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. Think about the last time you were a guest.
When someone invites us to be their guest, We should be gracious, courteous, and kind, right?
But in today's story, we'll meet a guest who takes things in a whole other direction.
. . . I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today our story is called, plan. Versions of this folktale come from tribes who originally lived in Siberia. a vast region covering much of northern Asia.
Some really great people came together to bring you our adaptation of this tale, including Jacob LaValle.
From the HBO Max film 8-Bit Christmas, the HBO drama series The Plot Against America, and and the Netflix special John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch.
So circle around, everyone, for Porcupine's Plan.
Long ago, in the earliest days of the world's existence, there were two supernatural siblings, Earth King and Sky Queen.
Earth King lived, you guessed it, on the Earth.
He made his home within a grand mountain, deep inside a dark and gloomy cave.
As for his sister, Sky Queen, she lived, you guessed it again, in the sky.
She made her home in a splendid palace above the clouds, where she kept her two most prized possessions.
The sun and the moon. By day, the sun's rays shone down from the palace and sent warmth and light to the earth below.
By night, the moon cast its luminous glow over the land.
Both the sun and moon were glorious to behold, and it made Earth King crazy.
Crazy that Sky Queen got to own both. I am so jealous of my sister.
She has the sun and the moon. I want them so badly I can taste it.
I must find a way to make them mine. Well, as luck would have it, an answer arrived the very next day. in the form of an invitation delivered to Earth King by one of Sky Queen's messengers.
Ah, let's see what this invitation says.
Dearest Brothers. I know it isn't customary for our two realms to meet, But I missed you, brother.
So I'm inviting you to my Sky Palace for a little bit. party just the two of us I hope you can come Signed, your sister, Sky Queen Earth King felt a shiver of delight.
You see, back in those early days, there was a very special and strict If someone invited you to be their guest, they must send you home with a gift. any gift you request as a token of their hospitality.
And Earth King knew exactly what his gift, or gifts, would be.
When Earth King journeyed up to Sky Queen's palace, his sister welcomed him with open arms.
Brother, it's so wonderful to see you. How are things?
Much better now. It's an honor to be here.
And it's an honor to have you come. Let's go to the dining room.
I've prepared all sorts of treats. As Sky Queen led Earth King through a maze of rooms, he kept his eyes peeled for the sun and moon, but saw no sign Boy, sis, this palace of yours sure is big.
How many floors does it have? How many floors?
Well, let me see here. There are probably a good, what, 100?
We're on the bottom floor now, of course. and on the very top floor, high in a crystal tower, I keep my most prized possessions, the sun and the moon.
Earth King tingled with excitement. Ah...
So that's where you keep them. Yes. The Crystal Tower is 100% transparent.
"'so the sun and moon can send their light down to earth.'
The sun by day and the moon by night. At long last, Sky Queen and Earth King reached the dining room.
They sat at opposite ends of a long golden table as Sky Queen's servants brought out plate after plate of delicious treats.
Mm. These confections are positively delectable, sister.
You've truly outdone yourself. Well, it's not every day I get to spend time with my dear brother.
But the best is yet to come. Oh? Everyone knows that hospitality is a sacred custom.
So now that you've visited my palace, I ask you...
"'What gift would you like to take home to remember this delightful visit?'
Name anything, anything at all and it's yours.
This was the moment Earth King had been waiting for.
He pretended to think it over. What? Anything?
Anything at all. Well, that is a tough one.
But then he could no longer help himself.
He opened his mouth and blurted out, The sun and the moon!
I want the sun and the moon. Sky Queen was taken aback.
The sun and the moon? You want the sun and the moon?
In fact, I do. And everyone knows it would be extremely bad manners for you to refuse, dear sister.
Sky Queen knew her hands were tied. If her guest was asking for her two most prized possessions, she must give up. her two most prized possessions.
So she asked her servants to visit the Crystal Tower and retrieve the Sun. and the moon.
But be sure you put them in a tightly closed box.
Then my brother may take the box back home with him to earth.
Earth King was quivering with anticipation as he returned to his gloomy cave in the mountain.
And the moment he opened the tightly closed box...
Whoa! His gloomy cave wasn't so gloomy loomy anymore.
It was flooded with the radiance of the sun and the moon.
So blazingly bright, Earth King had to shield his eyes.
