প্রতিলিপি 🔗
WEBVTT
1
00:00:01.229 --> 00:00:05.209
Produced by the iLab at WBUR Boston.
2
00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:15.320
Hi, Rebecca Shear here. This summer we are hard at
3
00:00:15.380 --> 00:00:17.859
work whipping up a bunch of new episodes for you
4
00:00:17.940 --> 00:00:21.359
to enjoy. And today we're bringing you one of those episodes.
5
00:00:21.800 --> 00:00:25.670
A magical tale about knowing when to say when. We
6
00:00:25.710 --> 00:00:29.309
officially launch Circle Round's fifth season in September. Till then.
7
00:00:29.649 --> 00:00:32.429
We'll have more new episodes for you sprinkled throughout the summer.
8
00:00:33.049 --> 00:00:35.750
So enjoy this brand new story and stay tuned for
9
00:00:35.789 --> 00:00:41.000
more new stories in the coming weeks. Close your eyes
10
00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:45.100
and picture a buffet. A long table piled high with
11
00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:49.000
all your favorite foods. Now picture yourself taking a big
12
00:00:49.219 --> 00:00:53.969
heaping scoop of everything and digging in. You eat and eat,
13
00:00:54.070 --> 00:00:56.990
but soon you fill up. There's still plenty of food
14
00:00:57.049 --> 00:01:00.149
on your plate, but no room in your belly. Because,
15
00:01:00.390 --> 00:01:02.679
as many of us do from time to time, you
16
00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:06.980
took what you wanted and not what you needed. In
17
00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:10.000
today's tale, we'll meet one character who takes only what
18
00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:24.269
she needs, and another character who does not. I'm Rebecca Sheer,
19
00:01:24.310 --> 00:01:27.379
and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time.
20
00:01:28.069 --> 00:01:31.480
Today our story is called The Mountain Guardian. Versions of
21
00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:33.780
this tale come from the Tibetan people of East Asia.
22
00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:39.040
Some really great people came together to bring you our
23
00:01:39.079 --> 00:01:43.840
telling of this tale, including Alonzo Bowden and Audrey Shea. Grown-ups,
24
00:01:43.879 --> 00:01:47.599
you may recognize Alonzo Bowden from NBC's Last Comic Standing,
25
00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:50.060
NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, as well as the
26
00:01:50.099 --> 00:01:53.310
podcast Who's Paying Attention. And you can see Audrey Shea
27
00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:56.329
in the new feature film Here Today, starring Billy Crystal
28
00:01:56.390 --> 00:02:01.329
and Tiffany Haddish. So circle around, everyone, for the Mountain Guardian.
29
00:02:16.460 --> 00:02:20.539
Out in the valley, beneath a towering mountain covered with trees,
30
00:02:21.080 --> 00:02:25.090
there lived a young shepherdess. The shepherdess shared a ramshackle
31
00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:28.639
hut with her grandmother. a frail old woman who had
32
00:02:28.699 --> 00:02:31.159
raised the shepherdess from the time she was a baby.
33
00:02:32.340 --> 00:02:36.500
One winter, the temperatures dropped especially low, and the snow
34
00:02:36.620 --> 00:02:40.979
fell especially fast. By spring, the shepherdess had lost every
35
00:02:41.099 --> 00:02:44.000
sheep in her flock. The poor creatures all had vanished
36
00:02:44.120 --> 00:02:46.219
in the deep and frosty snowdrifts.
37
00:02:48.469 --> 00:02:53.150
I can't believe this. All my beloved sheep, gone. And
38
00:02:53.169 --> 00:02:56.770
with them, my livelihood. How will I ever get by now?
39
00:02:57.460 --> 00:03:01.840
and provide for Grandmother. I suppose I could ask my
40
00:03:01.939 --> 00:03:04.759
uncle for help. His business in the capital city is
41
00:03:04.939 --> 00:03:05.659
always booming.
42
00:03:07.479 --> 00:03:09.719
So the shepherdess set off for the capital city to
43
00:03:09.810 --> 00:03:13.289
see her uncle, a well-to-do businessman who resided in a
44
00:03:13.330 --> 00:03:18.389
magnificent mansion. His sizable yard was brimming with orchards and gardens,
45
00:03:18.849 --> 00:03:22.150
and his spacious house was bustling with butlers and maids.
