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. Have you ever welcomed a new neighbor right next door to you maybe or down the street?
If so, chances are you went over and introduced yourself, right?
Maybe even brought a housewarming gift. Being a good neighbor is important, but in the story we're about to hear...
Being a bad neighbor can leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth.
No! No! I'm Rebecca Scheer, and welcome to Circle Around, where storytime happens all the time.
Today, our story is called The New Neighbor.
You'll find versions of this tale from the Arab, Uyghur, and Turkish traditions.
Some really great people came together to bring you our adaptation of this folktale. including Melora Hardin and Michael Ziegen.
Melora Hardin has starred in such television shows as The Office, Transparent, and The Bold Type.
You kids will recognize her from our episode a couple of seasons ago every other Friday.
Michael Zegan stars in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Season 4 premieres on Amazon Prime on February 18th.
So circle around, everyone, for the new neighbor.
Bye. There once lived a baker. One sunny afternoon, as the baker gazed out the front window of his house, he noticed some horses and carts lined up on the street.
A bunch of workers were lifting big boxes and chests from the carts and wheeling them into the house next door.
Oh wow! It looks like I'm finally going to have a new neighbor!
That house has been empty for ages. Tomorrow I'll pay my new neighbor a visit and welcome them to the neighborhood.
I'm sure we'll be fast friends. The baker spent the rest of the afternoon in the kitchen, melting butter, whisking eggs, sifting flour, and crushing nuts. until his house was filled with the tantalizing aroma of a freshly baked almond cake.
The next morning, he laid the almond cake on a fancy plate and brought it next door.
May I help you? The woman who answered the door wore a big scowl on her face.
But the baker flashed her a big grin. Good day, madam.
I live just next door. I noticed you moved in yesterday and I wanted to bring you a housewarming present.
Here. The baker held out the cake. I baked it myself.
My own special recipe. Now, if you were given a homemade cake by a friendly new neighbor...
What would you do? You would probably say, thank you, right?
Maybe even invite your neighbor inside for a cup of tea.
Well, that's not what the baker's neighbor did.
Instead, she grabbed the cake plate right out of the baker's hands...
I'll take that. Then slammed the door in his face.
What was that all about? She didn't even say goodbye or see you later, let alone thank you.
Maybe she's just exhausted from the move.
I'll come back tomorrow. Surely she'll be in a better mood.
The baker spent the rest of the day mixing chocolate and sugar, eggs and cream, and prepared a delicious chocolate mousse.
The next morning, he spooned the moose into a big bowl and brought it to his neighbor's house.
Oh, it's you again. What do you want? The baker could see his new neighbor was just as grumpy as she was yesterday.
But again, he flashed her a warm grin. Good morning, neighbor.
I hope you enjoyed the almond cake. Today I made you this chocolate mousse.
I know what a bear it can be to move into a new place and get all settled in. so I figured a little homemade mousse might make things all the sweeter.
Same as yesterday, the baker's new neighbor didn't even crack a smile.
She just seized the bowl of chocolate mousse.
Give it to me! Then slammed the door in the baker's face.
What is with this woman? Twice now I've tried extending a little kindness, and twice now she's completely snubbed me.
Determined to win his new neighbor over, the baker decided he would make her something especially scrumptious.
His famous butter cookies. They were always a hit when he brought them to parties.
But when he carried the cookie tray over to his neighbor's house...
May I help you again? That's right. Me again.
This time I brought my famous butter cookies.
They're always a hit when I bring them to- But the baker didn't even get to finish his sentence. because his new neighbor snatched the cookie tray right out of the baker's hands.
All right, I'll take them. Then, you guessed it, slammed the door in his face.
Man! What a piece of work this neighbor of mine is. standoffish, she's miserly, and she's gruff as all get-out.
There must be some way to make her see what an ungrateful grump she's being.
The question is, what? Will the baker get his neighbor to change her ways?
What would you do if you were the baker?
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 The New Neighbor.
Before the break, a new neighbor moved in next door to the baker.
But even though the baker welcomed his neighbor with treat after treat, She was nothing but surly and standoffish.
So the baker decided he would do something about it.
He racked his brain for an idea. Hmm, what about...
No. Ooh, what if I tried... No. And then, finally...
