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. Thank you.
Hi, I hope you've buckled your seatbelt because you are in for one spectacular ride.
What you're about to hear is a road trip-worthy episode we're calling The Animal Kingdom. featuring two hours of your favorite Circle Round stories about our furry and feathered friends.
Alright, start your engines! Let's go! Ever heard the expression, good things come in small packages?
What do you think about when you hear that phrase?
Well, in today's episode, we'll put this old saying into action with help from a hungry billy goat. a trampled vegetable garden, and the very tiny hero who saves the day.
Woo-hoo! I'm Rebecca Sheer, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today's story is called The Goat in the Garden.
Versions of this tale have been told all over the world, including Latin America, much of Europe, even parts of the United States.
Some really great people came together to bring you this folktale, including one half of Click and Clack, the Tappet brothers.
From the legendary NPR program Car Talk, Ray Maliazzi.
So circle around everyone for the goat in the garden.
Of all the people in Sophia's life, she loved her husband and daughter the most.
But of all the things in Sophia's life, she loved her vegetable garden the most.
Hello, my perky little peppers, my ravishing radishes.
My beautiful beans. How are you, my lovely lettuces?
Perhaps you'd like a sprinkling of water before the sun comes up?
Sophia grew enough vegetables in her garden to keep her family well fed. with just enough vegetables left over for Sofia's husband, Simon, to sell at the market.
Every morning, while Sophia was making breakfast, her daughter Olivia would venture out to the garden and pick vegetables for that night's dinner.
Then she'd go on her way to school. But one morning, while visiting the garden, Olivia saw something that made her jump.
She tossed her empty basket high in the air as she scurried back to her mother, who was flipping pancakes in the kitchen.
Olivia, you weren't even outside for two minutes.
Did you already pick all the vegetables for dinner?
Oh my goodness, you're white as a ghost.
What happened? Trembling, Olivia pointed toward the kitchen window.
Look for yourself. Sophia peered out the window toward where Olivia was pointing.
There, in the middle of the garden, was the biggest hairiest billy goat Sophia had ever seen.
The goat was trampling all over the ground, gobbling up everything.
My vegetables! What are we going to do, Mama?
Sophia pursed her lips and furrowed her brow.
Then she stood up as tall as she could and put her hands on her hips.
I tell you what we're going to do. I'm going to march out there right now and make that billy goat go away.
So Sophia strutted outside and approached the billy goat.
She noticed his mouth was full of turnips.
Morning, Billy Goat. What a fine breakfast you're enjoying.
But listen. You're young, you're strong, and you can find food anywhere else. anywhere.
So please get out of my garden. The goat glared over at Sophia and began to speak.
Ha! Don't you know who I am? I am the billy goat from the hills and mountains.
So you get out! Then he whipped his head around and charged toward Sophia, his horns all set.
Hi! Hi! Sophia ran back to the house as fast as she could.
Olivia! Open the door! Open the door! The billy goat is after me!
Puffing and panting, Sophia dropped onto a kitchen chair.
Olivia lay a hand on her mother's quaking shoulder.
Don't worry, Mother. Maybe we just need to explain a few things to him.
I will go out there and I will make that billy goat go away.
So Olivia made her way outside and approached the billy goat.
She noticed he was now chomping on carrots.
Good morning, Billy Goat. What a delicious breakfast you're having.
But you have to understand, my mother spends hours tilling the soil, planting the seeds, pulling the weeds.
So... Please, please, get out of her garden.
Just as he did with Sophia. The billy goat glared at Olivia and began to speak.
Ha! Don't you know who I am? I am the Billy Goat from the hills and mountains.
So you get out! Then he reared his legs up in the air and bowed his head and horns low, ready to charge.
Olivia sprinted back to the house as fast as she could.
Open the door! The billy goat is after me!
And she too tumbled inside the kitchen. Just then, her father, Simon, came downstairs for breakfast before heading out to market.
He noticed his wife puffing and panting and his daughter on the verge of tears.
My darlings! My loves, what's wrong? Has something happened?
Olivia was too distraught to answer, so Sophia spoke up.
She pointed a shaky finger toward the window.
Look for yourself. Simon gazed out the window and spied the billy goat.
By now, the goat was covered in pulp and seeds as he tore into Sophia's bright orange pumpkins.
Don't you worry, my darlings. Maybe he just needs some sympathy.
I will go out there and I will make that billy goat go away.
So Simon marched outside and approached the billy goat.
The goat looked up from his smashed pumpkins.
Good morning, Billy Goat. Boy, it's no wonder you're enjoying such a hearty breakfast.
You must work really hard. All that, um...
Billy-goating you do all day. But my family, we work hard too.
And we need these vegetables. So please, get out of the garden.
Now the billy goat glared at Simon. Then, yes, he began to speak.
Ha! Don't you know who I am? I am the billy goat from the hills and mountains.
So you get out! The billy goat reared up his legs and stomped back down again, scenting up a cloud of dirt and pumpkin seeds.
Ah! Simon scampered back to the house as fast as his legs could carry him.
Sofia! Olivia! Open the door! Open the door!
The billy goat is after me! Simon staggered into the kitchen, his heart thumping a million beats a minute.
I'm sorry, my loves. I couldn't get the billy goat to leave.
Now all the pumpkins are gone. And the carrots.
Sophia glanced outside. And... Oh, no. Everything else.
Indeed, by this time, the billy goat had ravaged the entire garden.
In fact, it looked less like a vegetable garden now and more like vegetable soup.
Olivia sighed. Now we'll have nothing to eat.
And nothing to sell. And I'll have to start the whole garden over from scratch.
But even then, who's to say the billy goat won't return from the hills and mountains again?
Just then. Sophia, Simon, and Olivia heard a small voice call out to them.
Hey, I'll make sure that Billy Goat never comes back.
I'll just need a little something in return.
Who do you think is speaking to Sophia and her family?
And what do you think she wants in return for getting rid of the goat?
We'll find out what happens after a quick break.
My favorite stories are Ashes for Sale. I like the story of the golden lamb because it taught me to use my talents.
My favorite music is The Lion, The Whisper.
Because I think the music is really beautiful.
Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear.
Our story today is called The Goat in the Garden. you When we left off, a big, hairy billy goat was munching up every bit of Sophia's beloved garden.
Sophia tried making him go away. Her daughter Olivia tried making him go away, and her husband Simon tried making him go away.
But each time they did... They heard this.
Ha! Don't you know who... I am, I am the billy goat from the hills and mountains.
So, so you get out. The family was huddled in their small kitchen, worrying about what they would do when suddenly...
They heard a voice, a small mysterious voice. offering to rid them of their problem in exchange for something.
Sophia, Olivia, and Simon began glancing around the room.
Hello? Who are you? And where are you? We're interested in your offer.
Can you tell us a... Suddenly, Simon felt a little sting on his left ear.
He began shaking his head, and as he did, down-dropped A tiny black ant.
Simon caught the tiny black ant in the palm of his hand.
Wait, you're the one who can make sure the billy goat never comes back?
Why, you're no bigger than a drop of water.
The little ant stood up as tall as she possibly could.
I can help you! That's what I can do! I can get rid of the billy goat and make sure he stays in those hills and mountains forever.
Only in exchange, I need something. Just a little something.
If it isn't too much trouble. Of course not.
We'll give you anything. Yes, yes, anything at all.
The little ant thought for a moment. Alright then.
I would like some wheat for my family. Olivia looked at her mother and father.
We can do that, right? We can. We'll give you two sacks full of wheat, little ant.
The ant shook her head. Two sacks full?
Oh, I can't handle that much. One sack? Still too much.
Half a sack? Still too much. Now Sophia spoke up.
How about a few grains then, little ant?
Just enough for each member of your family.
The ant smiled. would be wonderful. I'll take four grains, One for me, one for my husband, and two for my twins.
You have yourself a deal. Once everything was settled and Sophia had carefully placed four grains of wheat into a tiny sack, The ant crawled out of Simon's hand, down the legs of the kitchen table. and disappeared through a crack in the wood floor.
Quietly, the ant scuttled over to the unsuspecting billy goat.
Luckily, the goat hadn't paid one lick of attention to the conversation inside the kitchen.
He was too busy bending over the garden, gulping up every last bite of Sophia's vegetables.
In a flash, the ant climbed up one of the goat's legs.
She crawled across his hairy back and dashed over to his right ear.
Then... She bit down hard. Out! The goat raised one of his legs to scratch himself, but then...
Ow! The ant scurried over to his other ear and bit that one, too.
Now she was running up and down his back, taking tiny sharp bites as she went.
No! An anthill! I've stepped on an anthill!
The billy goat bucked up his legs and leaped out of the vegetable garden.
Believing he was covered with ants, he began rolling around on the ground to shake all of them off.
The billy goat kept rolling and rolling faster and faster.
Next thing you know, he had rolled all the way back to the hills and mountains where he remains to this day.
As for the little aunt, well, now that she'd helped out Sophia and her family, She was excited to take her four grains of wheat back home to her own husband and kids.
But four grains of wheat, it turns out, is too heavy a load for one little ant to carry.
So, Sophia, Simon, and Olivia each lent a hand.
