite songs from the podcast.
And they'll take suggestions from kids in the audience to create a brand new story that will only be seen once.
Best of all, all of our upcoming shows are on weekends, so no need to worry about school nights or bedtime routines.
We'll see you soon in Munhall Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh Cincinnati Ohio Portsmouth, New Hampshire Medford Massachusetts, just outside of Boston and Richfield, Connecticut.
Tickets to all the shows are on sale now at storypirates.com slash live.
Hey, story pirates, guess what?
I got our tickets for the new Purple People Party Planet movie in hyper-realistic 3D.
Some say a fifth Purple People Party Planet movie is excessive and a gross attempt to milk a franchise.
But hello, the first four were world-building.
I can't believe it's only 10.10 a.m. and we have to wait five hours until the movie.
Uh, Megan, it's 2.50 p.m.
What?
But my vintage analog clock clearly has the big hand on the 10 and the little hand on the 2.
Unless... Oh, no.
I mixed up the hour and the minute hand.
It is 2.50 p.m.
And our tickets are for 315 at the theater two towns over.
We'll never make it.
We will make it if we take a shortcut through Hill Country.
Hill Country?
I don't know, Nimminy.
Driving through hills can make me carsick.
Oh, same.
Sometimes I get sick even thinking about hills.
I can't even watch that one scene in The Sound of Music.
More like The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Puking.
You all can accept defeat if you want, but it's my turn to drive.
I'm getting us to that movie on time.
Here we go!
Whoa!
Over the hills we go!
Are we having fun yet?
Oh, I don't feel so good.
Now I don't feel so good.
It's entirely possible that I'm going to be sick.
Like right now.
We'd better head back to the main road, Niminy.
It's okay.
We'll probably only miss the previews and the advertisements and the previews of the advertisements.
Hold on, everyone.
Did you think I'd take a shortcut through hill country unprepared?
Presenting the Carminator Anti-Motion Sickness Meter 5000.
It produces vibrations targeting the exact part of the inner ear where motion sickness occurs.
One zap with this baby and you'll be right as rain.
Whoa.
There we go.
How does everybody feel now?
Oh, gosh.
I do feel a bit better.
Can't wait to get going again, don't you know?
Peter, why are you talking in that Minnesota accent?
Well, I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, Eric.
I'm speaking as normal as a pair of snowshoes on a crispy winter's day on Lake Minnetonka.
Why do you sound smaller?
Because he is smaller.
By my calculations, Eric is exactly 15% smaller than his normal size.
Calculations?
Calculator, I carried you half since when?
What?
Suddenly though, Lee meant to say since when have you carried a calculator?
He found himself only able to speak backwards.
Oh, gosh.
Looks like we got ourselves a narrator.
Nemany, I don't think your invention cured our car sickness.
I think it might have made it weird.
It just filled me up with joy.
My mom loves the jokes.
Yo, yo, my joke.
It made me very proud about my writing.
I could just like imagine him with sunglasses on.
I definitely think I can be more creative now.
I'm the champion.
The Story Pirates.
Welcome back to the Story Pirates podcast.
Where we take stories written by kids, don't you know, and turn them into sketch comedy.
Songs and.
The Story Pirates found themselves cured of their car sickness through Nimminy's machine, only to be given a much weirder car sickness.
I had a feeling the Carminator Anti-Motion Sickness Emitter 5000 might not work.
You did?
Then why would you... Which is why I made the Carminator Anti-Motion Sickness Emitter 6000.
Cures car sickness caused by any previous Carminators.
Whoa!
That should do it.
Now, off we go.
Back on the road with almost no time lost.
Ooh, I can't wait to see if the purple people finally get to have a party.
How's everyone feeling?
Great, I feel.
I feel more than a wee bit turned around.
My head is mince, like I've been chasing a herd of sheep across the moors.
Like my kilt's on upside down.
Nonsense, Peter.
You don't even own a kilt.
Ooh, looky here.
The wee man's got even more wee, and he's got something to say.
Niminy.
I've conducted a non-parametric analysis of everyone's symptoms and I've come to the conclusion that everyone is worse with a p-value of less than 01.
Uh-oh.
I mean, I have just the thing.
But first, why don't we listen to a story by a kid?
That's a great idea.
Author the is, it introduced to here.
Close enough.
Hi, my name is Jacob.
I'm 12 years old and I live in Niskin.
This is my story, the popular girl who is actually a tortoise.
Another day as a tortoise in the tortoise colony where no one listens to me.
What was that, Michelle?
Dad, this is exactly what I'm talking about.
You're not listening.
I'm sorry, sweetheart.
I'll do better.
Here, have another helping of leaves.
No, thank you.
How many servings do you want?
One, two, three?
No, I said... I'll just keep scooping until you say stop.