46
00:03:22.909 --> 00:03:25.789
But when the shepherdess reached the palatial mansion and began
47
00:03:25.849 --> 00:03:30.060
explaining her woes, Uncle didn't even let her finish her sentence.
48
00:03:30.620 --> 00:03:34.000
Okay, niece, I'm just going to stop you right there. Look,
49
00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:37.830
I'm really sorry you lost your sheep, but honestly, what
50
00:03:37.849 --> 00:03:40.069
does any of this have to do with me? Was
51
00:03:40.110 --> 00:03:42.689
it my fault it snowed so hard this winter? Was
52
00:03:42.870 --> 00:03:44.849
I the one who told you and your grandmother to
53
00:03:44.889 --> 00:03:48.210
live out in the boonies? There's nothing I can do
54
00:03:48.330 --> 00:03:49.110
for you, kid.
55
00:03:50.210 --> 00:03:53.210
The shepherdess's face was pinched with sorrow as she trudged
56
00:03:53.289 --> 00:03:56.530
back to the valley. Standing outside her hut and gazing
57
00:03:56.550 --> 00:03:59.650
at the mountains, She noticed how the harsh winter winds
58
00:03:59.689 --> 00:04:02.349
had knocked many branches from the trees that grew up
59
00:04:02.409 --> 00:04:05.370
and down the slope. As a result, the ground was
60
00:04:05.490 --> 00:04:09.800
littered with sturdy boughs of all sizes. And that's when
61
00:04:09.840 --> 00:04:11.520
the shepherdess had an idea.
62
00:04:12.139 --> 00:04:14.680
I know what I'll do. I'll collect some of those
63
00:04:14.819 --> 00:04:17.939
fallen branches from the mountainside and sell them at the market.
64
00:04:18.540 --> 00:04:21.839
As firewood. That should bring in enough money for me
65
00:04:21.879 --> 00:04:24.879
and Grandmother to get by for a little while longer anyway.
66
00:04:26.689 --> 00:04:30.250
Now, you may be wondering, why wouldn't the shepherdess chop
67
00:04:30.269 --> 00:04:34.110
down an entire tree and sell that? After all, wasn't
68
00:04:34.170 --> 00:04:38.790
the towering mountain covered with strong leafy trees? Well,
Load full transcript
you see,
69
00:04:39.290 --> 00:04:42.250
ever since the shepherdess was a little girl, her grandmother
70
00:04:42.310 --> 00:04:46.860
had told her countless stories about the mountain guardian.
71
00:04:48.120 --> 00:04:54.740
My child, you must remember, in this land, each and
72
00:04:54.899 --> 00:04:55.959
every mountain.
73
00:04:56.730 --> 00:05:02.069
has a guardian, a powerful spirit, a protector.
74
00:05:02.790 --> 00:05:07.910
So everything on the mountain is sacred because it belongs
75
00:05:08.029 --> 00:05:09.009
to the guardian.
76
00:05:09.029 --> 00:05:18.689
The plants, the animals, the trees, everything. So, with Grandmother's
77
00:05:18.769 --> 00:05:21.670
words etched into her memory, the shepherdess found a big
78
00:05:21.709 --> 00:05:26.620
basket and started up the mountainside to collect branches. Before long,
79
00:05:26.689 --> 00:05:29.410
she had gathered a nice bundle, which she sold at
80
00:05:29.449 --> 00:05:32.329
the market the following morning. This is terrific!
81
00:05:32.949 --> 00:05:35.129
I've made enough money for Grandmother and me to get
82
00:05:35.189 --> 00:05:38.970
by for at least one more month. Thank you, Mountain Guardian.
83
00:05:39.790 --> 00:05:42.769
The next month, the shepherdess climbed higher up the mountain
84
00:05:42.850 --> 00:05:46.870
and found even more fallen wood, which, again, she promptly
85
00:05:46.930 --> 00:05:48.069
sold at the market.
86
00:05:48.569 --> 00:05:49.689
Thank you, Mountain Guardian.
87
00:05:50.629 --> 00:05:53.009
The next month, she climbed even higher. Thank you, Mountain Guardian.
88
00:05:53.420 --> 00:05:54.449
Thank you, Mountain Guardian.