This is amazing! The sun! And the moon!
Mine! At last! Hahahaha! Earth King was overjoyed about his new possessions, but everyone else on Earth was not.
You see, because the sun and the moon were now locked away in Earth King's cave, the earth was plunged into darkness.
No one could tell night from day or day from night.
Not only that, but without the sun's warmth, the world turned frosty and cold.
High above the clouds, Sky Queen saw everything that was going on.
She decided something must be done. So she sent one of her servants down to earth. with instructions to bring back the cleverest, most cunning soul around.
And within days... Porcupine. He arrived.
Hi there, Sky Queen. Good to see you. Now, you may be surprised that the cleverest, most cunning soul around was a stocky little brown and black creature with sharp eyes. quills sticking out all over his body.
But it was true. Back in those times, everyone agreed that Porcupine was as wise and wily as they come.
Did you summon me here, Sky Queen? Because the sun and moon have missed mysteriously disappear from the sky, thereby leaving the world cold and dark 24-7?
Bingo! You see, my brother Earth... King asked for the sun and moon as a token of hospitality.
You know how sacred a custom it is. It's terribly bad manners to refuse a guest's request.
Exactly. So I gave them to him. But as you can see from the dark cold world below, I must get them back.
Porcupine, whatever will we do? Porcupine scratched his sharp head with one of his sharp legs.
Then, slowly, a twinkling smile spread across his sharp face.
Actually, Sky Queen, I know exactly what we'll do.
Just leave everything to me. Will porcupines succeed in bringing back the sun and moon?
How would you accomplish this feat if you were a porcupine?
We'll find out what happens after a quick break.
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I'm Rebecca Shear. Welcome back to Circle Round.
Today our story is called Porcupine's Plan.
Before the break, Sky Queen gave the sun and the moon to her brother, Earth King.
Back in those early days, tradition dictated that a host must send their guest home with a gift, whatever gift. the guest requested as a token of hospitality.
But now that Earth King had locked the sun and moon away in his cave in the mountain, The world grew dark and cold.
Sky Queen asked clever, cunning Porcupine to come up with a solution.
So Porcupine paid a visit to Earth King's mountain.
Hello, Earth King. You in there? It's me, Porcupine.
Oh, Porcupine, what a pleasure. Hang on, I'll get the door.
But come in quickly. I don't want my magnificent light and heat to spill out.
The side of the mountain opened to crap and porcupines scurried inside.
Wow! Usually this cave of yours is so gloomy.
Talk about a home makeover. Yeah! Figured I'd brighten up the place, you know?
Add a little spark. But anyway, it's lovely to see you, Porcupine.
Why don't we sit down, have a little snack?
Porcupine settled down on a big rock while Earth King set out a tray of food.
So tell me, Porcupine, how have you been?
Well, since you asked, Earth King, not so good.
Without the sun and moon in the sky, the world is dark all the time.
The crops are failing. Nobody knows when it's time to sleep or wake up, and everyone is freezing their tails off.
Earth King grew quiet. After he locked the sun and moon away in his cave, he hadn't gone outside again. so he hadn't realized what chaos he had thrown the world into.
I'm sorry to hear what's going on, Porcupine, but look...
The sun and the moon are mine now. I ask for them as tokens of my sister's hospitality. and it would have been rude of her to refuse my request.
I know you're right. Hospitality is a sacred custom and we mustn't mess with it.
Look, I'm sorry to start things off on such a bummer note.
Let's line things up. Heard any good jokes lately?
I'm sorry. Any good jokes, you say? Yeah, because I heard one you're going to love.
Listen to this. Why did the sun feel so dizzy?
Huh? Any guesses? Because he felt light-headed.
As Porcupine hooted with laughter. Earth King cracked a little smile.
Ah, you like that one, huh? How about this?
Why didn't the moon finish its dinner? Hmm?
Because it was full! Porcupine began to tell Joke, "'Why doesn't the sun go to college?'
Because it already has a million degrees.
After joke. Why does no one trust the man on the moon?
Because he has a dark side. And in no time at all, Earth King was in hysterics.
Oh, porcupine, you crack me up. Tell me another.
Actually, Earth King, it's time for me to get going.
But this really has been a lot of fun. What?
Going already? Well, please, let me send you home with a gift, so you'll remember this delightful visit.