Ugh, I'm so tired of not being listened to.
And you know what else I'm tired of?
I'm so tired of only eating leaves.
A tortoise who doesn't like leaves?
I'm shell-shocked.
Well, get used to it, Dad.
I'm tired of this tortoise life.
All I do is eat leaves and get ignored.
Well, you know who doesn't get ignored?
The popular girls.
Wait, you couldn't possibly be talking about human popular girls.
Of course I am.
If the depiction of popular girls in movies has taught us anything, it's that popularity is the most important thing, because it gets you attention and there are absolutely no drawbacks in its pursuit.
But I guess I'm stuck being a tortoise.
Well, you could always ask the Tortoise Witch if she'll turn you into a popular girl.
She'll probably do it, but with an unforeseen ironic twist.
So you should... Hey, where are you going?
See you later, Dad.
I'm everywhere to the Tortoise Witch.
Here I am in the spooky swamp where the Tortoise Witch lives.
Hello?
It's me, Michelle.
Who dares tread into my swamp?
I already told... Does anybody in this tortoise colony listen?
Anyway, can you turn me into a popular girl?
What, like a human popular girl?
The unattainable stereotype that we see in too many movies and TV shows?
Yeah, that's the one.
OK, I will.
But there's a catch.
Yeah, yeah.
I will only turn you into a popular girl for one year.
So you must be very careful.
I said, yeah, yeah.
Just do it already.
Now look who's not listening.
Anyway, a one, a two, a human skidoo.
Okay, wow, that is a lot of smoke.
It's magic.
What do you expect?
Fine.
Am I a popular girl yet or what?
You are.
Yes.
Remember, you will turn back into a tortoise in exactly one year.
So don't get... No, no, she's gone.
I'm off to the one place where the popular human girls gather, the shopping center.
I'm here at the human shopping center.
Oops, I mean shopping center.
Look, there are three popular girls, i'm assuming.
Omg flora, you look so cute in that outfit.
Omg jersey, you look so cute in that outfit.
What do you think?
Camber omg, you both look so cute in both those outfits.
Oh also, a new girl just walked up to us.
Hi there hello hello, hey.
Um, you want to be friends?
I thought you would never ask.
We're super inclusive.
I love it.
What's your name?
I'm Michelle.
Cool name.
It's like my shell.
What shell?
No, it isn't.
I'm not a tortoise.
Um, welcome to our friend group, Michelle.
It's actually so good you're not a tortoise, because we were just about to go shopping for cool new clothes.
There's no way a tortoise would like that.
OMG, you should get some loom and thread.
What's loom and thread?
It's only like the biggest designer brand there is.
Wow, what a totally weird question.
Kind of sounds like something a tortoise would say.
No way.
I'm human.
It's just like where I come from.
We don't have designer brands.
Oh, okay.
That totally makes sense.
Let's head to the store.
Here we are in the store.
OMG, look at these amazing clothes.
They are so cute.
I'm actually obsessed.
Wow, I've never been in a store before.
You've never been in a store before?
I mean, go to the store.
I can't even.
Okay, spill.
Spill for me now.
We sure say the same phrases a lot, don't we?
Wow, besties, I am famished.
Who's ready to eat?
Totally.
Let's go get boba.
I'm literally obsessed.
I don't know if I feel like boba.
Bestie, what happened?
Nothing.
I just, like, don't know if I want boba.
Like, tell me everything.
I am telling you everything.
You're not listening.
Okay, spill.
I'm listening.
You're not listening because... OMG.
You said it, Bestie.
Totally.
Like, that's so you.
Ugh.
Whoa, Bestie.
Why the screaming?
Do you not like boba?
Oh, hey, look at that.
My human dad is calling me.
I have to go.
Toodles.
Bye, Bestie.
I'm literally obsessed.
Boba.
I wanted to be a popular girl so people would pay attention to me.
But then those popular girls didn't listen.
I'm going back to the tortoise colony to have the tortoise witch change me back.
I would like to be a tortoise again.
Well, too bad.
I turned you into a popular girl for an entire year.
So you're stuck like a tortoise on its back.
Oh, man.
But tomorrow is the first day of school.
Well, I guess you'll have to push through it.
All right.
To human school.
Back at human school.
Oh, and there are my friends.
OMG, Michelle, Blara and Hammer and I were looking for you.
Where have you been?
Um, I was, oh, I was at the boba tea shop.
You were at the boba tea shop?
Without us?
Sorry.
Let's go back to the boba tea shop, besties.
Yes.
Spill it, spill.
I guess this is my life for the next 11 and a half months.
Well, it's been exactly 11 and a half months.
And I gotta say, I'm getting used to this human world.
And these popular girls are actually like pretty cool.
