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. When's the last time you did a good deed?
Maybe you donated books to your local library, or you said something nice to a sibling.
Maybe you just cleaned your room when your grown-up asked you to.
In the story we're about to hear, we'll meet some characters who don't just set out to do good deeds. they set out to do noble ones.
The noblest ones of all, in fact. Woo-hoo!
¦ I'm Rebecca Sheer, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today, our story is called The Noblest Tale.
Versions of this folktale originally come from Mexico.
And fun fact, our adaptation of this tale not only wraps up season three of Circle Round, It marks our 100th episode together.
Some really great folks came together to bring you this milestone installment of the podcast. including celebrated singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb.
Lisa has released 15 studio albums, five of which are for kids. including Feel What You Feel, which won the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Children's Album.
So circle around, everyone, for the noblest tale.
¶¶ Once upon a time, in a deep green valley, there was a village.
It was a charming village with winding cobblestone streets. brightly colored houses, and a lively market where vendors peddled fruits and flowers, paintings and pottery.
But life in the village wasn't always peaceful.
You see, the village was set among towering, majestic mountains that reached all the way to the sky...
One mountain was so high that it was always covered with clouds.
And on that cloud-covered mountain, there lived a dragon. a scaly green dragon who often swooped down and swept through the cobblestone streets. huffing flames out of his nose and sending the villagers running.
Among the villagers was a white-haired old woman named Antonia.
Antonia lived in a snug little cottage at the edge of town with her three daughters.
Evelyn, Isabelle, and Luna. One evening, as Antonia rocked in her favorite chair and watched the sun go down behind the mountains, She called her three daughters to her side.
Evelyn? Isabel? Luna? Please come here. Yes, Mother.
Do you need us to bring you something? More tea, perhaps?
No, thank you, Evelyn. I have plenty of chamomile in my cup.
Another blanket, then? No, thank you, Isabel.
I'm as warm and cozy as can be. What is it then, Mother?
What can we do for you? Well, Luna, you and your sisters can sit down and listen.
So, they did. The three women settled down on the creaky wood floor and perked up their ears as their mother began to speak English.
My children, I have lived a long, glorious life. made all the more glorious by having the three of you in it.
But look at me. My hair is as white as a spider's thread.
And my bones are so rickety and crickety, I can barely hobble across the room.
I'm not sure how much longer I'll be around, my dears.
And when I go... I don't have much to leave you three, other than the pots and pans and... hodgepodge of furniture you see in this house.
But I also have... She held up a small blue box.
This. Antonia lifted the box's lid. All at once, Evelyn's jaw dropped.
Wow. Isabel's eyes grew wide. My, my! And Luna could hardly speak.
Mother, what... How? The papery skin around Antonia's eyes crinkled as her face spread. broke into a grin. thought you would be surprised.
All these years we've been living together in this tumbled down cottage in the valley.
Who knew your very own mother had such a spectacular gold necklace hidden away.
It is spectacular, Mother. Stunning! But where did it come from?
Excellent question, Luna. This necklace was given to me by my mother.
Who passed it on from her mother? Who passed it on from her mother years and years ago?
I've been keeping the necklace safe. in hopes of someday passing it on myself.
The problem is, there's only one necklace.
And three of you. That's okay, Mother. Evelyn, Isabel, and I can share it.
Luna's right. It can be all of ours. Oh, my daughters, you're every bit as good and kind and noble as... as I raised you to be.
And that... is how I will decide which one of you gets this gold necklace.
The daughters exchanged a quizzical look.
Here's the deal. Each one of you has one week to go out and do something noble in the world.
When that week is up, I want you to come back and tell me your story.
Whoever has performed the noblest deed of all You will be the one who gets the gold necklace.
Evelyn, Isabel, and Luna were intrigued by their mother's challenge and excited. and worried.
But mother, while we're gone, who will protect you?
From the Dragon. Yes, the dragon! We can't leave you alone when that fierce creature is roaming about.
Antonia smiled. I appreciate your concern, my dears, but fear not.
I'll be fine. Now off with you. The world is waiting.
The next morning, as the sun's first rays streamed through the cottage windows, Evelyn, Isabelle, and Luna ate a hearty breakfast, packed their bags, then headed out into the world to see which one of them could come back with the noblest Tail.
What will Antonia's daughters do? What would you do if you were in their shoes?
We'll find out what happens after a quick look.
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Hiring? Indeed is all you need. need. Welcome back to Circle Round.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Today our story is called The Noblest Tale.
Before the break, we met Antonia and her daughters, Evelyn, Isabel, and Luna.