Aha! It came to him. He ran outside, scurried to his neighbor's house, then knocked on the door.
May I help? Ugh. What is it this time? Hey there, neighbor.
How's it shaking? Listen, I'm wondering if I could please have my cake plate, mousse bowl, and cookie tray back?
The neighbor shot the baker a withering look.
You want those things back? No way. The cake, mousse and cookies you made were for me.
So now the plate, bowl, and tray are mine.
This was exactly the answer the baker expected.
All right, fine. You can keep the plate, bowl, and tray.
But in exchange, I wonder if you could do me a favor.
You see, I'm going to this party, and I'm making a very special chocolate sauce.
Trouble is, I need to feed it to 20 people, and I don't own a pot large enough to melt down that much chocolate.
So I wonder, could I please borrow a pot from you?
The neighbor narrowed her eyes. Borrow a pot?
From me? Well, yes. I mean... I'm giving you the cake plate, mousse bowl and cookie tray, the least you can do is let me borrow a simple pot.
I promised I'll give it right back. The neighbor pursed her lips and fixed the baker with a stern gaze.
She was quiet for a moment, and then... All right, fine.
I'll let you borrow a pot. Wait here. The neighbor went into her kitchen, then brought out a big copper pot.
The baker noticed the pot hadn't been polished in ages.
Instead of being all bright and shiny, it was as... dull as a cloudy sky, plus it was all dinged up.
But the baker pasted a big smile on his face as he took hold of the pot.
Oh, neighbor, this pot is perfect. Thank you so much.
I really appreciate this. Yeah whatever.
Just make sure you give it back. Oh, you'll get it back all right.
Don't you worry about that. The next morning, the baker rooted through his kitchen supplies and found a copper pot that was slightly smooth. smaller than his neighbor's dull, dinged-up one.
The baker took excellent care of his belongings, so this smaller pot was as bright and shiny as a penny.
With nary a dent or ding, the baker stuck the smaller pot inside the larger one. then went back to his neighbor's house.
You're back. You better have my pot. Of course I do.
Here you go. The neighbor took the pot and looked inside.
When she did, her eyes grew wide. What's this?
Why is there a smaller pot inside my pot?
Oh, that! Right. I meant to tell you. The pot you gave me?
It had a baby. It... What? I know. I was just as surprised as you are.
But while your pot was in my possession, it gave birth to a baby pot.
And I was thinking, it wouldn't be right to separate mother and child, so how about you keep both?
Now, as you may guess, the pot didn't really have a baby.
The story was part of a plan the baker was cooking up.
And to his delight, his neighbor took the bait.
Well, since you've returned two pots to me...
I suppose I should. Keep them both. So she did.
The baker waltzed back home with a skip in his step.
Oh boy, this plan of mine is working out perfectly.
My neighbor has no idea what she's in for.
A week or so later, the baker went back to his neighbor's house.
Yes? What now? Well, since you were kind enough to lend me your big copper pot last week, I wonder if I could borrow it again.
I'm going to another dinner party and your pot would be perfect for a big rice pudding.
The baker watched his neighbor's face and knew exactly what she was thinking.
Last week I got a bright, shiny new pot and it hadn't cost me a thing.
Perhaps there'll be another pot inside when this nutty neighbor of mine returns it.
And as it turns out... All right. Fine.
The baker was right. You may borrow my copper pot.
Wait here. So the baker took the big copper pot home.
And the next morning, can you guess what he did?
He found another smaller pot, bright and shiny as a penny, and stuck it inside the bigger one.
When he returned to the house next door and his neighbors saw the smaller, sparkling pot tucked inside her bigger, dull pot.
Wait. Don't tell me. My pot gave birth again.
It absolutely did. And it's only right that you keep them both.
Well, if you insist. The next week, the baker borrowed his neighbor's copper pot again.
And you guessed it, he returned it with another baby pot inside.
Congratulations, neighbor! He did the same thing the next week.
Mazel tov! And the next week, too, though this time he stuck two smaller pots inside the bigger one.
Way to go, neighbor! It's twins! Soon the baker was all out of bright shiny pots. because his neighbor now owned all of them.
And he could tell the greedy, grouchy woman was overjoyed to get so many pots for free.