Like Jersey has a really nice pond in her backyard.
And Blara lets me lay down on her warm patio.
And Camber is, well, Camber.
Hey, Michelle, your outfit is so cute today.
It's so you.
Thanks, Camber.
It's from Lumen.
Oh, oh, awkward.
I guess the human spell wore off.
Um, where did Michelle go?
All I see is this weird little animal with a shell.
Guys, it's me.
I'm Michelle.
Auntie!
Um, are you a turtle?
Actually, I'm a tortoise.
Well, technically I am a turtle, because all tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises.
Sort of a square versus rectangle situation.
Um.
Okay.
I actually love geometry, so I get it.
Where are you all texting?
We're telling the whole group chat that Michelle is a turtle.
Tortoise.
You just said you're also a turtle.
I guess there's no use sticking around now that everyone knows I'm a tortoise.
Back to the tortoise colony.
Where's that tortoise switch?
Ah, I suppose you've learned your lesson, eh?
That being a popular girl isn't all it's cracked up to be?
No, actually.
Turns out I found them annoying when I wanted to be a popular girl for superficial reasons.
Then they ended up being really cool, like, once I got to know them.
I guess we should be, like, aware of our biases and wary of stereotypes.
Oh, um, okay.
Can you turn me into something else, please?
Ugh, fine.
One, two, three, a butterfly you'll be.
Ha ha!
OMG, these wings.
I'm literally obsessed.
The end.
And now Lee speaks with the author.
Jake, so you wrote the popular girl who is actually a tortoise.
Yeah.
Can you tell me how you got the idea for that story?
I just thought it would be funny because I like turtles.
And I just had the idea like, it would be like, oh my gosh, you're a turtle.
Actually, I'm a turtle.
Have you ever had a pet turtle?
No, but I really want one.
If you get a turtle someday, do you have any ideas for names?
I don't know.
Maybe because of my story, I might name it Michelle.
Oh, wait.
Is it Michelle because of the shell?
Yeah.
I did not get that until just now.
Yeah.
I tried to make up like a funny pun.
That is so good.
Wow.
My hat is off to you, sir.
Thank you.
I have a pet snail named Blake Shelton.
Oh, really?
Blake Shelton?
Oh, yeah.
What is it like having a pet snail?
He's like a water snail.
He sucks up all the algae for all my fish.
How many fish do you have?
I had like 12, but now I have like four because all of them like passed away.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Yeah, it happens.
I had also one named Shaquille O'Neal.
I have a bunch of like little glowing little fish and I named them the golden girls.
Do you know which fish are which golden girls?
Uh, no, I just, I just thought that would be funny since they like glowed.
You know, get to know the golden girls a little bit.
You might find, oh, that fish right there.
That is definitely be Arthur right there.
That's funny.
Back to your story for a second.
If you could have a witch tortoise turn you into anyone or any creature, for one year only, what would you choose?
I think I would probably be like a clownfish, because those are cute and awesome and they get to live in the coral reef.
Have you ever been snorkeling or been in an environment like that where you could see fish really up close?
Yeah, I went on vacation like a year ago and I got to see like stingrays when I went snorkeling.
It was really cool.
Thanks for letting us perform your story.
You're welcome.
All right.
Say hi to the fish.
Have a great night.
You too.
See ya.
The story.
Pirates were blown away by the amazingness of that story, but it brought them back to the problem at hand.
They were all still carsick.
Weirdly.
But Nimany, I hypothesize that we could amortize levels of carsickness over the length of the trip if you would take a road that doesn't traverse these hills.
No can do, Megan.
First, I don't understand half of the words you said.
But I am using standard vocabulary, the etymology of which was perhaps best articulated by the great Dutch scholar Marcus Zerus van Boxhorne, who wrote No time.
Second, I had a feeling this might happen, so I can't prepare.
You all know the motto.
If at first you don't succeed, try a new invention!
Then Nimminy pointed to a giant red button next to the steering wheel.
None of the other pirates knew what the button was for, and they were all afraid to ask.
I installed this when Eric got a little queasy during our sing-along of She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain.
Now, to give this big red button a big ol' push.
Whoa!
Was something supposed to happen?
What did that big red button do?
That was the nonlinear oscillating speed inverting car sickness killer, or NOSIC for short.
It sends high frequency vibrations through the ship that simulate non-motion.
I see.
No motion, no motion sickness.
Exactly.
Now we can drive through as many hills as we want.
Right, Eric?
Eric?
Hey, where'd Eric go?
I'm here in the back seat, behind the seatbelt buckle.
Uh-oh.
Eric had become so small that he was now the size of an average adult's hand.
He's like a boogie you fit inside a cup of water ice.
Go birds.
Thumbelina-like looks he.
Hey.