89
00:05:55.389 --> 00:05:57.439
The next month, she climbed even higher.
90
00:05:57.889 --> 00:05:59.040
Thank you, Mountain Guardian.
91
00:05:59.600 --> 00:06:03.560
And then, one fine summer day, she found herself at
92
00:06:03.620 --> 00:06:07.600
the very top. Wow, check out this view.
93
00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:10.800
From this lofty summit, I can see for miles and
94
00:06:10.839 --> 00:06:11.420
miles and.
95
00:06:11.500 --> 00:06:13.639
Who are you?
96
00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:18.920
The shepherdess gasped and spun around. Sitting before her was
97
00:06:18.939 --> 00:06:24.029
a lion. A large, fierce lion carved from smooth, gray
98
00:06:24.209 --> 00:06:28.829
stone like a statue. And yet, before the shepherdess's very eyes,
99
00:06:29.269 --> 00:06:33.040
the stone lion opened its mouth and proceeded to speak.
100
00:06:33.810 --> 00:06:38.000
All right. If you won't introduce yourself, I'll get the
101
00:06:38.040 --> 00:06:42.540
ball rolling. I am the guardian of the mountain. I
102
00:06:42.579 --> 00:06:47.100
look after everything that lives here. The plants, the animals,
103
00:06:47.420 --> 00:06:52.670
the trees. So I ask again. Who are you?
104
00:06:53.870 --> 00:06:56.459
It took a moment for the shepherdess to find her voice.
105
00:06:57.259 --> 00:06:57.480
Me?
106
00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:01.980
Well, I'm just a humble shepherdess who lost her flock.
107
00:07:02.819 --> 00:07:07.639
I lost everything. So now I'm gathering wood from the mountainside.
108
00:07:08.220 --> 00:07:11.699
From your mountainside. So I may sell it at the
109
00:07:11.740 --> 00:07:13.639
market and buy some food and clothing for me and
110
00:07:13.670 --> 00:07:14.310
my grandmother.
111
00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:15.949
I see.
112
00:07:17.050 --> 00:07:19.850
The lion's stone eyes seemed to glitter.
113
00:07:20.620 --> 00:07:24.009
But what are you doing way up here, where so
114
00:07:24.129 --> 00:07:28.050
few dare to tread? There are plenty of hail and
115
00:07:28.129 --> 00:07:32.089
healthy trees much farther down the mountain. Chop just one
116
00:07:32.129 --> 00:07:35.680
of those beauties down, and its wood will bring you
117
00:07:35.810 --> 00:07:37.120
a pretty penny.
118
00:07:37.939 --> 00:07:40.980
I know that, mountain guardian. But those hail and healthy
119
00:07:41.019 --> 00:07:44.339
trees of which you speak, they aren't mine to chop down.
120
00:07:45.139 --> 00:07:49.410
They belong to you, and you alone. So I only
121
00:07:49.430 --> 00:07:52.389
gather dead wood. branches and boughs that have been brought
122
00:07:52.430 --> 00:07:55.680
down by wind and storms. And for that dead wood,
123
00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:59.240
I thank you, mountain guardian, from the bottom of my heart.
124
00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:04.180
The lion was silent for a moment. Then his stone
125
00:08:04.259 --> 00:08:06.519
mouth curled into a grin.
126
00:08:07.379 --> 00:08:12.110
Your answer pleases me, shepherdess, and I would like to
127
00:08:12.189 --> 00:08:18.649
reward you for your care and compassion. Come, empty your basket.
128
00:08:19.250 --> 00:08:22.509
Place it below my mouth and I will fill it
129
00:08:22.569 --> 00:08:28.110
with gold coins. But take heed. The moment the basket
130
00:08:28.189 --> 00:08:32.149
is full, you must tell me. Not one piece of
131
00:08:32.230 --> 00:08:36.250
gold can land on the ground. Do you understand?
132
00:08:36.269 --> 00:08:41.139
I understand. The shepherdess did as she was told and
133
00:08:41.220 --> 00:08:45.279
held her empty basket below the lion's mouth. A moment later.
134
00:08:45.799 --> 00:08:49.159
The lion opened its jaws wide and let out a
135
00:08:49.460 --> 00:08:50.600
mighty roar.
