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.
Think about the place where you live. Is it a house?
An apartment? Maybe it's in a big city. or in a small town.
Well, today we'll meet a woman who lives in a most unusual place—
A bottle of vinegar. Woohoo! I'm Rebecca Sheer, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today's tale is called The Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle.
People started sharing versions of this folktale long, long ago in England.
Some great folks came together to bring you our telling of this tale, including Anne Underland.
Annabella Rae Sherman, and a terrific actress from TV and movies, Selah Ward.
So, circle around, everyone, for the woman who lived in a vinegar bottle.
Once upon a time, there was a woman who lived in a vinegar bottle.
That's right, a vinegar bottle. So it was small.
And it was stuffy. On one side of the bottle was a little bed where the woman slept.
Next to the bed was a little table where she put her books.
There was also a small kitchen and an even smaller bathroom. so you can imagine how crowded it was.
But honestly, the woman didn't mind it. Not at first.
But as time went by... She would sit inside the bottle's round glass walls and complain.
Ugh. I am so tired of living here in this stuffy bottle.
I should be living in a country cottage with a stone path and a garden.
That would make my life so much better. One day, two fairies flying by happened to overhear the woman complaining.
A country cottage. With a stone path. And a garden.
Why, if that's what she wants. That's what she'll get.
Quickly, the fairies fluttered down to the woman, who immediately popped her head out of the top of the bottle.
Why, hello. Hello. Hello. And you are? The answer to your wishes.
Here is what you must do. Before you get in bed tonight, Turn round and round and round and close your eyes.
When you open them in the morning, just see what you shall see.
Before the woman could say anything else, the fairies disappeared with a...
That night, the woman put on her pajamas, washed her face and brushed her teeth.
Before she got in bed, she decided, why not?
She'd do as the fairy said. She turned round and round and round and closed her eyes.
And when she opened them again in the morning, what do you think she saw?
It's a miracle. Instead of a small, stuffy vinegar bottle, the woman found herself in a country cottage with a stone path.
And a garden. It's just what I've always wanted.
I will be so content. She danced and she sang.
She sang and she danced. But one thing she did not do? say a word of thanks to the fairies.
Well, the fairies went north and the fairies went south.
The fairies went east and the fairies went west.
They did all the fairy business they had to do.
Then, they began to think about the woman.
I wonder how she's getting along. The one who used to live in the vinegar bottle?
Thank you. Let's stop around and see. But when the fairies arrived at the country cottage with the stone path and the garden... they found the old woman sitting amongst the beautiful rose bushes and complaining.
Oh, dear. It's so cramped here in this cottage, in this stone path.
It's so plain, so common. I should be living in a mansion high atop a hill. with servants to do my every bidding and chefs to cook my every meal.
That would make me so content. The fairies thought for a moment.
A mansion high atop a hill. With servants.
To do her every bidding. And chefs to cook her every meal.
Why, if that's what she wants. That's what she'll get.
Once more, the fairies fluttered down to the woman.
Once more, the woman was surprised. You're back.
We are. With the answer to your wishes. Before you get in bed tonight.
Turn round and round and round and close your eyes.
When you open them in the morning, just see what you shall see.
And again, the fairies disappeared with a poof.
That night, the woman put on her pajamas and washed her face, She was too excited to brush her teeth.
Before she got in bed... She turned round and round and round and closed her eyes.
Thank you. And when she opened them again in the morning, what do you think she saw?
We'll find out after a quick break. you Support for Circle Round comes from Indeed.
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Hiring indeed is all you need. I'm Rebecca Shearer.
Welcome back to Circle Round. Today's story is called The Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle.
When we left off, the woman who used to live in a vinegar bottle was now living in a country cottage with a stone path and a garden, just what she'd always wanted.
But then the woman wished for more. A mansion high atop a hill.
"'with servants to do her every bidding "'and chefs to cook her every meal.'
That night, before getting in bed, she followed the fairy's instructions and turned round and round and round and closed her eyes.
The next morning, when she opened them again... It's amazing.
Instead of a country cottage with a stone path and a garden, The woman found herself in a mansion high atop a hill, with servants to do her every bidding and chefs to cook her every meal.
It's just what I've always wanted. I will be so content.
She danced and she sang, she sang and she danced.
But one thing she did not do? What do you think?
That's right. She did not say a word of thanks to the fairies.