Nimminy, your cure made everyone worse again.
Look at me.
I used to be filled with passion, drama.
Now I'm collating copies of a 100-page report on agricultural watering systems.
Hey, at least Lee isn't getting any worse.
He's still just talking backwards.
Fast so not.
Backwards are closed by now.
Honestly, pretty cool 90s throwback fashion statement.
I guess I was in a rush when I was installing the no-sick and I installed it backwards.
Well, no worries.
I can... No.
No more no-sick.
Here I've assembled a brief slideshow presentation, without pictures, that lays out possible solutions to our conundrum.
We can, at minimum, decelerate by an order of magnitude.
Post hoc ergo propter hoc.
What the concha hocking are you talking about?
We slow down, we're no longer carsick.
Slow down?
Then we'll never make it to Purple People Party Planet!
Luckily, I thought this might happen, so I came double prepared.
Eric, will you reach into my backpack?
Reach in?
How?
Okay, okay.
Climb in.
There's something in there that will help.
Okay, here I go.
Do you see it, Eric?
Do you see the bottle labeled Cure?
It says Cure, but there's more.
I better read the whole label.
No time.
That's got to be it.
Bring it out and make sure everyone takes a tablespoon.
Okay, here we go.
There.
Now.
You should all be feeling better anytime.
Uh, feels the same so far.
Wait, something's happening.
I feel even smaller.
Mammy?
We'll be right back after a few words for the grown-ups.
Hey, grownups.
Today's episode is sponsored by DoorDash.
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Hey, grownups.
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Hey, grownups, Lee here.
See Story Pirates Live.
Our amazing touring cast, including Eric, will be visiting some East Coast cities this spring to perform some of your favorite songs from the podcast.
And they'll take suggestions from kids in the audience to create a brand new story that will only be seen once.
Best of all, all of our upcoming shows are on weekends, so no need to worry about school nights or bedtime routines.
We'll see you soon in Munhall Pennsylvania, just outside of Pittsburgh Cincinnati Ohio Portsmouth, New Hampshire Medford Massachusetts, just outside of Boston and Richfield, Connecticut.
Tickets to all the shows are on sale now at storypirates.com slash live.
Seems as though this medicine isn't a cure after all.
Let me see that bottle.
The cure?
That makes you worse?
Why would anyone label a bottle a cure if it makes you worse?
That's marketing for you.
Okay, that was the wrong bottle.
No need to panic.
We can still make the movie on time.
The story pirates no longer cared about Purple People Party Planet.
They wanted to return to a sense of normalcy, to their true selves.
They wanted a carsickness cure.
I think we're beyond the capacity of home remedies.
We should seek out a doctor.
But where are we going to find a doctor?
If we consult the ship's maps and enact a careful study of the nearby topography with a cross-analysis of online reviews, we can ascertain the location of a qualified doctor.
Or I could ask our smart belts.
What's a smart belt?
Just a handy little device I installed that keeps you safe and recommends places to go.
Hey, smart belt.
Hello, Nimminy.
How may I assist you?
Please set the ship's coordinates for the nearest doctor.
Setting coordinates for doctor.
See?
Much faster than maps.
Thanks, smart belt.
You are welcome.
Don't forget to buckle up.
Wait, the smart belt didn't say doctor.
Look at the onboard map.
It's taking us.
No time.
Hold on tight.
Can I as tight as holding eyes?
I got it.
These rapid turns are making my car sickness worse.
We took that turn faster than Walter Payton turning to the end zone for the bears.
The changes come as seasons of the Cherry Orchard.
Such is my fate.
Niminy, stop.
Perfect timing, Megan.
We've made it to the doctor's office in record time.
Niminy!
We can still make it to Purple People Party Planet.
We just need to see the doctor and get cured in, let's see, under three minutes.
Niminy!
We'll save even more time if I speed up our doctor's visit using my invention, the Mediquick Appointment Improve-O-Matic.
Niminy!
I am believing Megan is trying to tell you something.
Nimminy, this isn't a doctor's office.
It's not?
No.
Look around.
What do you see?
Boats?
Are we at a dock?
That's what I was trying to tell you.
You said, doctor.
But the smart belt heard, dock tour.
And you didn't take the time to check.
So now, we're here at the dock.
Well, at least we can take the tour.
But just as the story, pirates became enamored of the idea of seeing other ships, Rachel noticed a sign.
She read it aloud.
Today, the dock tour is closed.
Whoa!
Are you kidding me?
Everyone, stop yelling.
No, Megan, they're right to yell.
What do you mean?
Well, everyone's sick, we can't take a doctor and we're all going to have to go on purple people party planet spoiler avoidance mode.
And it's all my fault.
Come on now, it's not all your fault.
I'm the one who made the mistake with the movie time.
