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And now, on with the story! Thank you! There's an old proverb or saying from Afghanistan that goes, a real friend is one who takes the hand of his friend in times of distress and helplessness.
In other words, if you are truly friends with someone, your friendship goes way beyond the good times.
A real friend will stick with you when times get tough.
In today's story, times get very tough for our main character.
And the friend who helps her out doesn't just give her his hand, he gives her his paw.
I'm Rebecca Shear and welcome to Circle Round, live at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts.
Today our story is called The Seamstress and the Deve.
It comes from Afghanistan and Central Asia.
And what's a deeve? We'll find out soon.
Joining me on stage is a star-studded cast of actors, Michael Bobbitt, Marielle Heller, Omar Offendum, and Jorma Tacconi.
Providing musical accompaniment under the direction of our own Eric Shimalonis is a world-class ensemble from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Kathy Basrak on viola, Rachel Childers on horn, Chris El Chico on clarinet, Clint Foreman on flute, Ben Levy on double bass, and Suzanne Nelson on bassoon.
So circle around, everyone, for The Seamstress and the Deve.
Thank you. Thank you. Amina, the seamstress, lived with her cat Mittens in a small village in the country.
Amina had lived there all her life and was eager to get out and see the world.
Mittens, after all these years stitching and sewing clothing, I've managed to save a decent amount of money.
How about we get away for a while? Meow.
And have ourselves an adventure? Meow. By sailing across the sea.
Meow. I know, I know. As a cat, you're not a big fan of water.
But it'll be fun. We'll sail somewhere exotic and have a grand old time.
You in? Meow. Meow. That's the spirit. So Amina and Mittens journeyed to the seaside.
They found a big cargo ship, then paid the crew a couple of coins to hitch a ride.
It was smooth sailing out of the harbor, but once they reached open water, a storm blew in and gusts of wind tossed the ship like a ping pong ball.
Amina stuffed Mittens into her apron and held on tight.
Next thing she knew, it was morning, and she and Mittens were waking up on an empty beach.
Mittens, we survived. We're okay. Meow? Fine, maybe okay is an overstatement.
We're absolutely drenched, and there's no sign of the cargo ship to say nothing of our bags, but at least we're alive.
You hungry? Meow. Me too. How about we catch some fish or dig up some clams?
In fact... Amina reached down and grabbed a large white shell.
This looks like a tasty clam right here.
But when she pried the shell open, there was no tasty clam inside.
Instead, there was a cloud of gray smoke.
It came spiraling out of the opening, curling, twisting, and swirling before coalescing into a thief.
Meow. Meow. Amina thought back to the childhood stories she had read about the supernatural creatures known as Deves.
Deves possessed evil powers and could shapeshift into any form.
This Deve was huge and hairy, with horns on his head, tusks on his chin, and angry red eyes, which he fixed on Amina and Mittens.
You detestable human and contemptible cat!
Uh, meow meow? How dare you rouse me from my slumber!
I have been sleeping inside this shell for one thousand years, and I was hoping to sleep for a thousand more!
Amina suppressed a shudder. I am so sorry, Deve.
I only opened the shell because my cat and I were looking for food.
Isn't that right, Mittens? Meow. You see, the two of us got shipwrecked, and we were washed up on this beach, and we're terribly hungry, so... Silence!
I do not care about your shipwreck, and I don't care about your hunger.
You ruined my nap, and now you must pay.
I think I'll turn you both into stone. Into stone?
Meow, meow, meow. Oh, please, please, don't do that, Deeb.
I'll give you anything. Anything you ask.
The deev stroked his tusked chin. Oh, you'll give me anything, will you?
In that case, I want your soul. Come again?
Meow, meow, meow? Don't look so shocked.
It's only your soul you'll get to keep living.
But your life won't be your own. You'll be forced to do my bidding for the rest of your days.
Amina searched her mind for a way out of this predicament.
And that's when she remembered something from her childhood tales.
A Deev could never take a soul by force.
It must be given willingly. So she began improvising a plan.
All right, Deev, you win. I will give you my soul.
Meow, meow, meow? On one condition. Meow, meow, meow.
You must wait until the day that I become a queen.
Yes, a queen. It's either that or you'll have to turn me into stone.