The women lived in a village near a fierce dragon. who would often dive down from the cloud-covered mountains and scare the villagers out of their wits.
Antonia was growing older, and she didn't have much to leave her daughters other than a gold necklace.
¶¶ She sent Evelyn, Isabel, and Luna out into the world to do a good deed.
Whoever performed the noblest act would get the cherished necklace.
After a week, the daughters returned to the cottage and hurried over to Antonia's rocking chair.
Hello, Mother. Were you okay while we were gone?
Did the dragon return? Actually, I didn't see that dragon once.
Somehow he stayed away from the village the entire time you were away.
But now that you're here... I'm excited to hear your tales.
Evelyn, would you like to go first? Evelyn nodded her head.
I'd be happy to, Mother. Last week, when Isabel, Luna, and I went our separate ways...
I walked and walked until I came to an inn.
It was getting late. So I stopped inside for a bite of supper and a room to spend the night.
Well, after supper, when the waiter brought the check... Here you go, miss.
I noticed that he had undercharged me for my meal.
I had ordered a salad, a bowl of stew, and some bread.
He had only charged me for the bread. So I called the waiter over and told him what happened.
It turns out a man at a nearby table... had witnessed the entire thing.
And after I paid the bill, the man approached me, with a small wooden chest in his hands.
Excuse me, miss. What you did just now, most people wouldn't have told the way to the truth.
They would have just waltzed on out of here without paying for their full meal.
Clearly, you are someone I can trust. Next thing I knew...
The man was handing me the small wooden chest.
He told me he had to leave town unexpectedly. and he wanted to leave the chest in my keeping.
This chest contains all of the savings that I own.
Some money, some jewels, I don't know anyone in this town and I need someone I can trust to watch my valuables until I return.
So, I did. All week long, I kept an eye on that chest.
And when the man came back, I returned it, all of it.
Someone else might have pinched a few coins. or pocketed a bracelet or two, but not me.
I gave back the chest. just as I had received it.
I never even looked inside. As Evelyn finished her story, she flashed Antonia a grin.
So... Tell me, mother, was this not a very noble deed?
Antonia stroked her chin as she rocked in her chair.
Hmm... Your deed, Evelyn, was honest. conscientious, on the level.
But you only did what was right, and nothing more.
Giving this man his full savings was your duty, and you did it.
It was an act of integrity, not nobility. wouldn't you say?
Antonia leaned over and gave Evelyn a kiss on the cheek.
Then she turned to Isabel. Isabel, why don't you tell us your story?
Isabelle's face lit up. I'd be delighted to, Mother.
Now, I never told any of you this, but I've managed to save up. quite a few silver coins over the years.
Last week, when Evelyn, Luna and I set out to do something noble in the world, I got to thinking as I wandered around, what if I divide my savings in half?
Then give half of it away. Just then... I heard someone call out to me.
Excuse me, miss? Sitting by the side of the road was a poor, grizzled man.
He was skinny as a rail. Sorry to bother you, miss, but can you spare a morsel of food?
Well, I didn't have any food with me, but I did have my silver coins.
So I reached into my satchel and offered the man a handful.
Thank you, miss. Oh, oh, thank you. I did the same when I came upon a poor peddler who was trudging home after not selling one item all day.
Oh my! Look at these coins! Thank you! all week long.
Thank you! I found people who were nowhere near as fortunate as I was.
Thank you. And I gave them my silver coins?
Thank you. Thank you so much. Until half of my savings was gone.
As Isabel wrapped up her story, she gazed at Antonia with hopeful eyes.
So tell me, mother, was this not a very noble deed?
Antonia brought a cup of tea to her lips and took a sip.
Well. Your deed, Isabel, was kind, charitable, giving.
But taking care of those less fortunate than us is something we all should do if we're able.
It's an act of duty, not nobility, wouldn't you say?
Antonia leaned over and gave Isabel a kiss on the forehead.
Then she turned. To Luna. Luna, why don't you tell us your story?
A gentle smile crossed Luna's lips. It would be my honor, Mother.
When Evelyn, Isabelle, and I left the cottage last week, all I could think about was you, Mother. and how I feared that the dragon would come tearing down from the clouds and go roaring through this house.
"'snorting and huffing fire. "'I wandered around all day, lost in my thoughts.'
And as the sun set, I realized I had meandered far into the mountains. to a windy cliff overlooking the valley.
And that was when I heard somebody crying.
Oh I squinted my eyes to see who it was.
And there... At the edge of the cliff was the dragon.
Um... Hang on a minute, sister. The dragon?