I'm the one who made everything worse by rushing.
And for what?
I didn't even get us to the movie on time.
The day is officially ruined.
Just then Rachel realized that it was 310 pm and she still had time to exchange everyone's movie tickets for tomorrow's 315 showing.
See?
We'll still get to see the movie.
We just have to be patient.
Maybe I could figure out a way to speed up the process of becoming patient.
If I just... You're right.
I heard it when I said it.
I've learned my lesson.
Let's get back on the road to the movie theater, but this time I'll take the long way.
Nice and slow.
And so the story pirates headed back out on the road enjoying the beauty of the perfectly flat countryside that had absolutely no hills whatsoever.
But how do we cure our car sickness?
No offense, but I don't really want to hear Rachel narrate things that I'm experiencing directly.
It's a cheap device.
Wait, your voice sounds deeper.
And if I'm not mistaken, you look a little taller.
Thank you.
I've been working on my posture.
No, Eric.
I think you're returning to your regular size.
Maybe if Niminy keeps driving slowly along this flat route, we'll all return to normal.
Really?
Then I'd better... Um, what's the opposite of step on it?
Press the pedal smoothly with an even distribution of pressure.
Okay, here I go.
Carefully...
Hey, you sound like me again.
And I can see over everyone's heads again.
And I can talk in dialogue.
Hey, Lee, how are you?
What's up?
How's it going?
Feels great.
I can finally speak four words again.
Thank goodness, because I've been dying to tell all of you some palindromes.
But aren't those the same four words in backwards?
Oh, yeah.
Huh.
Missed opportunity.
And I, Megan, can finally get back to my important dramatic work.
Rubber baby buggy bumpers.
Rubber baby buggy bumpers.
Rubber baby buggy bumpers.
I feel as well as fish in the cold waters of the northern Atlantic.
Oh, no.
Peter's still carsick.
Oh, sorry.
I'm fine.
I was just trying out a new accent for funsies.
It wasn't very good.
Peter!
Crikey!
Let's do another story.
And here's the author to introduce it.
Hi, my name's Preston.
I'm nine years old, and I live in Indiana.
This is my story, The Cat That Had a Trumpet.
Hello, Internet, and welcome to another episode of Rosa and Her Cat That Plays the Trumpet.
Hit it, Willow!
Meow!
Woo!
Look at that cat fly.
Rosa, Willow, time for dinner.
And don't forget to put away that laundry.
Sorry, everyone.
That's my mom.
You heard her, Willow.
Bring it home.
See you next time on Rosa and Her Cat That Plays the Trumpet.
That was fun!
It's okay that not many people see our videos because it's just fun to make them with you, Willow.
Yes, it would be cool if we went viral.
But I'm happy even if we're the only ones that ever watch.
I can't wait to make another trumpet video tomorrow.
It's tomorrow.
Time for another video.
Ready to play the trumpet again, Willow?
Hey, what are you doing at the computer?
Meow, meow.
Let me see.
Oh my gosh.
Willow, our last video has over one million views.
Meow, meow, meow, meow.
OK, brag much?
Come in.
Sweetheart, you still need to put away your laundry.
Sorry, Mom.
I will.
Also, there's a TV producer here to see you.
A what?
A TV producer.
Hello.
I told him to wait outside, but I guess he didn't listen.
I never do.
Talking is what I'm all about.
Hi.
Hello.
How are you?
I'm great.
Listen.
When I saw the video of this cat playing that trumpet, I said to myself I got to get that cat on tour.
So here I am.
Wow, Willow.
You get to play the trumpet every single day.
Meow.
That's the stuff.
Hey, kid, what's your name?
Rosa.
Well, I've got news for you, Rhoda.
You know who's about to be famous?
Who?
Your cat.
Oh, I really thought you were going to say something about how I get to come, too.
Well, let's go, Willow.
You gotta be at the Animal Room, the coolest music club, by 8 p.m. to open for Three Dog Day.
Well, bye, Willow.
Meow.
I'm sad, too, but I know that our friendship will carry on, no matter what.
Meow.
She slammed that door in your face pretty hard.
Probably because she doesn't have time for you now that she's going to be a famous trumpet-playing cat on a world tour.
Mom!
What?
She definitely still has time for me.
I'm her best friend.
You'll see when I go watch her concert at the animal room tonight.
I'm here at the animal room later tonight.
I can't believe I got a front row seat.
I can't wait for the concert.
I've seen Willow's video 100 times.
I've seen it 200 times.
I hope she plays When the Saints Go Marching In.
I hope she plays Taps.
I'll be happy whatever Willow plays because she's my best friend.
Best friend?
No, she's nobody's best friend.
It's true.
All right, all you alligaties and crocodudes.
Put your paws and claws together for the musical stylings of Willow, the cat who has a trumpet.