Well... The fairies went north and the fairies went south.
The fairies went east and the fairies went west.
They did all the fairy business they had to do.
Then... They began to think about the woman.
I wonder how she's getting along. The one who used to live in the vinegar bottle?
Let's stop around and see. But when the fairies arrived at the mansion high atop a hill, with servants to do the woman's every bidding and chefs to cook her every meal, They found her sitting in her brand new velvet chair and complaining.
Ugh. I simply cannot stand living here in this drafty mansion.
My days are so dull. Why, I should be living in a palace.
As a queen. with musicians to entertain me and messengers to carry out my royal decrees.
That would make me so content." The fairies thought for a moment. a palace as a queen with musicians to entertain her. and messengers to carry out her royal decrees.
Why, if that's what she wants. That's what she'll get.
One more time, the fairies fluttered down to the woman.
The woman sighed. I'm so unhappy. Tell me you bring the answer to my wishes.
We do. Before you get in bed tonight, turn round and round.
And round. And close your eyes. When you open them in the morning, just see what you shall see.
And, just as before, the fairies disappeared. with a poof.
That night, the woman put on her pajamas but skipped washing her face and brushing her teeth.
Before she got in bed, she turned round and round and round and closed her eyes.
And when she opened them again in the morning, what do you think she saw?
Perfect. Instead of a mansion high atop a hill, with servants to do her every bidding and chefs to cook her every meal, the woman found herself living in a palace as a queen. with musicians to entertain her and messengers to carry out her royal decrees.
It's just what I've always wanted. I'll be so content.
She danced and she sang, she sang and she danced.
But one thing she did not do? Say a word of thanks to the fairies.
Well, the fairies went north and the fairies went south.
The fairies went east and the fairies went west.
They did all the fairy business they had to do.
Then they began to think about the woman.
I wonder how she's getting along. The one who used to live in the vinegar bottle?
Let's stop around and see. But when the fairies arrived at the palace... where the woman was living as a queen, with musicians to entertain her and messengers to carry out her royal decrees. they found her sitting on her royal throne and complaining.
Ah, this kingdom. It's so small, so insignificant.
And this throne, it's so hard. Why, I should be living in the grandest palace in the world as a ruler of everything and everyone.
That would make me so content. The grandest palace in the world?
As the ruler of everything and everyone?
Why, if that's what she wants... The fairies thought for a moment.
And another. And another. Then they fluttered down to the woman.
"'Oh, fairies, I am more miserable than ever.'
You must have the answer to my wishes. You must.
The fairies smiled. We always have the answer.
Before you get in bed tonight. Turn round and round and round and close your eyes.
When you open them in the morning, Just see what you shall see.
And just as before, the fairies disappeared with a poof.
This time, the woman didn't even wait until nighttime.
She didn't put on her pajamas or wash her face or brush her teeth.
Before she got in bed, she turned round and round and round and closed her eyes.
And when she opened them again in the morning, what do you think she saw?
It's... Instead of the grandest palace in the world, living as the ruler of everything and everyone, She found herself right back in her vinegar bottle.
And in that bottle, the woman stayed. Oh no.
For the fairies knew what all of us know.
If we aren't content and grateful here, we won't be content and grateful anywhere.
Because happiness and thankfulness come from the heart, not from the house.
. . . Now it's your turn. What in life are you thankful for?
What makes you feel content? Find some paper and draw a picture of whatever it is that makes you grateful.
Or whoever. After all, people can make us feel pretty happy too, right?
When you're done making your picture share it with someone you love.
Then ask them what they're grateful for.
You might be surprised at their answer. We have a new story every week on Circle Round, so be sure to subscribe. on Apple Podcasts Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts and while you're there if you like what you hear please write us a review it helps other people find the show Today's story, The Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle, was adapted by Jessica Alpert and me, Rebecca Scheer.
Original music and sound design is by Eric Shimilonis.
Casting is by Amy Lippins, CSA. along with help from our executive producer, Jessica Alpert.
Circle Round's illustrator is Sabina Hahn.
Our intern is Chris Eulian. Special thanks to this week's actors, Anne Underland and Annabella Reed.
Sherman and Selah Ward. Grownups, you can catch Selah Ward on the Epic's original series, Graves.
Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station.
And all you grown-ups out there, you can find us on Facebook at facebook.com slash circleroundpodcast.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling around with us.