Yes, Evelyn and Isabelle. The dragon. Girls, please.
Let Luna finish. When I crept closer, I saw that The dragon's enormous green body was writhing around on the ground and tears were flowing from his eyes Like a waterfall.
As the powerful creature thrashed this way and that, I noticed he kept shaking his back right leg.
And when I crept over to get a closer look, I saw he had a thorny branch stuck in his back right foot.
At first, I thought I should run away and save myself from this menace that's been terrorizing our village.
But I didn't. Instead, I called out to the dragon.
When he heard my voice, he stopped crying and swung his big, scaly head in my direction.
His red eyes were gleaming. What do you want?
I told the dragon that if he'd let me, I could take the thorn out of his foot.
All I asked in return was that he stop tearing through our village and frightening all the people. that he leave us alone, in peace.
Okay, okay. I hear what you're saying. But here's the thing.
My family has been terrifying you villagers for generations.
Before me, it was my mother and father. Before them, it was their mother and father.
Before them, it was their mother and father.
Freaking out, you humans? It's basically our job.
It's what we do. It's all we dragons know.
You can take out the thorn if you want. But I can't guarantee that I'll change.
I looked at the dragon. I looked at his foot.
And I knew what I had to do. And what was that?
What did you have to do? Girls, she's getting to that.
Please, Luna, go on. First, I took a deep breath.
Then I reached out my hand, grasped the thorny branch, and gave it a tug.
Now that the branch was out of the dragon's foot, He leapt into the air, then he lunged toward me, peering at me with those glittering red eyes.
For a moment I thought he might open his mighty jaws and swallow me whole, but instead...
He cocked his scaly head, snapped his pointy teeth, and said two words I will never forget.
Thank you. Then he spread his massive wings and flew away.
As Luna ended her story, she looked deep into Antonia's eyes.
So? That's my tail mother. What do you think?
Antonio was quiet for a moment. Then the old woman held out a frail hand and placed it on top of Luna's.
That was a beautiful story, Luna. And a beautiful action.
You reached out and helped your enemy. "'Someone who had struck fear in your heart "'and the hearts of those you love.' and may very well keep doing so for all we know.
Yet you showed kindness. and compassion, all while risking your life.
That. is an act of nobility. She gave Luna's hand a squeeze.
Wouldn't you say? As Antonia let go of Luna's hand, Luna looked down at her palm.
And do you know what she saw glittering there?
You guessed it. The gold necklace. From that day forward, Luna cherished that necklace until it was time for her to pass it on to her daughter, who then passed it on to her daughter.
And so on and so on. As for the dragon, well...
He never terrorized the villagers again.
Instead, he stayed up on his cloud-covered mountain and kept watch over the village.
And when he got older and had little dragons of his own...
He was more than happy to tell them the story of why.
Hmm. Hmm. Now it's your turn. Have you ever listened to the stories on Circle Round and been inspired to tell your own?
Well, now here's your chance. We'd like you to make up your own tale. then tell it in the circle-round style. complete with a narrator and whatever character voices you'd like.
Have a grown-up record you telling your tale.
And please make sure your story is three minutes or less.
After you record, ask your grownup to send the recording to us. using whatever file sharing app they prefer.
We'll list a few of those apps on our website.
Our email address is... We'll see you next time. that incorporates a piece of each one.
So we'll all tell a new tale together. This week's story, The Noblest Tale, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear.
It was edited by Circle Round's executive producer, 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 them in.
Ask a grown-up to visit our website Again, wbur.org slash circle around and click on soundtrack and coloring pages.
Special thanks to this week's actors. Mike Delgado, Kimberly Schraff, Chris Tucci.
Laura Kay Welsh, Dolores King-Williams, and Lisa Loeb.
Singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb released her 15th studio album, A Simple Trick to Happiness, earlier this year.
Kids, you might be familiar with Lisa's five children's albums. including Feel What You Feel, which won the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Children's Album.
She also started the Camp Lisa Foundation, which sends underserved kids to summer camp.
Our featured instrument this week was the clarinet.
This member of the Woodwind family was played by guest artist Ben Redwine, a musician you've actually heard a bunch of times since he's the featured soloist in our Circle Round theme song. music.
You can learn more about Ben Redwine and the clarinet 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.
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 Erica. I love all the circles. round stories, but my favorite one is The Golden Fleece.
Hi, my name is Sydney and I live in San Francisco.
California and my favorite circle around story is the banker's riddles because I like the part when the banker and the clever daughter become friends.
Did someone mention an episode you missed?
No problem. 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.