Oh, virtuoso.
Oh, my God.
Oh, God.
She's going to toss her lucky trumpet spit rag into the crowd!
Over here, Willow!
Throw it here, Willow!
Willow, it's me, Rosa!
Throw it to me!
I caught it!
This is the happiest day of my life!
Meow, meow, meow.
Huh, she didn't even look at me.
Maybe she didn't see me in the crowd.
I'm going to do what any good friend would do.
Go backstage and tell her she did a great job.
Here I am at Willow's dressing room.
Yeah, what do you want?
I'm Willow's friend, Rosa.
I came to talk to her.
Sure, you can go hang out with all our other friends over there.
Please please, can you hawk up a hairball on my carpet?
Ew, and i'm not a friend, i'm a real friend, i'm her best friend.
Look, she's very busy, so why don't you do us all a favor and move it along?
Oh there, she is in there.
Hey, what do you say, willow?
She's busy now scrim, I can't believe that bodyguard slammed the door in my face and Willow didn't even try to stop him.
Well, maybe she isn't your best friend.
Maybe she never was.
I refuse to accept that fame has changed Willow this much.
I'm going to go right up to that dressing room door and... Oh, it's the producer.
It sure is.
Now, out of the way, nobodies.
I gotta get this trumpet-playing cat to the studio to record her very own TV show.
It's our thing.
Not no more, it ain't.
Willow, come with me.
Pardon me.
Coming through.
Yeah.
Hey, don't look at him.
Willow, wait.
I'm not going to give up on my friendship.
I'm going to follow them to the TV studio.
I'm here at the TV studio.
But where's Willow?
Oh, Rosa, I guess you'll never see your friend again.
All I see is this giant trunk labeled, not a hiding place for sad trumpet playing.
Willow?
Is that you?
Willow, were you sadly playing the trumpet because you missed me?
I missed you too.
I came to see you because I'm not ready to give up on our friendship.
Did someone say friendship?
Yuck!
Willow doesn't have time for friendship.
Your new TV show starts in five minutes.
Let's ditch this friend and go.
It's OK, Willow.
I understand that you love trumpet playing more than anything in the world, even me.
Hey, why are you walking towards that trash can?
You can't throw that away.
You love that trumpet.
I love you too, Willow.
Oh, once again, friendship ruins a perfectly good rise to the top.
If only there was some way we could be famous together.
Wait, that's it.
What's it?
You're the big time TV producer.
Don't you see where this is going?
Ha.
Ah.
Presenting live before a studio audience.
The internet smash hit that's making its worldwide television debut Rosa and her cat that plays the trumpet.
What's up, everyone?
It's your girl, Rosa, and this is Willow.
And we're proof that fame doesn't have to ruin a friendship.
You said it, Rosa.
Yippee!
Wait, Willow, you can talk?
Um, well, the end.
And now, Lee speaks with the author.
So, Preston, you wrote The Cat That Had a Trumpet.
Yeah.
That story is so funny.
I really, really love it.
Can you tell me how you got the idea for it?
Well, I just wanted to make a story that was funny and had personification in it.
Oh, that's so cool.
Can you tell listeners who might not know what personification is?
It's like giving something human characteristics.
Oh, that's amazing.
So it's making anything that's not human behave like a human.
Yeah, pretty much.
Can you tell me why you picked the trumpet for Willow to play?
I wanted Willow to play an instrument and when I thought of instrument, trumpet just popped in my mind.
Do you play any instruments?
Yeah.
In school, I play recorder.
Oh, that's so cool.
How long have you been doing that?
Since fourth grade started.
Are you liking it?
Yeah.
And what about cats?
Do you have any cats in your life?
No, but I do have a dog.
What's his name?
Hudson.
If you were writing a story about Hudson, what instrument do you think that Hudson would play?
The saxophone.
Ah, any particular reason?
I could just like imagine him with sunglasses on at like an open mic night with a band of other dogs.
Just like playing.
Do you ever find that there are hobbies you have that you're willing to just like spend hours and hours on, even though no one's making you do it?
The piano, actually.
I like the freestyle.
Oh, really?
So you already play piano?
Yeah, kind of.
And my grandma has a ukulele and sometimes she has an extra one.
So sometimes we play together.
Oh, that's amazing.
What kind of things do you guys play together?
Lava.
Have you ever heard that song?
No, what is it?
It's also a Disney short.
I can play some of it on the piano, too.
Yeah, let me hear.
My sister knows the rest of it.
She taught me it.
That's amazing.
Preston, thank you so much for letting us perform your story.
Thank you.
It was my honor.
I know the pets of the world are going to be very inspired by it.
So don't be surprised if all of a sudden on TV there's just nonstop shows of pets playing instruments.