136
00:08:50.620 --> 00:08:53.179
Roar!
137
00:08:54.460 --> 00:08:58.360
And as he did, a cascade of gold coins came
138
00:08:58.460 --> 00:09:01.860
tumbling out, each one glinting in the sunlight and landing
139
00:09:01.899 --> 00:09:05.580
in the shepherdess' basket with a clink. The shepherdess kept
140
00:09:05.620 --> 00:09:09.110
her eyes glued to the waterfall of coins. Once the
141
00:09:09.139 --> 00:09:12.590
basket was nearly full, she held up a hand and cried, Stop!
142
00:09:14.250 --> 00:09:18.019
And just like that, The stream of coins ceased, like
143
00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:19.899
someone had turned off a spigot.
144
00:09:20.759 --> 00:09:27.299
Very good, shepherdess. Now, take your newfound riches and use
145
00:09:27.370 --> 00:09:32.330
them wisely. But promise me one thing. You will continue
146
00:09:32.409 --> 00:09:38.190
taking care of my mountain, respecting my trees, and my land.
147
00:09:39.009 --> 00:09:41.250
Of course, mountain guardian. I promise.
148
00:09:42.090 --> 00:09:44.889
The shepherdess got to her knees and bowed to the ground.
149
00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:48.179
When she stood back up, she saw the lion had
150
00:09:48.340 --> 00:09:51.379
frozen up again, like a statue. You would never know
151
00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:53.990
he had spoken at all, but the shepherdess had a
152
00:09:54.149 --> 00:09:57.950
basket of gold to prove it. And the shepherdess used
153
00:09:57.970 --> 00:10:02.220
that gold wisely. buying seeds to grow crops, tools to
154
00:10:02.259 --> 00:10:05.320
fix up her hut, and a whole new flock of glossy,
155
00:10:05.460 --> 00:10:10.330
woolly sheep. Before long, the shepherdess was prospering. And when
156
00:10:10.379 --> 00:10:12.990
word of her good fortune reached her uncle in the city,
157
00:10:13.549 --> 00:10:15.409
the businessman was perplexed.
158
00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:20.059
How is my niece suddenly living so high on the hog?
159
00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:22.919
A new farm, a new flock of sheep.
160
00:10:23.759 --> 00:10:26.100
Last I saw her, she was down to her last
161
00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:31.299
penny and her final crust of bread. I must discover
162
00:10:31.379 --> 00:10:35.820
the secret of her riches and use it for myself.
163
00:10:49.139 --> 00:10:51.980
What do you think Uncle will do next? We'll find
164
00:10:52.019 --> 00:11:06.070
out what happens after a quick break. Welcome back to
165
00:11:06.110 --> 00:11:09.490
Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear. Today, our story is called
166
00:11:09.710 --> 00:11:11.009
The Mountain Guardian.
167
00:11:11.909 --> 00:11:13.769
The Mountain Guardian.
168
00:11:19.480 --> 00:11:23.570
Before the break, a good-hearted shepherdess was collecting dead branches
169
00:11:23.629 --> 00:11:26.669
for firewood when she met the guardian of the mountain.
170
00:11:27.470 --> 00:11:30.309
In exchange for sparing the trees that grew on the hillside,
171
00:11:30.730 --> 00:11:34.470
the talking stone lion gifted the shepherdess with gold coins.
172
00:11:35.309 --> 00:11:38.429
When the shepherdess's rich uncle learned of his niece's prosperity,
173
00:11:38.740 --> 00:11:43.120
he was overcome with jealousy. Determined to learn the shepherdess's secret,
174
00:11:43.590 --> 00:11:46.070
He mounted his horse and galloped from his mansion in
175
00:11:46.110 --> 00:11:48.870
the city to his niece's house in the countryside.
176
00:11:49.470 --> 00:11:52.570
Well, hello there, Uncle. I'm surprised to see you traveling
177
00:11:52.590 --> 00:11:56.070
around these parts. You did say that Grandmother and I
178
00:11:56.110 --> 00:11:57.610
live out in the boonies, after all.
179
00:11:57.629 --> 00:12:00.429
Oh, did I say that?
180
00:12:01.029 --> 00:12:02.789
Uncle batted his eyelashes.