What can I give you as a token of my hospitality?
Porcupine had been waiting for this moment.
He smiled, then gave Earth King a shrug.
Oh, I don't need anything, Earth King. I'm good.
But I insist you take something. Well, if you insist.
How about a mirage? You know, one of those images in the air that looks real, Like a body of water in the desert?
Earth King cocked his head to one side. But...
A mirage is nothing but a reflection of light on the air.
I can't give you that. Oh, very well then.
How about an echo? An echo? Exactly. A sound that repeats after you say it.
Earth King was getting flustered. But an echo is just a sound wave reflecting off a surface and bouncing back to you.
I can't give you an echo. Porcupine, ask for something I can give you.
Something you see here in my cave. Porcupine smiled to himself.
His plan seemed to be working. Something that I see here in your cave, you say?
Well, in that case... He pointed to the sun. and the moon.
I want those! Earth King's face fell. The sun and the moon?
You want the sun and the moon? I do. As tokens of your hospitality.
Because like you yourself said, it would be rude of you to refuse my request.
Would it not? Earth King hung his head. for he knew his hands were tied.
Fine, porcupine. Take the sun and the moon.
They're yours now. So Porcupine took the sun and the moon.
But as you can probably guess, he did not keep them for himself.
He brought them high above the clouds, back to Sky Queen's palace, and returned them to the crystal tower where they rightly belonged.
These days, we no longer have a custom where a guest can choose any gift they want.
But we do have light and warmth during the day, and darkness and cool at night.
And we owe our thanks to Porcupine, a wise and wily creature with a sharp body and an even sharper...
Mind. Mm. Now it's your turn. Think about a time someone invited you to be their guest.
Maybe it was a play date at a friend's house or a holiday dinner at a relative's home.
Think about your visit and try to remember what your host did to help you feel welcome.
Next, find some paper and draw a picture of your visit.
Draw you and your host and try to capture how you felt as a guest.
When you're done, show your picture to someone you have fun with, a family member or friend.
And if you'd like, show it to us. Grownups, you can send a photo of your young artist and their artistic creations to circleround at wbur.org.
This week's story, Porcupine's Plan, was adapted by me, Rebecca Scheer.
It was edited by Circle Round's supervising producer, Anne-Marie Sievertson.
Our original music and sound design is by Eric Shimilonis.
Our artist is Sabina Han. Sabina has drawn a black and white picture for every Circle Round story, and you can print them out and color them in.
Grownups, you can find more than 150 coloring pages on our website, wbur.org slash circleround.
While you're there, you can find a link to the Circle Round t-shirt, coloring book, soundtrack, tote bag, and water bottle.
They all make great gifts for the Circle Round fans in your life.
Again, that's WBUR.org slash Circle Round.
Special thanks to this week's actors. Fyodor Chin, Dawn Ursula, and Jacob Laval.
Watch for Jacob Laval in the HBO Max film 8-Bit Christmas. the HBO drama series The Plot Against America, and the Netflix special John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch.
His newest movie, Unbreakable Boy, premieres on March 18.
Our featured instrument this week was the Celeste.
You can learn more about this keyboard instrument Again, that's wbur.org slash circleround.
Love the stories you hear on Circle Round?
Please help us spread the word. Give us a five star review on your favorite podcast app.
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On Facebook and Instagram, we are at CircleRoundPodcast.
On Twitter, find us at Come Circle Round.
Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news 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 Hello, I'm Ro and I live in Lima, Peru.
My favorite soccer and story is The Twins and Eggs because I like the power of the farmer. and then he says, say me.
My name is Piper, and I live here. My favorite trickle wrap.
It's a fantastic film, and I like the part where he plays the fantastic guy.
Hi, my name's Simon. I'm from Ephraim, my favorite story tag award.
Hi, my name is Imogen. I live on Vancouver Island in Canada.
And my favorite story is Granny's Leather Purse.
I liked the part when Abigail turns the old woman into stone.
I'm Gideon. I'm from Chicago. My favorite playground is the one where I like it. because the horse is a different color.
Hi, I'm Rachel. I live in Evanston and my favorite stick around story is the bright yellow hat. because I like the part when they replant the cedar tree.
Hi, my name is Alessa and I live in Colorado.
And my favorite circle around story is all of them!
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 circleround. or wherever you and your grownups get your podcasts.