The aunt carried the first grain, Sophia carried the second, Simon carried the third, and Olivia carried the fourth, and they were all happy, having helped out a new friend in need.
. . . Now it's your turn. When was the last time you helped someone solve a problem?
Maybe you lent a hand with a friend's homework, or you offered a family member some advice.
Think about a time when, like the ant, you helped get someone out of a bind.
Tell a grown-up in your life all about it, then ask them to share a time they came to someone's aid.
After all, as the ant in today's story shows, no matter how big or small we are, We all can be heroes and save the day.
Woo-hoo! Can't get enough of the goat in the garden?
We have other versions of this tale on our website. wbur.org slash circleround.
We also have a bunch of other stories from all across the world.
You can listen now on our website or by subscribing to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts.
And if you have a moment, please write us a review.
It helps other people find Circle Round.
Today's story, The Goat in the Garden, was adapted by Jessica Alpert and me, Rebecca Shear.
Original music and sound design is by Eric Shimalonis.
Casting by Amy Lippins, CSA. along with help from our executive producer, Jessica Alpert.
Our artist is Sabina Han. Special thanks to this week's actors, Lauren Weissman, Rosie, Elisa, and Brian Amador. and Ray Maliazzi.
The Amador family are voiceover artists.
You can hear them on the audiobook, The Story of Ferdinand.
And grown-ups, you can catch Ray on The Best of Car Talk from NPR.
Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling around with us.
When is the last time? You shared with someone.
Maybe you took turns playing with a toy.
Or you offered up half of your favorite sandwich.
It can feel good to share and be shared with, but it isn't always easy.
In today's story, we'll meet a bear who's not so big on sharing, until he makes a deal with a very clever rabbit.
I'm Rebecca Sheer, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today's story is called Share and Share Alike.
You'll hear variations of this tale in many countries, including Denmark, Scotland, Austria and Russia.
It's also been told in the southern United States.
That's where our version comes from. Some really great people came together to bring you this folktale, including someone you grownups might recognize as the host of the public radio show and podcast, Snap Judgment.
Glynn Washington. Starring alongside Glenn is Tiffany Boone from the Showtime drama series, The Chi.
So circle around, everyone, for share and share alike.
Rabbit and Bear were neighbors, and the two animals couldn't be more different.
Rabbit was quick. Bear was slow. Rabbit was clever, and she loved to learn.
Bear was lazy and he loved to sleep. Rabbit had a big family, 17 fluffy-tailed little bunnies, so she had no problem sharing.
Bear, on the other hand, lived alone and wanted to keep everything for himself.
One thing Rabbit and Bear did have in common is they both owned farmland.
Bear's parents had left him many, many acres of beautiful land. with rich soil and plenty of sun.
Rabbit, meanwhile, owned just a small patch of earth.
Dry, sandy, and in the shade. Bear paid the raccoons next door to work his land, while Rabbit did all the work herself.
In fact, she was constantly studying up on agriculture Better ways to grow food for all of her fluffy-tailed bunnies.
And as those bunnies grew bigger, Rabbit realized that if she wanted those growing bellies to stay full, She'd need more land.
But how will I find more land? I can't afford very much.
I know. I'll go see Bear. He has so much farmland.
Maybe he'd rent some of it out to me. So Rabbit hopped next door to Bear's house and called in through the window.
Hey bear, bear, it's me, Rabbit. Bear was just waking up from his seventh nap of the day.
Or was it eighth? So he stretched his furry brown arms and came shuffling over to the door.
Hey there, Reddit. What's up? Is it the morning?
Afternoon? Ah! I've taken so many naps today, I don't know what time it is.
Good afternoon, Bear. Listen, I have a business proposition for you.
Go on. Well, you have so much farmland, it seems to go on for miles.
Do you think I could rent a corner of it?
Just a corner. My bunnies are growing bigger and bigger and soon I won't be able to grow enough crops to feed them all.
By now, Bear was fully awake. He considered what Rabbit had proposed.
Well, Rabbit. You know, I've been hiring those raccoons to do all my planting and harvesting.
If you rent land from me, they won't work for the likes of you.
If anything, they'll try to eat you. It was true.
A lot of animals tried chasing after rabbit, including raccoons.
Not a problem there. I'm quick and I'm spry.
And I work much harder than those raccoons ever could.
I also know a whole lot more about farming.
I can do as much planting and harvesting on my own as a dozen raccoons.
Bear scratched his big brown head. He thought about how fast and smart Rabbit was.
Then he had an idea. You know what, Rabbit?
Now that I've considered it, son, I will rent out my farmland to you. and more than just a corner.
Rabbit smiled. I like what you're saying, Bear.
But tell me, how would you rent your land?
By the square foot? The Acre? Now it was Bear's turn to smile.
Now, now, Rabbit, let's keep things simple.
I'll rent all of my land to you. All of it.
By the share. Rabbit was intrigued. She leaned in closer.
The share? And just what kind of share are we talking about?
Now, unlike Rabbit, Bear didn't know a whole lot about farming.
After all, he'd been paying the raccoons to do all the work while he spent all that time sleeping.
I tell you what, Rabbit. How about for my share, I take the tops of the crop.
And for your share, you take the bottoms.
Rabbit thought for a moment. Then she nodded and reached out her small gray paw to shake Bear's big brown one.
All right, bear, you have yourself a deal.
I'll start plowing next week. Rabbit scampered home and took out her farming books.
She wanted to be well prepared for this next harvest.
Bear, meanwhile, stood in the door of his house and chuckled to himself.
That rabbit. Doesn't she realize that if she only takes the bottoms of the crops, she won't have anything good to eat?
Speaking of eating. All that napping has made me hungry.
Time for a nice big snack. And then... Maybe I'll just rest my eyes a little bit more.
Then he fell sound asleep. Now that Bear and Rabbit have made their deal, what do you think will happen?
Has Bear really pulled one over on Rabbit?
We'll find out after a quick break. My name is Kyra, and I'm three.
And I worked in with animals because they're funny in the house.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Welcome back to Circle Round.
Today our story is called Share and Share Alike.
When we left off, Swift Clever Rabbit and Slow Sleepy Bear had just made a deal.
Rabbit would grow all the crops on Bear's farmland, but she'd only get to take home the bottoms.
Bear in turn would keep all the tops. While Bear took yet another snooze, Rabbit jumped into action on Bear's farmland.
She plowed, she planted, she watered, she weeded.
And a few months later, when it was time for harvest, she bounded over to Bear's front door.
Hey, bear. Bear! Time to wake up. The crops are ready.
Bear yawned and blinked open his eyes. Harvest time?
Already? How long was I asleep? No matter.
Let's get to those crops. Remember, you get the bottoms, Rabbit.
I get the tops. You sure do, Bear. And I have all those tops ready for you right here.
Rabbit gestured toward a red wheelbarrow.
It was piled high with crinkly green stalks, leaves, and vines.
Not one vegetable to be seen. Bear was confused.
Wait a minute! What? I can't eat this stuff.
Where's your share, Robbie? Oh, I haven't dug those crops out of the ground yet, Bear.
I just snipped off the tops for you. The bottoms are still under the soil.
They're root vegetables, you know. carrots, radishes, Beets, potatoes, parsnips, rutabagas.
I know what a root vegetable is. Actually, he didn't.
Look, you're the one who chose Tops Bear.
Not me. So a deal's a deal. I worked my tail off for months, and you get the tops.
Bear's mouth watered at the thought of all those delicious root vegetables. root vegetables that Rabbit, not he, would be taking home to eat.
Suddenly, Bear had an idea. You're right, Rabbit.
A deal's a deal. And you're a fine worker, much faster than those raccoons ever were.
So I tell you what, you do all the planting in my fields again, And when it comes time to harvest, we'll switch things around.
I get all the bottoms and you'll get all the tops.
Rabbit smiled. Thank you, bear. My bunnies are getting bigger and bigger and hungrier and hungrier.
I'll get to plowing right away. Bear went ambling back into his house.
I just know I made a good deal this time.
That rabbit is in for a big surprise come harvest.
Then he promptly fell asleep. Meanwhile, Rabbit scurried back home to her farm books.
When she returned to Bear's Fields, She plowed, she planted, she watered, she weeded, until again it was time for harvest.
Hey bear, bear, time to get up. The crops are ready.
Bear wiped the sleep from his eyes. My, time flies when you're dreaming sweet dreams.
Okay, rabbit. Give me my crops. And remember, this time you get the tops and I get the bottoms.
Okie dokie. Just like last time, Rabbit gestured at the red wheelbarrow.
Here you go. Bear stared at the wheelbarrow.
It was piled high with gnarled, tangled roots.
Wait a minute, ratty. You said I was getting all the bottoms.
And you are. Which leaves the tops. Rabbit pointed toward a blue wheelbarrow a few feet away.
For me. Bear stared at the blue wheelbarrow.
Unlike the red one containing his share, Rabbit's blue whale barrel was bursting with beans, cabbage, cauliflower, and asparagus.
Vegetables that all grew on top of the ground.
Okay, Rabbit. Okay. We're gonna do this one more time.
