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. Can you name one thing that helps us build, helps us write, helps us eat, helps us breathe, and helps countless other animals on the planet?
If you said a tree, you are right. Trees are such an important part of our world.
But we're about to meet a man who learns that lesson the hard way.
¶¶ I'm Rebecca Sheer, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today our story is called The Laws of Nature.
Versions of this folktale come from Estonia and Finland in Europe.
Some really great people came together to bring you our adaptation of this tale, including Mo Rocca. correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning, and host and creator of the cooking channels My Grandmother's Ravioli.
You public radio fans will recognize Mo from the NPR weekly news quiz, Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me.
So circle around, everyone, for the laws of nature.
Long ago, in a peaceful country far up north, there lived a farmer named Hendrick.
All day long, Hendrick kept busy plowing and planting his fields.
Then, as the sun went down, he pulled his wagon into the forest where he gathered fallen tree branches for firewood so that his farmhouse would stay warm and snug all night long.
This routine went on for years and years.
Plowing, planting, gathering wood. Plowing, planting, gathering wood.
And eventually, Hendrick grew tired of it.
Okay, something's gotta change. After working hard in the fields all day... the last thing I want to do is go to the forest and gather wood.
Picking up branches piece by piece is downright exhausting.
You know what? I'll make things easier for myself and simply pick a tree and chop it down.
That way I'll have all the wood I need in one fell swoop.
Energized by his new idea, Hendrik grabbed his shiny axe from the tool shed and bounded into the forest.
Alrighty, now I just have to choose which tree to chop down.
Hmm, let's see, how about that one? Hendrik walked over to a cherry tree.
Its delicate blossoms looked like tiny pink stars.
Hendrick raised his axe and aimed it at the cherry tree's brown, horizontally striped trunk.
But just as he was about to give the axe a good swing... Stop!
Don't chop me down! Hendrik froze. What?
You have a voice? I do, and I'm using that voice to beg you, good sir, please don't chop me down.
Every year, my delicate pink blossoms transform into plump. red cherries that are so delicious to eat.
The animals of the forest love them, and humans do too.
Surely you've devoured at least one scrumptious cherry pie in your time?
Hendricks smiled. He had devoured many scrumptious cherry pies in his time.
His grandmother's had been especially good.
You're right, Cherry Tree. And I'm sorry, I won't chop you down.
But as Hendricks stepped away from the cherry tree, he felt the temperature dropping.
If he didn't bring home some firewood, it would be a long, cold night in his farmhouse.
Okay, so if I don't chop down the cherry tree, which tree will I chop down?
Let's see, how about that one? Hendricks strode over to an oak tree.
Its gray-colored bark rippled with grooves and ridges.
Hendrick raised his axe and aimed it at the oak tree's wide, scaly trunk.
But just as he was about to give the axe a good swing... Wait!
Stop! Don't chop me down! Hendrik's jaw dropped open.
What? You can talk? I can talk. And I implore you, good sir, please, don't chop me down.
See how my acorns are still so small and bright green?
They're not yet ripe and ready for planting.
Not only that. But think of all the animals that eat my acorns.
Deer, squirrels, chipmunks, birds. Without the oak tree, how would those animals survive?
Hendrick nodded. He had often seen the creatures of the forest nibbling on the oak tree's acorns.
You're right, oak tree. And I'm sorry. I won't chop you down.
Over the next hour, Hendrik went from tree to tree, raising his axe and readying it for a good swing.
But each time he did... Wait! Stop! Don't chop me down!
The trees would cry out and tell Hendrik why he should let them live.
The maple tree. My sap makes the most delicious sugar and syrup.
Pancakes just aren't pancakes without me.
The pine tree. I'm the only tree that stays green all year.
Without me, The forest would look all dead and brown come winter.
The Aspen Tree. I provide so much shade, and I hold so much water.
So, if a forest fire breaks out, I provide a natural barrier.
As Hendrick listened to each one explain its purpose and function, his heart surged with pity.
My goodness, these trees have really opened my eyes.
Each one is so important. So special. Who am I to take my axe and chop them down?