And what good am I to you as stone? How could I ever do your bidding?
Amina knew the chances of her becoming a queen were next to none.
After all, she was a humble seamstress, stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere.
But the deev took the bait. It's an interesting proposition, and I'll accept it.
You will give me your soul on the day you become a queen, and from then on, you'll be forced to do everything that I... Meow!
Meow, meow, meow! Mittens jumped onto his hind legs and thrust a paw toward the sea.
Amina looked where he was pointing, and that's when she saw it.
A sailboat, heading their way. Not wishing to frighten the crew...
The Deve used his powers to shapeshift into a little yellow bird.
He hovered near Amina's head and tweeted in her ear.
Remember your promise, human. On the day you become a queen, you will give me your soul, and then you will be mine.
The Deve fluttered off just as the boat came ashore.
The sailors helped Amina and Mittens climb on.
Then they set sail. They docked at a sprawling harbor, bustling with people.
When Amina and Mittens disembarked, they noticed that all eyes were glued on a tall, masted ship in the port.
A man appeared on the ship's deck, and the crowd let out a rousing cheer.
Thank you for the warm welcome, my good people.
It is an honor to end my travels in return to this beautiful land.
As your loving and devoted king, I am delighted to be back home.
Amina's jaw dropped. A king? She had never seen a king before.
Her wide eyes followed him as he marched down the gangplank and into a waiting carriage.
But when he climbed inside, a small gold purse tumbled out of his pocket and landed on the ground.
Oh no, the king has dropped his purse. And no one seems to have noticed.
Should we fetch it, Mittens, and give it back?
Meow. Amina pushed her way through the crowd.
By the time she got to the purse and snatched it up, the carriage had rolled away.
Well, we've got the purse. Now we just have to return it to the...
Amina fell silent for all at once. She spied one of the king's guards, and he was galloping her way.
When he saw the purse in her hands, he reached down, yanked her and Mittens off the ground, then plopped them both onto his saddle.
Next thing Amina knew, she and Mittens were at the palace, locked inside a narrow, stuffy cell in the dungeon.
Oh, Mittens, can you believe it? The guard assumed we were stealing the king's purse, and now we've been arrested.
Meow, meow, meow. Suddenly, there was a jingling of keys, and the door to the cell flew open.
Another palace guard stepped in, motioning for Amina to follow him.
Scooping mittens into her arms, she followed the guard out of the dungeon and through a maze of corridors.
Eventually, they stepped into a large cavernous room.
On the far end, seated on a magnificent throne draped in velvet, was the king.
So, you are the one who was arrested for stealing my purse.
Amina gave a low, quivering bow. I am your majesty.
My name is Amina. Meow. And this is Mittens.
Meow. And I was arrested for stealing your purse, but the truth is, I saved it.
I saw you drop it when you boarded your carriage, so I picked it up so I could give it back.
I hope your majesty believes me. Amina waited for the king's response.
She waited and waited until finally he opened his mouth and...
Oh, well, you know what that music means.
We'll find out what the king said and what happens with the seamstress and the thief.
Meow. And mittens, too, after a quick break.
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I'm Rebecca Shear. Welcome back to Circle Round, live at Tanglewood in Lenox, Massachusetts.
Today our story is called The Seamstress and the Deve. applause Thank you.
Before the break, a menacing dave wanted to take Amina's soul.
The seamstress told him he could have it.
On the day she became a queen, one thing led to another, and eventually Amina wound up in the palace dungeon, wrongfully accused of stealing the king's purse.
When she pleaded her case, insisting that she was trying to save the purse, not steal it, the king smiled angrily.
I believe what you say, Amina. As it happens, a group of fishermen witnessed your heroic act at the harbor and rushed to the palace to tell me about it.
Therefore, I am convinced of your innocence, and you may go free.
Unless there's something I can do for you first, to make up for the trouble you've been through.
Amina shook her head. That won't be necessary, Your Majesty.
I'm just thrilled to go free. If anything comes to mind, I'll let you know.
But just as she turned to leave... Where do you think you're going?
Amina shifted her eyes. Buzzing beside her ear was a mosquito.
But it wasn't an actual mosquito. Do you know who it really was?
Any guesses? You've got it. It was the shape-shifting diva.