You'll work my fields again and come harvest time, I'm going to get both the tops and the bottoms.
Rabbit scratched her head. But there... If you get both the tops and bottoms, what will that leave me?
Bear smiled, pleased with himself. "'Why, that'll leave you.'
The middle, of course. Rabbit scratched her head again.
Look. That's my final offer, Rabbit. You can take it or leave it.
Rabbit thought about her growing family and their growing bellies.
All right, Bear, I'll take it. As Bear lumbered back into his house, he laughed to himself.
I definitely got that tricksy rabbit this time.
I get both the tops and the bottoms, and she only gets the middles.
Let's just see what she does with that. Bear had another good chuckle, then, yes, promptly fell asleep.
Meanwhile, rabbits sprinted home to read more about farming.
She returned to Bear's Fields and whistled a little tune as she plowed, planted, watered, and weeded.
Later, when it came time for harvest, she skipped over to Bear's front door.
Hey bear, bear, rise and shine. The crops are ready.
Bear was in an especially deep sleep, but the mere mention of food woke him up straight away.
All right, Rabbit. Let's see what you've got.
Or more importantly, let's see what I've got.
Bear was smiling ear to ear as he stepped outside his front door.
But... What? He wasn't smiling for long.
Well... I'll be. Because again, in front of Bear's house, there were the two wheelbarrows.
This time, Rabbit's blue wheelbarrow was piled high with glistening ears of yellow corn.
Bear's red one was filled with roots and tassels.
It's just like you want it, Bear. Tops and bottoms.
I planted corn this season. So I saved all the roots on the bottom and all the tassels on the top for you.
That leaves the middles. All these yummy, yummy ears of corn for me.
For a few moments, Bear was speechless. Then he slumped his big furry body down on the ground and hung his head.
Well, Rabbit. Aren't you just a quick one?
As clever as can be. Here I am. All this land.
And I never bothered learning how to grow it.
Rabbit gently lay a paw on Bear's shoulder.
You sure shown me. Farming is hard work, Bear. but I'd be happy to show you a thing or two.
There's a lot you can learn about living off the land, It might mean a couple fewer naps each day, but I tell you, it'll be well worth it.
What do you say? Bear lifted his head. You know what, Rabbit?
He reached out his big brown paw to shake Rabbit's small gray one.
You've got yourself a deal. So, over time, Bear learned how to plow and plant and water and weed his fields.
It wasn't always easy, but before long, he and Rabbit were splitting all the plowing, planting, watering, and weeding duties.
And when it came time for harvest, they didn't divide the crops by tops, or bottoms, or middles.
No, they split the crops in half. Share and share alike.
¶¶ Now it's your turn. What's one thing you can do to share.
Maybe you can put together a puzzle with a friend and take turns picking out pieces.
Or you can donate some of your clothing or toys to other kids who might appreciate them.
Think about one way you can share. then get some paper and draw a picture of it.
Hang that picture where you can see it, and then, sometime over the next week... make it come true get out there and share you and the people you're sharing with We'll be glad you did.
Today's story, Share and Share Alike, was adapted by Jessica Alpert and me, Rebecca Shear.
Original music and sound design is by Eric Shimalonis.
Our resident artist is Sabina Han. who has a bunch of awesome illustrations on our website that you can color.
Every Circle Round story has its own black and white picture, and you can find them at wbur.org. slash circle round.
Special thanks to this week's performers, Tiffany Boone and Glynn Washington.
Grownups, you can see Tiffany Boone in the Showtime drama series, The Chi.
And Glenn Washington is the host of the public radio show and podcast Snap Judgment.
Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station.
You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts.
And if you have a moment, please write us a review.
It helps other people find the show. I'm Rebecca Shear.
Thanks for circling around with us. Do you remember the last time you saw a rainstorm?
Streaks of lightning, rumbles of thunder.
The whole thing can be kind of scary, right?
I know I sometimes want to hide under the covers on my bed.
Well, today we'll hear one explanation of where all that thunder and lightning comes from.
And the answer may surprise you. Mm-hmm.
I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today, our story is called Thunder and Lightning.
It was inspired by a folktale that's been told for years and years in Nigeria, a country in Africa.
Some really great people came together to help bring you this tale, including Yetide Badaki and Daiwa Okeni.
If you're a grown-up listening right now, you may recognize their voices.
Yeti Day is on the Starz series American Gods.
And you can see Dio alongside Jennifer Lopez in NBC's Shades of Blue.
So circle around, everyone, for thunder and lightning.
Once upon a time, near a lush green forest and some tall bumpy hills, there was a village.
In most ways, it was like any other village.
It had houses, a school, a market, some farmland for crops, and many, many men, women, and children.
And among the many, many men, women, and children, there also lived a sheep. and a ram.
The ram was the sheep's son. But this sheep and ram were very different from all other sheep and rams.
For one thing, they talked. Good morning, Mother.
Good morning, Son. Also, the sheep and ram didn't live inside a barn or out in a pasture.
They lived in a house. What would you like for breakfast, my child?
The usual, please. A nice bowl of soft grass.
With seeds sprinkled on top. Coming right up.
Something else that set the sheep and ram apart was their names.
The sheep's name was Thunder. And the ram's name was Lightning.
Thunder and Lightning were very good friends with...
Rain. Anytime the villagers needed water for their crops, Thunder and lightning would climb up the tall bumpy hills and call out for rain.
Thunder would use her deepest, most booming voice, and lightning would dash back and forth. so quickly that all you'd see was his white fleece streaking by.
As soon as Rain heard thunder's rumble and spotted lightning's flash, She would drop down from the clouds and give the village all the water it needed.
Well, one summer, the weather was especially hot and the farmlands were especially dry.
The mayor of the village worried none of the crops would grow, so he summoned thunder and lightning to his house.
Thunder, lightning, the crops are in trouble and only you can help us.
Can you call for rain today? Of course, Mr Mayor.
It would be our honour. The entire village watched as thunder and lightning hurried up to the hills.
Lightning dashed ahead, his white coat glinting bright.
Thunder followed behind, her powerful voice bellowing low.
Before long, dark gray clouds formed in the sky, with rain sitting right in the middle.
When Lightning and Thunder saw their friend, they said hello. lightning with a flash of his fleece, and thunder with a rumble.
And with that, rain jumped out of the clouds and fell upon the farmlands.
The villagers were so happy, they cheered, dancing and splashing around in the puddles.
Thank you, Thunder, for bringing us water.
Thank you, Lightning, for saving our crops.
Thank you both for sending us rain. Month after month, every time the village needed rain, thunder and lightning would race up the hill to call for it.
And month after month, Thunder the Sheep noticed that lightning the ram was getting stronger and stronger and faster and faster.
After gobbling up his breakfast of grass and seeds, Lightning would go outside to play.
But he'd get so carried away that he'd smash right into houses and burst through doors.
He'd even knock down walls. Every time this happened, Thunder would scold him.
Lightning! How many times do I have to tell you?
You must be more careful. You don't know your own strength.
I'm sorry, Mother. It won't happen again.
And yet, it did. And the more damage lightning caused, the more upset his neighbors became.
Look at my dog. It's torn right through.
Lightning struck it down. Look at my window.
The glass, it's all gone. Lightning bolted through it.
The mayor heard the villagers' complaints and immediately sent for Thunder and Lightning.
You called for us, Mr. Mayo? Does the village need rain?
Not this time, my friends. That's not what I called you here for.
It's your neighbors. They are starting to complain.
About us? Haven't we called the rain quickly enough when they needed it?
Oh, of course you have. Everyone is very happy with the way you call for it.
The problem is the damage. Thunder sighed.
She had a feeling this was coming. Lightning.
I've been trying to tell you, you can't keep bolting and streaking around the village.
You don't know your own strength. and it's causing harm.
Lightning hung his head. I know, I know.
I'm sorry. I'm sure you are, my boy. But I'm afraid that's not good enough.
I need a guarantee that the village will stay just as it is.
No knockdown or busted up buildings. And for that, there is something you both must do.
Thunder and lightning braced themselves.
What would the mayor say? Would Lightning have to apologize to the villagers?
That was easy enough to do. Perhaps he and Thunder could even fix their houses.
Whatever it is, we'll do it, Mr. Mayor. You name it, we'll make it happen.
Well then my friends, what you must do is this...
Oh, time for a quick break. But what do you think the mayor will say?
What will he ask Thunder the Sheep and Lightning the Ram to do?
We'll find out soon. Stick around. My favorite music is The Lion and the Whisker. because I think the music is really beautiful.
Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear.
Today's story is called Thunder and Lightning.
Amen. When we left off, Thunder the Sheep and Lightning the Ram had been summoned to see the Mayer.
The villagers were upset about the damage lightning had been causing as he barreled around the village.
The mayor needed a guarantee that this kind of thing wouldn't happen anymore.
Thunder. Lightning. You must leave the village.
The sheep and ram were stunned. You want us?
To leave? But, Mr. Mayo, this is our home.
I know. I know. And you've been such honored members of this village, bringing down rain whenever we've needed it, but...
We can't have any more walls, windows or doors falling down.
You must go past the edge of time and live among the lush green trees of the forest.