I'll just do what I've always done and collect their fallen branches for firewood.
But just as Hendrick stooped down to pick up some sticks, he was stopped.
Well done, Hendrick. By another voice. Wait, what?
Now who's talking to me? Is it another tree?
Hendricks swiveled his head this way and that.
Suddenly, from behind a bush, He saw a small, sprightly woman leap out.
The woman was no taller than Hendrick's axe, but her long white hair fell all the way to the forest floor.
Oh, you look startled, Hendrick. I didn't mean to frighten you.
Hendrick blinked his eyes. Who are you? And what do you mean, well done?
Excellent questions, Hendrick. Excellent questions indeed.
To answer the first, I am the wood spirit.
The trees are my children, my treasures.
Which brings us to your second question.
I say, well done. Because you listened to my children, Hendrick.
You paid attention. You heard them out as they explained their purpose, their importance.
And you spared their lives. And for that, you will be rewarded, Hendrick. provided you follow one rule.
What reward do you think Hendrik will receive?
And what rule must he follow? We'll find out after a quick break.
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I'm Rebecca Shear. Welcome back to Circle Round.
Today our story is called The Laws of Nature.
Before the break, Hendrick discovered that the trees of the forest could talk too.
They convinced the farmer to spare their lives and not chop them down for firewood.
To thank Hendrick for his kindness and compassion, the wood spirit offered him a reward.
The pint-sized woman reached into her coat and handed Hendrick a tree branch shaped...
Like a rod. This rod has great magic, Hendrick.
It unleashes the power of nature to grant your wishes.
The power of nature? Yes! With this rod, You have all the powers of nature at your command.
Need help plowing your fields? Make your request.
Wave the rod and the moles and earthworms will plow and dig for you.
Need help planting your fields? Wave the rod And the ants will scurry out of their anthills and march from row to row, sowing every seed.
Hendrick's eyebrows shot up. The wooden rod can do all that? all that and more.
But listen to me, Hendrick, and listen well.
You must stay reasonable and sensible. Do not wish for anything that goes against nature. anything that would be impossible in the natural world.
If you do, the magic will disappear. Just like that. you The wood spirit snapped her fingers, and then she disappeared, just like that.
Wow. Hendrick could hardly wait to take his new gift for a spin.
The next morning, he brought the rod out to one of his fields, waved it around, and made his first wish.
I wish for help plowing my fields. Next thing Hendrik knew, the ground was crawling with moles and earthworms, all of them digging in the dirt.
Whoa, it's just like the wood spirit said.
Thank you, moles and earthworms. Now let's try something else.
Hendrick raced over to another one of his fields.
I wish for help planting my fields. And just like that, an army of ants came marching over, dropping seed after seed into the earth.
This is amazing. Thank you, Ants. Hendrick began using the enchanted rod all the time.
If he was craving something sweet... I wish for some fresh honey.
A swarm of bees would come buzzing over. carrying a sticky, dripping honeycomb.
Thank you, bees. If he was feeling hungry, I wish for some ripe berries.
A flock of birds would approach, their beaks bursting with blueberries and strawberries.
Thank you, birds. Hendrick's life got easier and easier, and Hendrick got lazier and lazier.
Before long, he was having the squirrels pick fruits and vegetables for him, and the wolves and elk gathering branches for his fire every night.
But even though Hendrick never lifted a finger anymore, As he made his wishes, he always remembered the wood spirit's warning.
Do not wish for anything that goes against nature.
Anything that would be impossible in the natural world.
If you do, the magic will disappear. Just like that.
But then came winter. In Hendrick's part of the world, far up north, winter was especially cold and dark.
The air was bitter, the snow was heavy, and though the sun came out for a couple of hours a day, you couldn't feel a lick of its warmth.
And this year when December rolled around, Hendrick was particularly displeased.
Ugh, is it just me or is it especially freezing this winter?
I'm wrapped up in blankets and shivering down to my socks.
And it's so, so dark outside, so dreary.
If only there were a way to warm things up.
If only... All of a sudden... Hendrick fell silent.
And do you know why? Because he realized there was a way to warm things up.