181
00:12:03.860 --> 00:12:07.320
I don't know what I was talking about. I mean,
182
00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:12.440
look how beautiful it is out here. This rolling valley...
183
00:12:12.379 --> 00:12:16.539
this tree-covered mountain, not to mention this fancy new farm
184
00:12:16.600 --> 00:12:22.659
of yours, and those magnificent sheep. Tell me, niece, how
185
00:12:23.159 --> 00:12:25.639
is it you're faring so well?
186
00:12:26.679 --> 00:12:29.299
So the shepherdess told Uncle the story of the guardian
187
00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:31.879
of the mountain. She told him how she had collected
188
00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:35.669
fallen branches and boughs for firewood, and how pleased the
189
00:12:35.710 --> 00:12:37.029
mountain guardian had been.
190
00:12:37.529 --> 00:12:39.970
So he offered me a reward. He told me if
191
00:12:40.129 --> 00:12:42.759
I placed my basket below his mouth, He would fill
192
00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:46.159
it with gold coins. And when the basket was nearly full,
193
00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:47.659
all I had to do was tell him.
194
00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:49.740
Gold coins, you say?
195
00:12:50.220 --> 00:12:52.080
Uncle rubbed his hands together.
196
00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:57.120
A big stone lion gave you gold coins just for
197
00:12:57.179 --> 00:12:58.259
collecting firewood?
198
00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:02.450
Well, not just any firewood, Uncle. He was rewarding me
199
00:13:02.490 --> 00:13:05.289
because the trees are like his children. And instead of
200
00:13:05.330 --> 00:13:06.159
chopping them down, I.
201
00:13:06.149 --> 00:13:07.549
Yes, yes, yes. Whatever.
202
00:13:07.570 --> 00:13:10.450
And all you had to do was put a basket
203
00:13:10.889 --> 00:13:11.549
underneath his mouth.
204
00:13:12.059 --> 00:13:14.720
Well, like I was trying to tell you, Uncle. I
205
00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:16.419
had to tell him when the basket was nearly.
206
00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:19.620
But that's all Uncle heard. He had already hopped back
207
00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:23.919
on his horse and galloped off toward the city. The
208
00:13:23.940 --> 00:13:27.149
next morning, Uncle rummaged through his gardener's shed for a
209
00:13:27.230 --> 00:13:30.649
great big basket and sturdy axe. He loaded these items
210
00:13:30.690 --> 00:13:33.070
onto his horse and trotted to the mountain where the
211
00:13:33.129 --> 00:13:34.610
shepherdess had collected her wood.
212
00:13:35.450 --> 00:13:39.129
Okay, with all these hardy trees growing on the hillside...
213
00:13:39.250 --> 00:13:41.740
I should have no trouble chopping enough firewood for the
214
00:13:41.789 --> 00:13:44.360
mountain guardian. Better get to work.
215
00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:47.779
As Uncle made his way up the mountain, he chopped
216
00:13:47.860 -->
00:13:55.379
down one tree, then another, and before he knew it,
217
00:13:55.750 --> 00:14:01.129
his basket was filled with firewood. Firewood from living trees.
218
00:14:02.149 --> 00:14:05.370
Now remember, the shepherdess had tried telling Uncle what Grandmother
219
00:14:05.409 --> 00:14:08.570
had told her. how sacred the trees were, how they
220
00:14:08.590 --> 00:14:12.389
were like the mountain guardian's children. But he hadn't listened,
221
00:14:12.529 --> 00:14:15.960
had he? So now he took his enormous basket full
222
00:14:15.980 --> 00:14:19.220
of wood and lugged it to the mountaintop, where the large,
223
00:14:19.379 --> 00:14:21.899
fierce-looking stone lion was waiting.
224
00:14:22.779 --> 00:14:23.279
Hmm.
225
00:14:24.460 --> 00:14:27.379
My niece told me this was a talking lion, but
226
00:14:27.419 --> 00:14:29.169
it looks just like a statue to me.
227
00:14:29.590 --> 00:14:32.049
Uncle made a fist and knocked on the lion's side.
228
00:14:33.309 --> 00:14:34.350
Um, hello?
229
00:14:34.649 --> 00:14:35.230
Lion?
230
00:14:35.629 --> 00:14:37.269
Wake up! Wake up!