We still call you when we need you to bring rain, but the forest must be your new home.
So, Thunder and Lightning moved out to the forest.
They built a hut out of branches and leaves and found that living in the woods was nice.
The air was fresh and the tall trees were wonderfully shady when the sun grew hot.
Plus, thunder and lightning were close enough to the hills to scamper up and call for rain when the village needed it.
But after a while, Lightning grew bored.
Mother, it's so dull out here among the trees.
I liked it better back in the village. There was so much to see, so much to do.
This is our home now, my child, and we must make the most of it.
Why not go exploring and make a new friend?
A good number of animals live here. Antelopes, gorillas, even elephants spend their day in the forest.
Go out and play. Have fun. So, Lightning went off into the woods.
And before long, he met all the animals his mother told him about.
He raced with the antelope. Whoo! He sprinted below the gorillas, swinging from tree to tree.
And he ran circles around the elephants as they waved their trunks.
But remember, lightning was growing faster and stronger by the minute.
So as the young ram raced, sprinted, and ran, he started colliding with trees, knocking them clear down.
It was just like in the village. Only instead of a door or window or wall, dozens of big, strong trees ended up flat on the ground.
Oh, man. The young ram was having so much fun, he didn't even notice.
He just ran faster. So fast, in fact, that sparks started to fly from his bright white fleece.
When the sparks landed on the grass, bushes and trees, they began to smolder.
Pretty soon, the forest was on fire. Oh no!
What have I done? Mother, I have to make sure Thunder is all right.
Lightning moved faster than ever as he streaked off to find his mom.
Luckily, sheep have excellent noses. So, back in the hut, Thunder smelled the smoke right away.
Is that smoke? It is. Fire! There's a fire!
I must find lightning. Just as she was darting out of the hut, lightning was dashing back in.
Mother, we must leave the forest. It's on fire.
Let's go back toward the village. We're sure to find safety there.
When Thunder and Lightning reached the village, they stopped to catch their breath.
Oh, Mother. I was so worried. Thank goodness you're safe.
And thank goodness you're safe, my son. What happened?
Do you know what started this fire? Lightning did not answer.
Instead, he hung his head low. Oh, lightning.
Did you do this? But before the ram could say anything...
He and his mother found themselves surrounded by their former neighbors from the village.
They were all looking at the forest. With sadness and fear.
Our beautiful forest. Going down in flames.
What a sad, sad day. Lightning was sad too.
I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt anyone.
Well, you still don't know your own strength, my son.
But now, let's use that strength for good.
What's the best thing for putting out a fire?
Lightning lifted his head. A smile spread across his face.
Water, of course. Mother, let's go up the hill and call for rain.
Excellent thinking, my son. Let's go. So Thunder the sheep and Lightning the ram sprinted up to the hills.
Thunder let out her deep bellow and lightning flashed his bright white coat.
When Rain heard and saw her two friends, she immediately dropped down from the clouds.
As drop after drop of rain cascaded from the sky, they doused the flames until the fire was out.
But the villagers did not cheer or dance and splash around in the puddles.
"'because after the smoke cleared, much of the forest was gone.'
The lush green trees had been replaced by stumps, their bark scorched and charred.
Oh, those trees. They stood so tall. They looked so majestic. and now they are bent to a crisp.
As soon as thunder and lightning came back down from the hills, The mayor called them over.
Thunder, lightning We thank you for bringing us rain to stop this raging fire.
But it was your callousness that brought this fire in the first place.
After you've damaged the houses in the village, I thought it was enough to move you to the forest.
But... Now I'm afraid you must move somewhere else.
Thunder sighed. We understand, Mr. Mayor.
We will go wherever you'd like. I will.
Thunder was surprised at her son's words.
She noticed the young ram was struggling to hold back tears.
Mr Mayo, you should know it wasn't Thunder who caused this fire.
It was me lightning. I was running around and not being careful.
It was all my fault. If anyone has to move it should be me, not my mother.
The mayor paused for a moment and furrowed his brow.
Shrugging his shoulders, he looked at the sheep.
Well, Thunder, what do you say? Would you like to stay?
Mr. Mayor, I thank you for your offer. Lightning doesn't know his own strength and he probably never will.
Thunder nuzzled her son's fleecy nose. Gently, she wiped a tear from his eye.
But Lightning and I were in this together.
And not just when we call for rain. You see, thunder and lightning were a team and a team we shall stay.
Very well. You're a loyal and dedicated mother, Thunder.
Enlightening. Your mother's right. you'll probably never realize how strong you are. you definitely have a wild streak.
But you're a loyal and dedicated son. And the two of you make a wonderful pair.
So now... The mayor lifted his arm and motioned upward.
I present you with your new home. The sky!
We'll be living in the sky. Something tells me you'll like it.
After all, you'll be uniting with an old friend.
As thunder and lightning glanced up, they saw a dark gray cloud float by.
Peeking out from behind it was their longtime pal, Rain.
Smiling, she reached out and tossed down a puffy ladder made of clouds.
Thunder and lightning ran over to the ladder and climbed right up.
After that, thunder and lightning still helped the villagers when their crops needed water.
The sheep and ram no longer needed to dash up into the hills to call for rain.
But Rain had gotten so used to listening for thunder's deep roar and watching for lightning's white streak, that she wouldn't drop out of her cloud without them.
As for lightning, He grew to be so fast and strong that even though he lived in the sky, his sparks sometimes shot down to the earth. leading to a burnt tree here, a knocked down wall there.
And as always, right afterward, Thunder would scold him with her low rumble.
And that's why, when there's a rainstorm, first you'll see a bolt of lightning.
Then you'll hear a crash of thunder. Some people say it's just a playful young ram causing mischief. and his loving mother reminding him of his own mighty strength.
¶¶ Now that we've done our telling, it's your turn to do some showing.
Find a piece of paper and something to draw or paint with, and create your own picture of Thunder the Sheep and Lightning the Ram What do they look like?
What are they doing? Where are they? Let your imagination run wild as you bring them to life.
We have a new folktale every week on Circle Round, and we don't want you to miss any.
You can listen to all our stories on our website, wbur.org.
And you can subscribe to Circle Round on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts.
And if you like what you hear please write a review.
It'll help other people find the show. Special thanks to our actors this week, Yetide Badaki, Dayo Okeniyi, Josiah Akinyale, Angel Blaise, and Chiazo Tom at KKZA.
Grownups, you can catch Yetide Badaki on the Starz show American Gods.
And Dayo Okanyi is on NBC's Shades of Blue.
Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling around with us.
If you could wish for anything right now, anything at all, what would it be?
Think about what you just wished for. Then think about this. you yourself might be able to make that wish come true.
How? Well, maybe you can learn something from today's story.
It's about a young boy who's full of wishes. and the magical bird who leads him to an amazing discovery.
I'm Rebecca Sheer, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today, our story is called The Magpie with Salt on Her Tail.
A magpie, by the way, is a kind of bird, a bird you'll often see in Sweden.
That's the northern European country where our tale comes from.
Some really great people came together to help bring you this folktale. including Rachel Harris and Taryn Killam.
If you're a grown-up listening right now, You may recognize Rachel Harris from the USA Network series, Suits. and the Fox comedy Lucifer.
And you might know Taron Killam from Saturday Night Live on NBC. and as the voice of Nature Cat on PBS Kids.
So circle around, everyone. For the magpie with salt on her tail.
There once was a young man named Theo, and Theo was always wishing for things.
If only I had a horse to ride, or a sled, or a boat!
I wish, I wish, I wish! Theo shared a small house with his parents, who were broom makers in the village.
The family had food to eat but only just enough.
And they had clothing to wear but nothing fancy.
Theo knew chances were good that his wishes would never come true.
Then one day, on his way home from the market, he met a wise old woman.
Tell me, my child, why do you look so down in the dumps?
Well, you see, all my life I've wished for things.
Fun toys, fine shoes, fancy pastries for dessert.
But even though my mother and father work hard, we can't afford any of these things.
So I know they'll never be mine. The old woman laughed.
My dear. Clearly, you haven't heard the legend of the magpie.
The legend of the magpie? Yes. And old legend says that if you go to the forest and sprinkle a pinch...
¶¶ Oh, but here's the catch. You must wish quickly. before the salt falls off the bird's tail.
Because if the salt falls off before you make your wish, It will never come true.
Wow! Thank you. From now on, I'm going to carry salt in my pockets wherever I go.
And he did. Now, Magpies... black and white birds with shiny green and violet wings, They were quite common in Theo's village.
But try as he might, He could never get close enough to sprinkle salt on any of their tails.
After a week of chasing down magpies, Theo finally found one that let him come close.
So close, he could almost touch her. Here, birdie birdie.
Good birdie birdie. Now if I can just sprinkle some of this salt on your...
But just like that, the bird flapped her wings and flew to the nearest pine tree, out of Theo's reach.
The same thing happened again and again, all day long.
And by the time the sun set, Theo was so exhausted, he collapsed under the pine tree and fell fast asleep.
Until... Theo! Hey, Theo. Theo woke with a jerk.
Hello? Who's there calling my name? Oh, it's me, up here, in the tree.