Or so he thought. Quick as a wink, he threw off his blankets, rushed to the table, and snatched up the enchanted rod.
Oh, this is going to be spectacular. Just spectacular.
Without even pausing to put on a coat or boots, Hendrick threw open the door and sprinted out into the cold, His slippered feet sank deep into the snow as he stood in his yard and gazed at the gloomy gray sky.
Then he shot his arm up and swooped the rod through the air with a grand flourish.
I wish for some warmth. No. No, I wish for some heat.
Lots of heat. I wish for the sun's rays to shine down from the sky more scorching and blazing than ever.
Well, no sooner had Hendrix said those words than the sun came bursting through the clouds.
Its golden face grew brighter and brighter and hotter and hotter until it got so bright and so hot that one of its rays beamed down from the sky, headed toward Hendrick's enchanted rod, and...
Set it ablaze. Hendrik hurled the burning rod as far as he could.
It landed at the edge of the forest. and the trees along the edge began to smolder and smoke.
Luckily, one of those trees was an aspen, which as you may recall, holds more water than most trees, so it prevented the fire from spreading.
And before long, the fire fizzled out. So most of the trees were saved.
But they never spoke again. Though it's believed that if you walk through the woods and listen, really listen, You can hear the trees whispering to each other in the wind.
They're telling each other the story of Hendrick the farmer, who made an impossible wish and lost the magic just Like that. now it's your turn head out to your yard your favorite park or just walk around your neighborhood and see what kind of tree leaves you can find.
Gather as many different leaves as you can, then bring them back home.
Attach each leaf to a piece of paper and use staples or string to bind the papers into a book.
Then ask a grown-up to help you identify the tree that each leaf came from.
You can use books, encyclopedias, the internet, whatever resources you have available.
Once you've found the names of each tree, write them in your book and next time you head outside, Look for even more leaves to add to your collection.
This week's story, The Laws of Nature, was adapted by me, Rebecca Scheer.
It was edited by Circle Round's supervising producer, Anne-Marie Sievertson.
Circle Round's original music and sound design is by Eric Shimalonis.
Our artist is Sabina Han. Sabina has created a black and white illustration for all of our episodes, and you can print them out and color them in.
Ask a grown-up to visit wbur.org slash circle round, then click on Soundtrack and Coloring Pages.
And while you're at WBUR.org slash Circle Round, you can find a link to the latest Circle Round coloring book. the Circle Round t-shirt, and the Circle Round soundtrack.
Special thanks to this week's actors. Nick Sholley, Alexia Trainor, and Mo Rocca.
Watch for Mo Rocca on CBS Sunday Morning and listen for him on NPR's weekly news quiz, Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me.
You can also check out his podcast Mobituaries, as well as his book Mobituaries, Great Lives Worth Living. free living.
This week's featured instrument was the marimba, You can learn more about this pitched percussion instrument with wooden bars and see a photo on our website.
Again, that's wbur.org slash circleround.
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Follow us on Apple Podcasts or whatever podcast app you use 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 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 with you.
Hi, my name is Molly and I'm from Australia.
I love Circle Round and my favourite story is The Bird in the Hand.
I love it because The prince falls down in the birdbath and It's really funny and that's the bit that I like.
Hi, I'm Olukai. I'm Ayo. And we live in Baltimore, Maryland.
Our favorite episode of Circle Rounds is 12 months of the year.
We love it when they say a bounty, a harvest, a cornucopia.
My name is Willa. I am from Ohio, and my favorite story is the magic pine cone.
My favorite part is when the mayor learns his lesson and gets stuck to the door.
Hi, my name is Felicity and I'm from Woodbury, Texas.
My favorite story is the first string. I like when the horse rings the bell.
Hello, my name is Maria and I live in Chicago and my favorite song Circle Round Story is Grandfather Stone's Because I like the part when Grandfather is so intact.
Hello, my name is Hazel. I live in Pacifica California.
My favorite stories for now, I like... all the king's dogs, the nine sticks, and Ariana's music.
Thank you. Thank you. every single Circle Round story on our website.
That's wbur.org slash circleround or wherever you and your grown-ups get your podcasts.