And who knows?
Hudson might be next.
Hudson, I'm going to sign you up.
All right.
Thanks, Preston.
Bye.
Bye.
We'll be right back after a few words for the grown-ups.
Welcome back to Story Love, where we read stories written by kids and talk about them.
Here with me today, as always, is Peter.
And here with me today also is Lee.
It was almost British, and at the end it went somewhere else.
I don't know what this is.
It's just, I guess, vague commercial voice.
Wow, do you do improv?
Sometimes.
All right, let's read today's first story.
Peter, would you like to do it not in that voice?
Oh, I guess.
I would love to.
Lee, this is from an 11-year-old named Enzo from España, which is Spain in English.
This story is called Cup Run.
In the magic kingdom of game shows, there was a game show called The Cup Run, where five contestants named Cupley the metal cup, Cup Ferdson, the 71,236,764,587th, the glass cup.
Cup Guy, the plastic cup.
Strong Cup, the paper cup.
Friggily, the silly straw cup.
They would run through a maze full of traps with hot chocolate in them and not spilling.
But before I continue, let's talk about our sponsor.
Rotten eggs.
And now back to the show.
Copley got lost in the maze forever.
Cupfordson, the 71,236,764,587th, got stuck in a smaller maze.
Cup guy put on sunglasses and got on a motorcycle and drove into the sun.
For Strong Cup, the hot chocolate was so hot that he started to leak.
So that means Frigley wins and he won rotten eggs.
And boy, they stink.
The end.
Amazing story, Enzo.
I love the rotten egg spawn con.
Right?
Like you think that the cutaway to the ad is just a joke about podcast ads, of which there are probably too many.
Yeah.
But then at the end, that's the reward.
That's the prize that he wins.
And boy, they stink.
Rotten eggs.
Boy, they stink.
It's one of those, buy some rotten eggs.
Why?
Eh, don't know.
We got, no one's bought.
You think this company.
You make the weakness the strength.
They clearly.
You say, boy, they stink.
Someone likes it.
What's your favorite name of these contestants?
We have Cupley.
We have Cupfordson, the 71 billion, who's a glass cup.
We have Cup Guy, the plastic cup, and Strong Cup, the paper cup, and Fergully, the silly straw cup.
I really like Fregally.
That's the only one where I'm like, that's the only one where there's not a cup in the name.
And it just feels like very original.
Fregally.
Yeah.
Fregally.
It's the sort of name you hear and you're like, never heard that before.
But you know what?
Something about it works.
You know what I realized?
Hey, Fregally.
I was picturing Fregally and Fregally was very freckly.
Oh.
Lots of freckles.
Enzo, fantastic story, my friend.
Thank you so much for sending it in.
Let's move on to our next one from Marzi, a six-year-old in Montana.
This is The Magical Sheep.
Once upon a time, there was a magical sheep who was black and pink.
All the white sheep were not including him in fun games.
The sheep went off to find the all-powerful green alpaca.
Once the sheep got to the alpaca, they didn't speak the same language, so they couldn't understand each other.
So the sheep has to do the hardest thing.
The sheep has to start tap dancing.
Oh no!
They will speak the language of dance.
What the sheep had to do was touch the sun that was flaming hot.
And then the alpaca and the sheep started tap dancing on the sun.
Oh, boy.
And then they started speaking the same language.
The alpaca can help with anything to change the white sheep's minds.
So they see the magical sheep and they like the magical sheep.
And then it started raining M&Ms because of the magical sheep.
Yep.
When it started raining M&Ms back on Earth, all the sheep knew is because of the magical sheep.
Huh.
They thanked him.
And whenever they played games, the magical sheep won because he was magical.
The end.
That was a journey.
Yeah.
Lee, that was a journey.
Thoughts?
The image of tap dancing on the sun, so they could speak the language of dance, so that they could understand each other.
What else are you going to do on the sun besides tap dance?
I mean, talk about burning up the dance floor.
Like, ha!
I understand you now.
That's right.
Honestly, if you go through an experience that intense, you can't help but get closer.
That's true.
The language of dance is another one of these tropes that I like, crave seeing like the earnest version of it, you know.
Like people like to make jokes about the language of dance, but I think this is very serious here.
And the magical sheep is communicating and connecting with the alpaca through dance.
Honestly, speaking of language, dance was a language we understood far before real words.
Is that right?
Yeah, just visual.
Like, we communicate with our faces and our bodies first.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Words came later.
And that's, yeah.
So like I can say words that don't fit what my body and face are saying and you'd read more about the tone.
So for example, I can go like this and say, Lee.
I'm trying to do the opposite words with tone.
Okay, okay.
All right.
We are worst enemies.
See, did you feel the words or the dancing more?
I didn't feel the words.