Theo craned his neck toward the branches of the pine tree, and can you guess what he saw?
The mad pie. The same one that had been teasing him all day.
Wait, you? Magpie? You can talk? As Theo stared in wonder, the magpie opened and closed her beak, and as she did, she spoke.
Yes, Theo, I can talk The truth is I'm actually an enchanted princess, and you will have your wish, but only if you help me.
Of course I will. I'll do anything. All right.
Here's what you must do. Get me a pocket knife.
Finest one you can find. so I may clean my beak and claws.
Then I will sit still so you can sprinkle salt on my tail.
Theo thought this was a fair enough request.
All right, then. Whatever you wish. So the next day, Theo went out picking blueberries. buckets and buckets of them.
He then sold his berries at the market. With the money he made, he bought a pocket knife, the finest one he could find.
He brought it to the magpie in the forest.
Oh, magpie, oh, magpie, I've brought you your knife.
But the magpie just... flapped her wings, and shook her head.
Oh, sure. That's no knife for a fine princess such as myself.
It doesn't even have a gold handle. But my wish... I need you to grant my wish.
What if I get you a knife with a gold handle?
Then will you help me? The magpie sighed.
You know what? I don't even want a knife anymore.
But you can get me a sled. A beautiful sled.
That would be fun, to go sleigh riding once the snow begins to fall.
Again, Theo thought this was a fair enough request.
All right, then. Whatever you wish. As Theo made his way out of the forest, he looked at the pocket knife in his hand.
He thought for a moment. Suddenly, he knew what he would do.
Aha! First, he found some leftover wood from his parents' broom business.
Then he used the knife to carve. He carved wooden spoons and cutting boards.
He even carved toys for children. He then sold everything he made at the market and eventually earned enough money to buy a splendid sled which he brought to the magpie in the forest.
Oh magpie, oh magpie. I've brought you your sled.
It's sleek. It's fast. Perfect for sleigh riding once the snow begins to fall.
Now, may I sprinkle salt on your tail? But the magpie just flapped her wings and shook her head.
Tell me, Theo, do you really think this sled is good enough for a princess?
It should have been made with silver. And gold.
Theo couldn't believe his ears. But I thought you said...
Look, you asked for a knife, I brought you a knife.
You asked for a sled, I brought you a sled.
How much more can you possibly wish for?
An excellent question, Theo. An excellent question indeed.
But here's a question for you. Do you want to sprinkle salt on my tail?
Or not? Theo answered without hesitation.
I do... So what if I buy you a better sled, one that's shimmering with silver and sparkling with Gold.
Oh, no, no, that won't be necessary, because now I want something else.
What do you think the magpie will ask for?
Will Theo ever get to sprinkle salt on the bird's tail?
We'll find out after a quick break. Support for Circle Round comes from Indeed.
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Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear.
Today, our story is called The Magpie with Salt on Her Tail.
Amen. When we left off, a young man named Theo was trying to sprinkle salt on a magpie's tail.
Doing so, he'd heard, would make any wish come true.
The magpie told Theo she was an enchanted princess, and if he got her a knife, she let him sprinkle her tail with salt.
But then she changed her mind and asked for a sled.
Last we heard, she'd changed her mind yet again.
I want something different, Theo. I want... carriage, and horses.
Find me those, and you will get to sprinkle your salt on my tail.
Theo was flustered, but he thought this was a fair enough request.
Sort of. All right, then. Whatever you wish.
Poor Theo left with a heavy heart, but he would not give up hope.
Whatever the cost, he was determined to get the magpie her carriage with horses so that he could sprinkle salt on her tail.
Just then it began to snow. Puff after puff of snow drifted down from the sky.
Before long, the ground was blanketed in white.
Suddenly, Theo knew what he would do. Aha!
He took the sled to the biggest hill in town.
Before long, everyone was there, eager to play in the newly fallen snow.
Theo hired his sled out to anyone and everyone who'd pay for it.
He found many customers, since his sled was the fastest and sleekest for miles around.
Soon, Theo had made enough money to buy a horse.
He trained the horse and taught it to do tricks.
He put it in horse shows where he made enough money to buy another horse.
He put that horse in shows too. Soon he had enough money to buy an elegant carriage with silver-spoked wheels.
He braided the horses' manes, attached the horses to the carriage, and drove off to the magpie in the forest.
Oh, Magpie, oh, Magpie, I've brought you your horse and carriage.
The horses know all kinds of tricks, and the carriage has such beautiful silver-spoked wheels.
Now, may I sprinkle salt on your tail? But the magpie just flapped her wings and shook her head.
"'You call that a carriage fit for a princess?'
I am royalty and would never ride in an open carriage like that.
And look at those horses. Do you think they're anywhere near tall enough or majestic enough?
Theo could not believe his lousy luck. Well, now that I know that, I can go out and get you different horses.
And a different carriage. I'll just head back to town and... Oh no, none of that will be necessary.
You see, I no longer want a horse and carriage.
I want a castle. A glorious castle with 100 rooms and a garden.
A rose garden. Ugh. I positively adore roses.
Get me all of that, Theo, and you will get to sprinkle your salt on my tail.
Theo sighed deeply. All right, then. Whatever you wish.
Using his new horses and carriage, Theo began to drive around town.
People noticed how magnificent the horses were and how smoothly the carriage rode.
Before long, they began hiring Theo to drive them here and there.
Soon, Theo earned enough money to buy another horse and carriage, and another, and another.
He hired other drivers to help out, and eventually his horse and carriage business had raked in enough money for Theo to build a castle.
It took about a year, but once everything was finished, Theo drove back to the magpie in the forest.
Oh, Magpie, oh, Magpie, I've built you your castle.
Its walls are made of sparkles. white marble, its 100 rooms are filled with emerald-encrusted beds and diamond-studded chairs and tables, and beside the castle is a rose garden where every kind of rose blooms red roses pink roses white roses, even yellow and orange.
Now, May I sprinkle salt on your tail? This time, the magpie did not lie. flap her wings, or shake her head.
Is it true? You've built me my castle? Oh, I have to see it.
Let's go. When Theo and the magpie reached the castle, the bird flitted about from room to room.
Once she'd taken a full tour, she perched on the banquet table in the great hall.
This castle, Theo... Hmm. It is truly glorious.
Just as I asked. Theo smiled. But... There is something missing.
Theo frowned. Something missing? could possibly be missing.
I did everything you asked. The 100 rooms.
The Rose Garden! Oh, yes, yes, I know, I know.
But a fine princess such as myself needs to maintain her court.
I need to pay my royal advisors and my butlers and my cooks.
I want three chests filled with gold coins.
Get me those. And at last. You will get to sprinkle your salt on my tail.
Theo clenched his fists in frustration. All right then.
Whatever you wish. Determined to finally sprinkle his salt, Theo went back to work.
He used his knife to carve marvelous things out of wood.
He rented out his sled for rides. He rode people around in his many horses and carriages.
By the time five years had passed, he had earned enough gold coins to fill three enormous chests.
He dragged the three chests to the castle and set them down in the banquet hall.
When the magpie flew into the grand room, Theo pried open each chest's massive lid.
Oh magpie, oh magpie. Here are your chests full of gold coins.
Each one weighs as much as twenty elephants.
Now... May I please sprinkle salt on your tail?
The magpie eyed the gold coins. Then she flew over to Theo.
He held out his arm, and she landed gently on his hand.
Yes, Theo, you may. You may sprinkle salt on my tail.
At last. Theo reached into his pocket for a pinch of salt.
With the magpies sitting perfectly still, Theo sprinkled the glittering crystals on her tail feathers.
All right, then. So tell me, what is it you want?
Remember. If the salt falls off my tail before you make your wish, your wish will never come true.
Oh! The truth is, Theo had forgotten about that part of the legend.
In fact, he'd been so busy working these past few years that he'd even forgotten his original wish.
The salt's beginning to fall, Theo. One flip of my tail feathers and it's all gone.
One... To? Just a moment, just a moment.
Let me think. But for the life of him. When Theo tried thinking about what to wish for, something he didn't have already, his mind went blank.
Three! The magpie flipped her tail feathers, and Theo watched as the rest of his salt went flying across the room.
The magpie then flew across the room herself and perched on one of the three chests of gold.
Looking at Theo, she opened her beak and began to laugh.
The magpie's laughter filled the banquet hall.
It echoed off the large walls and the tall, tall ceiling.
It rang in Theo's ears until he couldn't stand it any longer.
Magpie, you make me so angry. Now I know what I want to wish for, a cage. so I can lock you inside it and never have to deal with you and your outlandish requests ever again!
The magpie stopped laughing. Instead, she glared at Theo, her black eyes shining bright.
Well, that wouldn't be very nice, would it, Theo, locking me away after I granted all your wishes?
Theo was confused. What do you mean, after you have granted all my wishes?
You haven't even granted one of them. Once again, the magpie glided over to Theo. and once again she perched gently on his hand.
Oh, Theo, don't you see? Thanks to me, now you have a fine pocket knife for carving wood.
"'You have a swift, speedy sled. "'You have beautiful horses and carriage.'
You have a grand castle, a garden, and now you have gold that weighs as much as 60 elephants.