231
00:14:37.990 --> 00:14:41.539
To Uncle's delight, the lion sprang to life, its massive
232
00:14:41.639 --> 00:14:43.559
stone jaw opening and closing.
233
00:14:44.059 --> 00:14:48.700
Who are you? And what are you doing way up here,
234
00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:50.899
where so few dare to tread?
235
00:14:51.539 --> 00:14:54.940
With visions of gold coins dancing in his head, Uncle
236
00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:56.600
flashed the lion a grin.
237
00:14:57.340 --> 00:15:01.679
Why, I am none other than the beloved uncle of
238
00:15:01.740 --> 00:15:04.830
the young shepherdess who visited you a few months ago.
239
00:15:05.769 --> 00:15:09.820
The one you rewarded with all those gold coins? I've
240
00:15:09.860 --> 00:15:14.360
brought you this great big basket of firewood. I chopped
241
00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:15.379
it all myself, you know.
242
00:15:15.860 --> 00:15:17.580
The lion narrowed his eyes.
243
00:15:18.379 --> 00:15:21.259
Oh, did you now? I did.
244
00:15:21.820 --> 00:15:24.070
Just a few hacks of my trusty axe and I
245
00:15:24.110 --> 00:15:25.950
must have cut down half a dozen trees.
246
00:15:26.250 --> 00:15:34.950
Just like that. It was like timber, timber, timber. Yes. Yes,
247
00:15:35.190 --> 00:15:39.519
I see. Half a dozen trees.
248
00:15:40.220 --> 00:15:42.019
The lion clenched his jaw.
249
00:15:42.820 --> 00:15:47.519
And now I assume you're expecting the same reward I
250
00:15:47.580 --> 00:15:53.500
gave your niece. Very well, then. Come, empty your basket.
251
00:15:54.139 --> 00:15:57.230
Place it below my mouth, and I will fill it
252
00:15:57.259 --> 00:16:02.230
with gold coins. But take heed. The moment the basket
253
00:16:02.309 --> 00:16:06.580
is full, you must tell me. Not one piece of gold. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
254
00:16:07.080 --> 00:16:09.019
Look, can we just get started here?
255
00:16:09.159 --> 00:16:10.220
I haven't got all day.
256
00:16:10.860 --> 00:16:13.480
Uncle turned his basket over and dumped out all the wood.
257
00:16:14.139 --> 00:16:16.580
And he held the empty basket below the lion's mouth.
258
00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:21.240
The lion paused, fixed Uncle with its round stone eyes,
259
00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:24.360
then let out that mighty roar.
260
00:16:24.379 --> 00:16:26.980
Roar!
261
00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:31.899
And just like that, a stream of gold coins began
262
00:16:32.019 --> 00:16:33.350
tumbling into the basket.
263
00:16:34.500 --> 00:16:36.620
Oh my gosh, it's true.
264
00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:39.899
I'll be rich. Or richer, anyway.
265
00:16:40.700 --> 00:16:44.460
The coins plinked, clinked, and plunked, filling the basket higher
266
00:16:44.519 --> 00:16:47.720
and higher. But when they finally reached the top, do
267
00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:51.419
you know what Uncle did? Or what he didn't do, rather?
268
00:16:52.019 --> 00:16:56.629
You guessed it. He didn't say stop. Instead, the pile
269
00:16:56.649 --> 00:17:00.470
of coins grew so high that, at last, a glistening
270
00:17:00.549 --> 00:17:02.929
piece of gold teetered off the top of the heap
271
00:17:03.559 --> 00:17:08.279
and went plummeting to the ground. Immediately, the lion's cascade
272
00:17:08.339 --> 00:17:10.279
of coins came to a halt.
273
00:17:11.240 --> 00:17:14.859
Um, lion, what's going on? Why'd you stop? I want
274
00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:15.619
my coins.
275
00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:18.599
The lion shook its head and let out a little cough.
276
00:17:20.339 --> 00:17:23.920
I'm sorry. It's just the rest of your coins must
277
00:17:23.960 --> 00:17:27.859
be stuck in my throat. Please, put your hand in
278
00:17:27.900 --> 00:17:30.380
my mouth and help me pull them out.
279
00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:33.680
Uncle did as he was told. He dropped the basket
280
00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:36.640
of coins and thrust his hand deep into the lion's mouth.