Amina, you promised you would give me your soul on the day you became a queen...
And how will you ever become a queen if you leave this palace?
You may never meet this king again. You may never meet any king again.
Amina sighed and turned back to the throne.
Actually, your majesty, now that I think of it...
There is something you could do for me. You see, I need a job.
I'm sure you have a talented team of seamstresses and tailors here in the palace.
So I wonder, might I join their ranks? I have decades of experience, and I work harder and faster than anyone you've ever known.
The king's face stretched into a grin. I would be honored to hire you.
Amina, we shall find you admittance a room in the tailors' and seamstresses' quarters, and you'll start work in the royal workshop first thing tomorrow.
Amina quickly grew fond of her new job. After all, she got to handle sumptuous fabrics like silk, satin, and velvet.
And she got to sew and stitch with priceless threads spun from silver and gold.
But it wasn't just her job Amina adored.
You see, after she was hired, the king kept finding reasons to drop by the shop.
Sometimes he had a button to fix. I don't know why these pesky things keep popping off.
Sometimes he had a garment to hem. I must be shrinking because this robe keeps getting longer.
Sometimes he had a tear to mend. Somehow I ripped my trousers again.
Clumsy me. And though he had an entire staff at his disposal, he always went straight to Amina.
You're the best of the best, Amina. I hope you don't mind taking on another job.
Amina didn't mind at all. She enjoyed the tasks and the company.
The king sat with her while she worked, and they spent hours talking and laughing and joking.
Before Amina knew it, the king professed his love and asked her to marry him.
Amina's heart fluttered with joy, but her head filled with dread.
She had grown to love the king, but if she accepted his proposal, she would become a queen and would have to give her soul to the dave.
Your Majesty, before I answer your proposal, I need some time to think things over.
Of course you do. Take all the time you need.
After all, becoming a queen is no small matter.
You've got that right. Amina couldn't sleep a wink that night.
Mittens was curled up at the foot of the bed, peacefully dozing away.
But the seamstress was tossing and turning.
I want to marry the king, but I don't want to give the Deev my soul, nor do I want to be turned into stone.
The very thought of it gives me the shivers.
Tell me about it. Amina froze. Um, who said that?
I did. You think I'm crazy about the idea of becoming a cat statue?
A cat statue? Amina stared straight ahead.
And there was Mittens, sitting on his furry haunches, flicking his fluffy tail. and speaking.
I mean, don't get me wrong, Amina. I would make a beautiful cat statue.
Simply gorgeous. But still, not the way I want to spend eternity, you know?
Amina's jaw dropped so low it practically touched the bedsheets.
Um, Mittens? Are you actually talking? All these years together and I had no idea you could speak.
Oh, I've always spoken, and you usually seem to understand.
Which is no small feat, given the legendary difficulty of meow-ees.
You know, cat language. Uh-huh. Thing is, given our current predicament, I need to make sure you understand every word I say.
Because I have a plan, Amina. A brilliant plan that will make all your troubles go away.
So listen up. Mittens nestled onto Amina's lap and laid out his strategy.
And the next morning, Amina hurried to the king's chambers and threw herself into his arms.
The answer is yes, my darling. Yes, I will marry you.
You will? Oh, this is the best news ever.
Let's celebrate our engagement over breakfast.
I'll have the steward bring us some food.
That sounds wonderful, dear. But I need to attend to something first.
I'll be with you shortly. Amina sprinted back to her room.
Mittens was still snuggled up in bed, but he wasn't alone.
Hovering above him was the Deve in his original hulking, hairy form.
Ha ha ha ha! So, it's finally happening.
You are going to become a queen. And when you do, your soul is mine.
The Deve shot Amina a menacing look, expecting her to shudder.
Instead, she shrugged. I don't know, Deve.
All this talk about taking people's souls and turning them into stone.
I mean, are you really all that powerful?
The Deve placed his hairy hands on his hairy hips.
Oh. Of course I'm all that powerful. I'm a div.
I have destroyed lives with my magic. I have turned countless people into stone.
And, lest you forget, I also know how to shapeshift.
Yeah, about that. I've seen you shapeshift a couple of times now, but only into little things, like a bird, a mosquito.
Surely you can turn into something more impressive, right?