You have all of this. And you never had to say a word.
Theo stood there. with his mouth and eyes wide open.
"'It's true,' I already have everything I could possibly wish for.
I worked so hard just so I could sprinkle some silly salt on your tail, and in the end...
I needn't wish for anything. Anything at all.
Well, what do you think about that? The magpie flapped her green and violet wings and lifted off from Theo's hand.
She soared out of the grand banquet hall, out of the castle, past the rose garden, and back into the forest. where she hoped to meet another young man or woman who was always wishing for things.
Hmm. Now it's your turn. When's the last time you worked hard to achieve a goal or make a wish come true?
What did you do to make it happen? And how did you keep track?
Find some paper and something to draw with, and create a picture showing how you accomplished your goal.
Then share that picture with a grown-up in your life and ask them to tell you about a time they worked hard to make a wish come true.
Can't get enough of the magpie with salt on her tail?
You can find other versions of this story and some beautiful illustrations by artist Sabina Han, including some you can color.
Tell your grown-ups to visit our website, wbur.org slash circleround.
If you want to share your drawing with us...
Let your grown-up know they can email us at circleround at wbur.org.
Today's story, The Magpie with Salt on Her Tail, was adapted by Jessica Alpert and me, Rebecca Shear.
Original music and sound design is by Eric Shimalonis, with special thanks to violinist Christian Habel.
A big circle round of applause for this week's actors.
Laura Gardner, Rachel Harris, and Taryn Killam.
Grownups, you can catch Rachel Harris on the Fox comedy Lucifer. and the USA Network series Suits.
Taryn Killam voices the lead character of the PBS kids show Nature Cat.
And you grown-ups can check out Killing Gunther.
That's the feature film Taryn wrote, directed, and starred in on Amazon Video.
We have so many exciting stories coming up on Circle Round, and we don't want you to miss any.
Subscribe now on Apple podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts.
And if you like what you hear, please write us a review.
It helps other people find Circle Round.
And the more listeners, the merrier. Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling around with us.
What's the strongest thing you can think of?
An elephant? A bear? Maybe a brick wall or a stone house?
Well, what if I told you that the strongest thing of all... could be you.
Today we'll hear the story of a woman who discovered that being strong isn't always about muscles and bones or bricks and stones.
¶¶ I'm Rebecca Sheer, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today, our story is called Stella and the Dragon.
People have been telling versions of this tale for years in Eastern Europe, in the country of Romania.
Some really great people came together to help bring this one to you, including Katherine Hahn.
You grown-ups might recognize her from shows like Transparent and movies like Bad Moms.
So, circle around, everyone, for Stella and the Dragon.
There once was a farmer named Stella. She and her husband, Ovi, lived in a house down a long, long lane in the village.
The house was small but comfortable. Stella and her husband shared it with their friendly striped cat and their old family. faithful dog.
In the hills above Stella's village lived a giant green dragon. a very wealthy dragon who had piles and piles of gold in his lair atop the hill.
When he was hungry, the dragon would swoop down and pluck a cow or a sheep from the villagers' fields.
Many of Stella's neighbors feared that someday the dragon would be hungry enough to swoop down and carry off a human.
But Stella and Ovi tried not to think about the giant green dragon.
They were busy growing their crops and tending to their animals on the farm.
Thanks to their hard work, they had plenty to eat, a dry, warm house.
They were happy. But one thing was missing.
Children. Every night when Stella and Ovi finished working in the fields, They would join hands and walk down the long, long lane. and every night Stella would lift her head and wistfully gaze up at the sky.
Oh, stars. I wish I had children of my own.
And yet, no children came. One night, after wishing on the very brightest star, Stella walked down the lane with Ovi.
As they approached the house, Stella thought she saw something move.
Hmm. The farm animals are in the barn, and the cat and the dog have long been asleep.
Be over there. Still holding hands, Stella and Ovi began tiptoeing toward the house.
As they got closer to home, they could see what it was, or who it was, that was moving around.
What? Oh my gosh! Children! Tall children, short children, boys and girls, all of them healthy and full of joy.
Some were scampering around the yard, laughing and playing tag.
Others were digging in the garden, planting flowers.
Still others were inside the house, cooking a delicious dinner on the stove.
Stella and Ove could hardly believe their eyes as they stood there, frozen.
A little girl in overalls came skipping toward them.
Stella was so stunned for a moment she could barely speak.
Why... Hello. Tell me, where is your home?
The little girl looked at Stella as if she had two heads.
My home is here, of course. All of us live here with you.
Stella's heart skipped a beat. She squeezed Ovi's hand tight.
Is it true? Are all of these children ours?
Ovi, I think our wishes have been granted.
Stella and Ovi had never felt such happiness as they kissed each of their new children on the cheek. they counted them to see how many they had.
One... Two. Three. Four. They counted.
Five. And counted. And counted, coming at last to the final child.
100! We have 100 children! Whew! We have 100 children!
For the second time that night, Stella looked up at the stars.
The brightest ones seemed to twinkle and shimmer more than ever.
Stars, this is more than we bargained for.
But you have granted our wish, and for that...
We are thankful. We will love each and every one of these children forever and ever.
Now, think about it. Stella and Ovi had zero children, and now they had 100.
Can you imagine what it would be like to have 100 children?
You'd have 100 sets of clothing to wash, 100 blankets, 100 beds, And think of all the shoes.
With 100 children, you would need 200 shoes.
Stella and Ovi worked especially hard to support their new family.
The older kids helped out too. But with so many mouths to feed, it wasn't long before food began to grow scarce.
Stella knew something must be done. One morning After a breakfast of 100 pancakes, 100 bananas, and 100 cups of milk, Stella pulled Ovi aside.
Ovi, we must find a way to support this family.
Please keep your eye on the children while I go out into the world to find an answer.
I have to figure this out. She gave Ovi a hug and kissed each of her 100 children on the cheek.
Then she set off down the long, long lane.
She walked all day long. When she came to the hills she stopped to rest.
As she sat in the grass, she watched some sheep grazing peacefully on the hill.
Suddenly, the sheep started buying and running away.
Stella looked to see what they were running from, and over the top of the hill, what did she see but the giant green dragon?
The one with all the gold in his lair. The dragon flew down toward the sheep, his wings outstretched.
As Stella watched orange flames shoot from his nose, she thought she should run away too.
But then... It hit her. Gold! The dragon has piles and piles of gold.
I could use that gold to buy food for my 100 children.
And then they will not go hungry. Stella didn't know how she would get the gold from the giant green dragon.
But she had to try. She stood up and waved her arms.
Hey, Dragon! Dragon! Over here! The giant green dragon heard Stella.
He turned his scaly head. Who is that shouting at me?
Stella's mind raced. It is I, Stella the Powerful!
Stella wasn't sure where she was going with this, but the dragon seemed interested.
Stella the Powerful, eh? And why Stella the Powerful?
Are you shouting at me? Don't you know I could eat you in just one bite?
Stella tossed her head back and laughed.
No, dragon. You could not possibly eat me.
I am much stronger than you are. The dragon snorted, sending more flames sparking from his nose.
With one of his sharp claws, he snatched up a sheep and swallowed it whole.
Stella had to stop herself from crying out.
All right, Stella the Powerful. It's time to see how powerful you really are.
For this dragon is ready for dessert. The giant green dragon lunged towards Stella.
As he opened his mouth, Stella saw his bright red tongue and sharp pointy teeth She was frightened, but thinking of her 100 children, she took a deep breath and didn't move a muscle.
The dragon stopped right there in his tracks.
Why aren't you screaming and running away from me?
Everyone screams and runs away from me. I am the most feared dragon in the land.
Why? Because I know that I am stronger than you, and I can prove it!
The proud dragon roared. He was so close to Stella, the hot air from his mouth made her sweat.
Can you now? What do you say we make a bet?
If I can prove that I am stronger than you are, I get to eat you.
Stella's heart began to pound. And if I can prove that I am stronger than you?
The dragon thought for a moment. Then you can have all the gold in my lair.
Stella pictured the dragon's piles and piles of gold and her dozens and dozens of children.
All right, agreed. Now how will we prove our strength?
The dragon thought hard. If there was one thing he was good at, it was throwing things.
He looked around and spotted two enormous boulders, each one the size of a house.
Those boulders over there, they are heavy and big.
Whoever can throw one the farthest is clearly the strongest.
I will go first. The dragon scooped up the first boulder, reached it high up into the sky, and threw it with all his might.
The boulder soared over the sheep and the trees.
It sailed over two hills and landed on a third with a distant sound.
Thud. Ha ha! Now it's your turn, Stella the Powerful.
Let's see if you can beat that. Stella knew she was in trouble.
How could she throw a boulder the size of a house? let alone pick one up.
She simply did not know. But one thing she did know...
She had to think fast. Do you believe Stella will think her way to victory?
Will she win the bet and get the dragon's gold?
We'll find out after a quick break. My favorite story from Circle Round was Stella and the Dragon because it has dragons. and a lot of action.
And I also like the intro and the music by Eric Chivalonis. because it has all my favorite instruments like clarinet and saxophone and piano.
Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear, and today our story is called Stella and the Dragon.