Next time the baker went over to his neighbor's house, he didn't ask her for just One pot.
He asked her for... Ten pots?! ! Yup! Ten big ones!
I'm cooking a whole bunch of desserts for dozens of people, and I need the biggest pots I can get!
The neighbor's eyes lit up at the prospect of lending the baker ten of her dinged-up pots.
Because after all, that meant getting ten bright and shiny baby pots.
Maybe even more if they had twins. Of course I'll lend you ten pots.
Wait here. The baker took the ten pots home.
But the next day, he didn't return them.
Instead, he put on a solemn face hung his head down low, and trudged back to his neighbor's house empty-handed.
Oh, Baker! I was just about to come over.
Where are my pots? And their babies? And why do you look like you've been crying?
I'm so sorry to tell you this, neighbor, but something tragic has happened.
Something so sad that I can't even... As the baker pretended to burst into tears, the neighbor leaned in closer.
What are you talking about? What happened?
It's your pots. I can't return them to you because...
They've died! The neighbor put her hands on her hips.
What do you mean they've died? They're pots, for crying out loud, and pots can't die.
They can't even live. This was the moment the baker had been waiting for.
He halted his pretend tears. He stood up straight and tall.
Then he looked his neighbor right in the eye.
Oh, so pots can't live, you say? Of course not!
Oh, I see. And yet every time I gave you a small, bright, and shiny copper pot... inside your big dull banged up one and i told you the bigger pot had a baby you took it And you were delighted.
So if a copperpot can have a baby, then surely it can die too.
Don't you think? The baker's neighbor was speechless because, just as the baker had hoped, she finally realized how selfish, ungrateful, and foolish she had been.
After that, the neighbor changed her ways.
She became kinder. friendlier, more courteous.
And it was like a whole new neighbor. had been born.
. . . Now it's your turn. What's one thing you can do this week to be a good neighbor?
Perhaps you can bake something delicious for your neighbor or help them rake leaves or shovel snow.
Maybe you can slip a handwritten note or hand-drawn picture under their door.
Whatever you do, they are bound to appreciate the kindness.
Woo-hoo! This week's story, The New Neighbor, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear.
It was edited by our supervising producer, Anne-Marie Sievertson.
Our original music and sound design is by Eric Shimalonis.
Our artist is Sabina Hahn. Want to color while you listen?
Sabina has drawn a black and white picture for every Circle Round story.
Grown-ups, you can find more than 100 pictures. and 50 coloring pages on our website, wbur.org slash circle round.
While you're there, why not get yourself some Circle Round swag?
In addition to our t-shirt, coloring book, and soundtrack, You can also get your own Circle Round tote bag and water bottle.
Special thanks to this week's actors, Melora Hardin and Michael Ziegen.
Melora Hardin has starred on such television shows as The Office, Transparent, and The Bold Type.
Kids, you can hear her as the delightful Duchess in our Circle Round episode every other Friday.
Michael Zekin stars in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Season 4 premieres on Amazon Prime February 18th.
Our featured instrument this week was the balama.
You can learn more about this wooden stringed instrument from Turkey and see a photo on our website.
Again, that's wbur.org slash circle round.
If you 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 and tell your friends to follow us wherever they get their podcasts.
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 Hi, my name's Elena and I'm from Racine, Mississippi. and my favorite Circle Round story.
It blows the rush and the fire on the other side.
Because I learned that little things can do big things.
My name is Ursula. I live in Boise, Idaho, and my favorite Circle Round story is the Salton's Fix.
My favorite part is when the guards take Ally out of the kingdom.
My name is Lila and I'm from Chicago, Illinois.
My favorite episode is the woman who lived in a vinegar bottle.
My favorite part is when she keeps going to the different houses.
My name is Noah and I live in Tucson, Arizona.
And my favorite story is the bright yellow hat. and I like when flowers like cedar tree.
Is that you? My name is Niko and I live in Pennsylvania.
My favorite story is the oncoming offer.
I like the part when the boy and the girl get married.
Hi, my name is Leah and I live in Los Angeles.
And my favorite story is the laughing canoe because I like that part when the canoe says, psst!
What do you call a canoe that's 50% off?
A sailboat. Cha-ching! 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 grown-ups get your podcasts.