Something more impressive? I have shapeshifted into anything and everything under the sun.
You name it, I can become it. Okay. Amina pretended to think.
Then how about a sharp-fanged python? No sooner had she said those words than the deev was gone, and his place was a long, scaly, sharp-fanged python.
Justice! Not bad. Bet you couldn't do a wild boar.
Now the python disappeared, only to be replaced by a bristly wild boar.
Easy. An angry wolf? A ferocious lion? A great big bear?
Wow. Looks like I'll have to think of something more challenging for you to shapeshift into.
Something that'll leave you stumped. Oh, I know.
How about... The great big bear shot Amina a seriously-is-that-the-best-you-can-do look.
Then he vanished, and in his place was a small white mouse, its whiskers wiggling and its ears twitching.
Amina didn't waste a second. She motioned toward Mittens, who immediately went leaping off the bed, pouncing onto the mouse, before swallowing it whole.
Meow. Amina let out a cry of joy. At last the dave was gone and her nightmare was over.
Though Mitten's indigestion was just beginning.
Later that year, Amina and the king were married.
She made a truly wonderful queen, ruling her people with kindness, curiosity, and compassion.
Ever the hard worker, Amina poured her soul into her job.
And believe me, not once did she ever take that soul for granted.
Thank you. Now it's your turn. If you could shapeshift into anything and not get gobbled up by a talking cat, what would it be?
Get some paper and draw a line down the middle.
On one side, draw yourself as you currently are.
On the other, draw whatever you'd like to shapeshift into.
Let your imagination run wild, and when you're done, show your picture to someone you love.
Then, if you'd like, share it with us. Grown-ups, snap a photo of your Circle Round fan and their drawing and email it to CircleRound at WBUR.org.
We may feature you in an upcoming edition of the Circle Round newsletter.
This week's story, The Seamstress and the Deve, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear.
It was edited by Dean Russell. Our composer is Eric Shimalonis, who conducted our players from the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Kathy Basrak on viola, Rachel Childers on horn, Chris El Chico on clarinet, Clint Foreman on flute, Ben Levy on double bass, and Suzanne Nelson on bassoon.
Our actors at Tanglewood were Michael Bobbitt, Marielle Heller, Omar Offendum, and Yorma Tacone.
Michael Bobbitt is a theater director, choreographer, playwright, and the executive director of Mass Cultural Council.
His plays and musicals include Make Way for Ducklings, Jumanji, Caps for Sale, Bob Marley's Three Little Birds, and Mirandi and Brother Wind.
Marielle Heller has directed such films as The Diary of a Teenage Girl, starring Kristen Wiig and Alexander Skarsgård, Can You Ever Forgive Me, starring Melissa McCarthy, and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, starring Tom Hanks.
She co-starred on the hit TV series The Queen's Gambit.
Yorma Takoni is a writer, actor, director, musician, and comedian much adored by fans as part of the comedy trio The Lonely Island.
He's author of the children's book Little Fox and the Wild Imagination, and you can hear him on The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers podcast.
Omar Effendum has performed the world over as a rapper and poet, from the Ford Amphitheater in Los Angeles to the FIFA World Cup festivities in Doha.
His off-Broadway hit, Little Syria, explores life in America's first Arab-American neighborhood.
Circle Round's artist is Sabina Han. Sabina has made a black-and-white coloring page for all of our Circle Round stories, and you can print them out and color them in.
Grown-ups, visit our website, wbur.org, and click on Coloring Pages.
Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling around with us.
Now that you've made it to the end of this Circle Round episode, we want to know, what's your favorite Circle Round story?
Thousands of fans just like you have been telling us about the Circle Round stories they like best.
Take a listen. Maybe one of their favorites is one of yours, too.
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My favorite Circle Round store is a Flamkeeper.
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And my favorite part is where the goat goes like, I'm going to go from over the mountain to the hill.
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My favorite circle around story is the lion's whisker.
And my favorite part is where the two kids get the whisker from the lion.
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My favorite part is when the princess rescues the bee.
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And my favorite part is when the rabbit tricks the otter to take off his coat so she can steal it.
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And my favorite circle around story is when Misery comes.
I like the part when Misery says, no! We love you, Rebecca Shear.
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