When we left off, Stella and the giant green dragon had placed a bet.
If Stella could throw a boulder farther than the dragon could, she would get all his gold.
But if he tossed it farther, Stella would become his next meal.
So what did Stella do? She walked over to the big heavy rock and pointed her finger off into the distance.
The dragon was confused. What are you pointing at?
I want to see you throw that boulder. Well, I would throw it, dragon.
But do you see that full moon rising over there beyond that third hill?
Yes, what about it? Well, I am so strong that if I throw this boulder now, it might hit the moon and knock it out of orbit.
The dragon tried to picture a toss so powerful that the moon would stop revolving around the earth.
It would go that far. It certainly could.
Stella was telling the truth. for there was a teensy-eensy-weensy chance the boulder would hit the moon.
Maybe one in a million? It was far more likely that Stella couldn't even lift the boulder.
But the dragon didn't know that. Think about it.
The moon is right there, just over that hill.
If I hit the moon with this boulder, who knows what would happen?
Pieces of the moon could come flying off and hit us right here.
Suddenly, the dragon was scared. Pieces of the moon hurtling toward Earth?
No, don't hit the moon. Not while it's just over that hill.
Alright then, I will wait for the moon to rise higher in the sky before I throw this boulder.
The dragons sat down beside Stella as they watched the moon creep higher and higher in the sky, The dragon got more and more nervous.
He jumped up and huffed a blast of fire from his nose.
Thank you. Listen, you should not throw this boulder, because if you do, you might hit the moon.
And that would be bad. And since I cannot throw this boulder and hit the moon...
You have won the contest, Stella the Powerful.
Stella smiled. So I have. And now I get your gold.
Stella hopped on the dragon's back and they flew up the hill to his lair.
Inside, she saw 50 sacks of gold piled from the floor to the ceiling.
Well, here they are. All 50 sacks of gold are yours.
Stella was excited, but now she had a new problem.
The sacks of gold were so big and so heavy, no human could possibly lift even one.
But she needed the dragon to believe she was Stella the Powerful.
Otherwise, surely he would devour her on the spot.
Dragon, there is something you should know.
And what's that? Well, I have 100 children, each one as strong as I am.
It was true. Her children were as strong as she was, strong in the mind.
Every one of them was quick-witted and brave.
You see, if my 100 children see me coming home with this gold, they might want to get more for themselves.
They might come after you. The last thing the dragon wanted was to have one hundred hundreds strong little humans coming after him, especially since this was all the gold he had.
The dragon began to tremble. Stella noticed.
Listen, dragon, here's what we'll do. We'll go back to my house together, You will carry all the gold yourself, and you will tell my children that it's all the gold you have.
There isn't any more. The giant green dragon agreed and piled the 50 sacks of gold on his back.
They were so heavy he couldn't fly. So he walked behind Stella as she led the way to her house.
They walked for hours. When the sun began to rise, they arrived at the end of Stella's long, long lane.
In the distance, the dragon could hear children laughing and playing.
But he was so frightened of Stella's kids that to him it sounded like vicious screaming and fighting.
Are those your children? Again, the dragon began to tremble.
Again, Stella noticed. Oh, yes. It's almost breakfast time, so they are probably very hungry.
Just then, Stella's 100 children came running down the lane.
They were so excited to see their mother, they yelled and waved their arms, eager for a kiss and a hug.
But that's not what the giant green dragon saw.
What he saw were 100 hungry squirrels. screaming children looking to eat him for breakfast.
Without a word, he shoved the fifty bags onto the ground, stretched out his wings, and swiftly flew away.
He didn't stop until he reached his lair on top of the hill.
Together, Stella and her children carried the gold into their home, one handful at a time.
After counting it, they realized they had just enough so that they'd live comfortably and never go hungry.
All thanks to Stella the Powerful. Now it's your turn.
What in your life makes you feel powerful?
As Stella has shown us, it doesn't have to be physical strength.
Maybe there's a skill you've worked especially hard to improve. or a person whose support makes you feel like you can do anything.
Think about it, then talk about it with someone you have fun with. a family member or a friend, and ask that person to tell you what gives him or her strength.
Thank you. Special thanks to our actors this week, James Konacek, Mia Roulette, and Katherine Hahn.
Catherine stars in Bad Moms, A Bad Mom's Christmas, and the 2018 film private life don't want to miss any of our upcoming episodes Subscribe to Circle Round on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.
And please write us a review. We'd love to hear what you think of the show.
Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling around with us.
Once upon a time, as soon as I said those words, your ears probably perked up, right?
There is something so magical about being swept up into a story.
And on today's episode... We'll meet three friends whose passion for telling stories changes their entire future.
I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
Today, our story is called The Lamb with the Golden Fleece.
It was inspired by a folktale that's been told for years and years in Iraq, a country in the Middle East.
Some really great people came together to help bring you this tale, including Kathleen Chalfant, a Tony Award-nominated actress whom you grownups might recognize from The Affair on Showtime. and House of Cards on Netflix.
So circle around, everyone. for the lamb with the golden fleece.
Ari, Amelia, and Omar were as close as three friends could be.
They came from the same village. They loved the same foods and they all shared a passion for telling stories.
After they graduated from the local university, Ari, Amelia, and Omar decided to set out together and travel the world.
First, though, they wanted to earn some money to help pay for their travels.
On the first day of their job search, they met a farmer.
She was seeking someone to tend her sheep for the winter.
The work days are long and the weather is cold.
But the three of you will make a great team.
There's just one thing. My village has fallen on hard times, so...
"'I cannot repay you. "'Well, not with money, anyway.'
But if you work for me until the spring, when all the new lambs are born, You may each choose one lamb to call your own.
Ari, Amelia, and Omar decided the deal sounded fair enough.
So all winter long, they tended the flock of sheep.
While they worked, they spun grand tales of the extravagant lives they would one day lead.
Friends, I'm going to be so rich, I'll have seven different beds.
One to sleep on each night of the week. You think that's rich, Ari?
I'm going to be so wealthy. I'll have 12 houses, one to live in each month of the year.
Ari, Amelia, you're not dreaming big enough.
I'm going to be so well off, I'll have 365 shirts and hats and pairs of pants and shoes. so that I'll never wear the same thing twice.
I'll be known as Omar, the best dressed man in the world.
This went on all winter. In the spring, the lambs were born.
The tiny creatures were all soft as a cloud and white as the snow, except for one.
Is it just me, or is that lamb... It can't be.
It's... It was true. Among the farmers' cuddly little lambs was one that was golden as the sun.
Ari, Amelia, Omar. When winter began, I promised each of you you could choose your own lamb.
Now the lambs are here. So which one do you pick?
Ari? Ari answered without hesitation. Me?
I choose the golden lamb. The golden one!
And, Amelia, which one do you choose? There's no question.
I want the golden one too. Omar, how about you? can't deny it.
The golden one. I want the lamb with the golden fleece.
The farmer smiled. Well... There's only one golden lamb, and there are three of you.
So you must decide amongst yourselves who shall get the lamb, with the golden fleece.
The three friends were stuck together, They knew that whoever got the lamb could sell it at the market and make tons of money.
Enough money to start a new journey and a new life.
That's when Omar had an idea. Friends, how about this?
What do you say we venture to the capital city and take our case to the judge there?
She's famous for being the wisest person around.
Perhaps she can decide which one of us deserves the lamb with the golden fleece.
That's a great idea, Omar. I agree. Let's go.
So, golden lamb in hand, the three friends set out for the capital city.
All the way there they argued over which one of them most deserved such a treasure.
When they reached their destination, they stood before the judge, A tall woman with a billowing black robe flowing to the ground and explained their situation.
Hmm. You three do have quite the situation on your hands, don't you?
Tell me, Ari. Why do you think you deserve the lamb with the golden fleece?
Well, Your Honor, it's simple. I should get the lamb because I am the eldest.
Aren't we taught all the way from childhood to respect our elders? better sign of respect than to allow me the eldest to have the lamb make an interesting point Ari Now you, Amelia, why do you think you deserve the lamb with the golden fleece?
I deserve it, Your Honor, because I am the most clever.
If I got that lamb and sold it, I could think of all sorts of brilliant ways to put the money to use.
Ways no one else could dream up in a million years.
I see. I see. And how about you, Omar? Why do you think you deserve the lamb with the golden fleece?
In short, because I'm the most patient, Your Honor.
Give me that lamb, and I'll take my time figuring out the best way to make use of You won't see any rash decisions from me.
The judge furrowed her brow and rubbed her hands together for a moment.
At last, she spoke. There's no doubt. I have a tough decision ahead of me.
You've all stated your cases so eloquently.
In fact, it's clear to me that each one of you has an extraordinary gift for words. so extraordinary in fact, that I shall let that gift be the deciding factor.
The three friends were confused. Words, Your Honor?
With all due respect, how can a gift for words decide anything?
Especially a decision as tricky as this one.
The friends knew the judge must have some brilliant plan up her sleeve, but what could it be?
What do you think the judge means when she says words will decide who wins the lamb with the golden fleece?
We'll find out after a quick break. My favorite episode?