You're right.
That's the power of dance.
Yeah, it was very powerful.
Thank you for illustrating that so well.
You know what I have a weird fascination with?
What?
Animals where the plural doesn't have an S. Alpaca?
Sheep, moose, deer, fish.
Alpaca?
Alpacas.
No, they're not one.
There's a herd of alpaca.
Maybe you're right.
Elk.
Elk?
It seems to be all the ones with hooves.
Yeah.
And fish.
Who decided that?
Hoove decided that, I ask.
Hoove, I tell you.
Marzi, incredible story.
Fantastic.
Peter, would you read our last one for the day?
Yes.
This story comes to us from a five-year-old from Connecticut named Xander.
Xander's story is called The Day That Mean Man Ruined the Life of the World.
Maybe it's Mean Man.
The Day That Mean Man Ruined the Life of the World.
There was a mean man and he was trying to destroy all the things.
And then Xander had a helmet that had spikes on it that could destroy the mean man.
There were crystals and there were gems that could shoot rotten spaghetti out of him.
And there was a centipede, a killer ant, a tarantula, a pterodactyl and a piranha, and also some fish.
Some clouds burst open and then they turned into jello.
And then mean man got nicer and became nice man.
He was nice because he ate jello.
And everyone wanted to hug him, even Xander.
But he had a spiked helmet.
So he took it off before he gave nice man a hug.
And then an invisible volcano erupted and nice man exploded.
Just kidding.
He didn't explode.
He took a nap.
The end.
And snack!
Wow, wow.
Whoa.
Xander, so much going on here.
The invisible volcano.
Uh-huh.
That's like, it's like killer bees.
It's like the threat that's always on the periphery of your imagination.
But you never actually encounter it.
You never actually encounter an invisible volcano, but they could show up at any time.
Yeah.
And really ruin your day.
I'm wondering if it actually did because he says, an invisible volcano erupted and Iceman exploded.
Just kidding.
He didn't explode.
But are you kidding about the volcano or not?
I think Xander would have said if he was kidding about the volcano.
Either way, the volcano show up, erupted, and he took a nap.
Yeah.
I mean, I hope he got a safe distance from the lava flow.
Well, sometimes volcanoes do a little cute eruption.
They do?
I don't know.
I'd hope so.
I don't think so.
I think if you get an eruption, it's not going to be cute.
You think sometimes they're just like, No, I don't.
You don't?
Just a little?
That's not an eruption.
All right.
Well, what do you call that?
Like a spit-up?
Yeah.
I mean, I imagine a volcano is doing that in the days weeks months, years leading up to an eruption.
Yeah.
It's like those few little fakeouts.
A volcano is like...
Actually, I think I'm fine.
Exactly.
Can I also just say, I think we should all end all stories with the end and snacks.
Yeah.
Because honestly, once a movie or something is over, what do you go do?
I just ate snacks because the movie was on.
Yeah, well, you have post-movie snacks.
You do?
I do.
Oh, okay.
I don't know if you know this.
You should try snacks during the movie.
Yeah, I mean, snacks!
Hey, I'm with you.
To read all of today's story love stories, just head to storypirates.com.
And guess what?
Grownups, you can find an even longer version of today's Story Love on YouTube.
We drop a new video every week, and here's something.
Did you know that YouTube will show it to more people and help Story Pirates grow if we get more views right away?
Weird, but true.
So by watching these videos as soon as you can, you're not only hearing the hilarious stories from kids, but you're helping each kid's story be celebrated by more people and contributing to our channel's growth, which means we can create more videos and help fund our podcast.
You've heard us talking about how severely impacted free forms of educational media like us have been, and this is a free way that you can help.
You can find the link to today's video in the show notes.
While you're there, why not subscribe to our channel and make sure to watch the new videos every week?
And grownups, Story Love isn't just the name of a segment on our show.
It's also the name of our incredible corporate volunteer program.
To find out more about Story Love or about Story Quest, our creative writing program, or our nonprofit-armed Story Pirates changemakers.
Check the show notes for links.
Until then, stay creative and stay kind.
The Story Pirates Podcast is a production of Story Pirates Studios.
This episode was produced by Isabella Riccio, Sam Baer, Peter McNerney, Lee Overtree and Brittany Stahl.
This episode was produced by Sam Baer, Peter McNerney, Andrew Miller, and Lee Overtree.
Recording, sound design, and mixing by Sam Baer at The Relic Room in New York City.
Additional production by Brett Toobin.
Theme song by Bobby Lord.
Musical scoring by Eric Gerson and Jack Mitchell.
Our head writer is Peter McNerney.
Staff writers are Megan O'Neill and Alexis Simpson.
Contributing writer is Lee Overtree.
Episode artwork by Camilla Franklin.
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