It's a legend of the mad, the mad pie with salt on her tail because I like wishes and also I, uh, I have gazillion wishes to make.
Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear, and today's story is called The Lamb. with the Golden Fleece.
When we left off, a wise judge was deciding which of three friends, Ari, Amelia, and Omar, would win a lamb with golden fleece.
The friends all loved telling stories, and the judge told them that their gift for words would determine who got the letter.
Alright, my friends. Here's what you must do.
You must each tell me a story. And whichever of you tells the best tale, you shall be the winner.
The lamb with the golden fleece shall be yours.
Now remember, Ari, Amelia, and Omar had been sharing stories with one another their entire lives.
So they had a lot of practice. Ari, the eldest, stepped forward and bowed.
If it please, Your Honor, I shall share the first story.
Yes, please, Ari. I'm all ears. Well... Once upon a time, there was a woman, a farmer, who wanted more than anything to have children.
One night, she wished upon a star for some kids, and her wish was granted.
In fact, when she got home, she had 100 kids waiting for her.
But she and her husband worried about all those mouths to feed.
So the woman made a bet with a dragon. A dragon who had piles and piles of gold in his lair.
Whichever of the two could prove they were stronger, that's who would get the gold.
The judge's eyes grew wide as Ari spun his tale.
At last, the young man finished. Together, Stella and her children carried the gold into their home one handful at a time.
After counting it, they realized they had just enough so that they'd live comfortably and never go hungry.
Bravo, Ari, bravo. That was a marvelous story.
One that will be difficult to equal. Amelia, are you up to the challenge?
Amelia stepped forward and bowed. I am, your honor.
There once was a young merchant who was so honest and generous, his customers always took advantage of him.
But he wanted to prove that he was good at his job, so he went out into the world with a bag of onions. which were so cheap that only the best merchant could actually make any profit from them.
Then one day he got into a shipwreck and he found himself in a kingdom that was full of diamonds.
The judge smiled as Amelia wove her yarn.
Finally, she came to the end. So the brother and sister got the queen to take all their garlic.
In exchange, she told them they'd get the most valuable thing in her kingdom.
And when they got home, their ship wasn't full of silver or gold.
It was full of onions. Simply fantastic, Amelia.
But we have one last story to hear. Are you ready, Omar?
Omar stepped forward and bowed. Readier than ever, your honor.
Although my tale is the last, I promise, it shall not be the least.
It all began on an island far, far away, where there lived a very good and very honest fisherman.
One day, the fisherman met a mysterious stranger who gave him a magic joke.
All you had to do was ask the jar for something you needed, and it would give it to you.
But once you had enough, you must tell it. to stop.
Well, one day the man's older brother, a very selfish mischievous fellow, He decided he would steal the jar and use it to get rich.
And chuckled with delight as Omar shared the twists and turns of his tale.
At last, Omar came to the end. And because the bad brother never told the jar to stop, The salt spilled over the sides of the jar and into the boat.
Before long, the boat and the jar sank deep, deep below the waters.
The brother swam home empty-handed. And that is why today, all of our oceans are salty.
The judge smiled and clapped her hands. Omar, Amelia, Ari?
You've all told most excellent stories. All three of you.
But before I make my final decision about who gets the lamb with the golden fleece, there's one more thing you must do.
You must answer this question. If I were to choose you, and you sold the lamb, What would you do with the fortune you received from the sale?
Ari, let's have you go first. Your Honor.
That's simple. I would rent a stall in the marketplace and I'd open a shop.
I would sell silks and spices, and before long, I would be rich.
And you, Amelia, what would you do? I would use the money to learn how to keep accounts, Your Honor.
Then I could work for a rich business person and make my place in the world.
I see. And you, Omar, what is your answer?
Were I to receive the lamb and sell it, Your Honor, I would travel abroad and bring back all sorts of rare, interesting things.
I would sell them and use my profits to buy even more rare interesting things.
Before long, my fortune would be made. The judge nodded thoughtfully.
She began pacing in front of the three friends, her long black robe trailing along the ground behind her.
Ari Amelia Omar, you have provided fair answers to my questions.
And the stories you told. Each one was different and special in its own way, but ultimately they were all of equal excellence.
Therefore I have decided that I will take the lamb with the golden fleece and sell it myself.
I will divide the profits equally among the three of you.
Is that acceptable to you all? Upon hearing the judge's words, Ari, Amelia, and Omar were surprised. and not very happy.
But, Your Honor... The three of us have already agreed.
Only one of us must get all the profits.
That way at least one of us can go out and make his or her fortune in the world.
So with all due respect... If you divide the profits into three parts, none of us will have enough money to do anything.
The judge stopped her pacing and held up her hand.
Listen, I hear you, I do. But now you must hear me.
I promise. Each one of you shall have just what you need to start a rewarding new life.
Now wait here. The friends watched the judge walk out of the room, her long robe trailing behind her.
As soon as she was gone, they began to chatter.
What do you think the judge will bring when she comes back?
Well, surely that lamb is worth a fortune.
So maybe she'll come back with a chest of gold coins.
Or two chests. Or, better yet, three. One for each of us.
The three friends began bouncing up and down with eagerness, when at last the judge returned.
She was dragging a massive burlap sack. Thank you for your patience, my friends.
I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long.
Of course not, Your Honor. We can't wait to see what you've brought back for us.
Oh, well. Let me show you. The judge reached deep into the burlap sack.
Ari, Amelia, and Omar leaned forward. so excited their hands were trembling.
But when they saw what the judge took out of the sack, Their excitement turned to bewilderment.
But that's... Wait a minute. What? You see, out of the sack, the judge had not pulled a chest of gold coins.
Or two. Or three. No, she'd pulled out three warm cloaks. three sturdy pairs of shoes, and three loaves of fresh bread—
Ari, the eldest, stepped forward. "'With all due respect, Your Honor—'
What about our money? The judge raised an eyebrow.
Her lips curled into a smile. "'My friends, I never promised you money.
"'I only promised you what you would need.'
And that is exactly what I have given you.
But cloaks? Shoes? Bread? What good are these things to us?
The judge motioned for Ari, Amelia, and Omar to come closer.
She pointed at the cloaks. These cloaks?
They will protect you from the chill of night.
And these shoes? She motioned toward the sturdy footwear.
These shoes will carry you far. And the bread?
What about the bread? The bread will nourish you on your journey. until you reach your next destination.
And once you arrive, the people there will gladly fulfill your every need.
The three friends were still perplexed. What do you mean fulfill our every need?
In exchange for what? Omar's right. We have no trade to practice.
And without the money from the lamb with the golden fleece, it's not like we have goods to sell.
That's true, Amelia. I mean, what can we possibly offer these people, Your Honor?
Leftover bread? The judge looked at the three friends with twinkling eyes.
Don't you see, Ari, Amelia, Omar? You three are storytellers. you can offer the people your wonderful stories.
If I gave you money for the lamb with the golden fleece, what would you do with it?
You would become business people. You would become accountants.
And there is a place in the world for these honorable occupations.
But if you were to follow that path, What a waste it would be.
The three of you were meant for something else, something more.
You must not mourn for something you do not possess.
Instead, celebrate the gifts you've been given.
So, go forth, storytellers, and share your amazing gift with the world.
And that's exactly what they did. Soon, Ari, Amelia, and Omar were off to travel the world, Just as the judge predicted, wherever the young friends went, they were welcomed. well-fed and well-cared for in exchange for the magnificent stories they told.
They never made enough of a fortune to buy seven beds, 12 houses or 365 pairs of pants.
Far from it. But the three friends were rich in other things, like friendship, contentment, And, most of all, they were rich in wisdom. the wisdom to appreciate the value of such priceless treasures.
Hmm. Now it's your turn. Think back to all the circle-round stories you've heard this season.
Did one particularly draw you in? Maybe you really related to one of the characters.
Or you liked the music. Or the plot had you on the edge of your seat.
Think about which Circle Round story most resonated with you.
Then tell us about it. Have a grown-up use the Voice Memo app on a smartphone to record you talking about your favorite tale.
You can talk for a few seconds or a few minutes.
Then have your grown-up email us what you said.
Our address is circleround at wbur.org. Special thanks to our actors this week.
Laura Gardner, Maisie Scarpa, Jacob Yeh, Evan Casey, and Kathleen Chalfant.
If you enjoy theater, dance, music, painting and poetry, Kathleen is collaborating with Summerscape Dance on a multimedia production of T.S.
Eliot's Four Quartets at Bard College, in July.
Today's story, The Lamb with the Golden Fleece, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear, and edited by our executive producer, Jessica Alpert.
Original music and sound design is by Eric Shimalonis.
Our artist is Sabina Hahn. She's the one who created those wonderful coloring pages you'll find on our website.
Have your grown-up visit wbur.org slash circleround so you can start coloring.
That's it for this season of Circle Round.
We'll be back soon with a whole new batch of stories.
In the meantime, you'll still hear from us each week as we present some of our favorite tales from season one.
And you can catch up on episodes you missed by subscribing to Circle Round on iTunes.
Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts.
If you have a moment, please write us a review.
It helps other people find Circle Round.
Circle Round is a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station.
I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling around with us.