281
00:17:37.299 --> 00:17:39.940
But the second his fingers were inside, do you know
282
00:17:39.980 --> 00:17:45.859
what happened? The lion's mighty jaws clamped together and trapped
283
00:17:45.980 --> 00:17:48.319
Uncle's hand in their unyielding grip.
284
00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:49.180
Hey!
285
00:17:49.980 --> 00:17:50.920
What'd you do that for?
286
00:17:51.619 --> 00:17:52.460
Now I'm stuck.
287
00:17:53.109 --> 00:17:55.109
Let go, lion. Please let go.
288
00:17:55.809 --> 00:17:59.569
But the lion would not let go. He couldn't. The
289
00:17:59.630 --> 00:18:03.319
creature had become a motionless statue again. staring straight ahead
290
00:18:03.380 --> 00:18:08.079
with round, vacant eyes of stone. Uncle wiggled and wriggled
291
00:18:08.119 --> 00:18:10.000
his arm, trying to set it free.
292
00:18:10.779 --> 00:18:14.240
Oh, man, what am I going to do? I've got
293
00:18:14.259 --> 00:18:17.660
this big, beautiful basket of gold coins, and now that
294
00:18:17.700 -->
00:18:19.539
I'm stuck, there's no way I can take it back
295
00:18:19.579 --> 00:18:20.279
to the city and.
296
00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:24.369
Oh, no! Uncle's face fell as he stared at the
297
00:18:24.420 --> 00:18:27.200
basket he had dropped on the ground. A few seconds ago,
298
00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:30.470
it had been brimming with coins, but to his dismay...
299
00:18:30.589 --> 00:18:34.279
he saw it was now brimming with something else entirely.
300
00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:36.440
Stones?
301
00:18:37.180 --> 00:18:40.519
It was true. Each and every glittering piece of money
302
00:18:40.660 --> 00:18:44.480
had transformed into a nugget of rock, as smooth and
303
00:18:44.589 --> 00:18:46.690
gray as the lion himself.
304
00:18:48.730 --> 00:18:48.869
Oh!
305
00:18:49.289 --> 00:18:51.930
Uncle clenched his teeth as he jostled and jiggled his
306
00:18:52.009 --> 00:18:53.890
arm in hopes of prying it loose.
307
00:18:55.849 --> 00:18:56.490
Come on.
308
00:18:57.230 --> 00:18:59.240
He jostled and jiggled all morning.
309
00:18:59.279 --> 00:18:59.960
Almost got it. No.
310
00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:01.380
No, no.
311
00:19:01.859 --> 00:19:04.079
He jostled and jiggled all afternoon.
312
00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:05.319
Gotta get free.
313
00:19:05.859 --> 00:19:06.420
Gotta get free.
314
00:19:07.660 --> 00:19:15.359
And by nighttime, he was downright exhausted. He was also ashamed.
315
00:19:16.420 --> 00:19:20.440
Slumping against the lion's smooth, cool body, Uncle lowered his
316
00:19:20.500 --> 00:19:21.809
head and let out a sob.
317
00:19:26.670 --> 00:19:30.099
Oh, what a fool I've been. I never should have
318
00:19:30.140 --> 00:19:34.180
tried to deceive you, Mountain Guardian. You gave my good-hearted
319
00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:38.680
niece exactly what she deserved. And now I suppose you're
320
00:19:38.700 --> 00:19:41.369
giving me what I deserve, too.
321
00:19:42.869 --> 00:19:44.769
I am sorry, Mountain Guardian.
322
00:19:45.690 --> 00:19:47.690
So, so sorry.
323
00:19:48.410 --> 00:19:52.289
The moment Uncle uttered his heartrending, apology, can you guess
324
00:19:52.369 --> 00:19:56.710
what happened? Just like that, the lion's jaws sprang open.
325
00:19:57.819 --> 00:20:00.819
Then the stone creature threw back its head and began
326
00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:09.619
to laugh. It laughed and it laughed, its deep, cackling
327
00:20:09.779 --> 00:20:14.529
rumble echoing all the way across the valley. Uncle didn't
328
00:20:14.609 --> 00:20:17.190
waste a minute. Now that his hand was free from
329
00:20:17.230 --> 00:20:20.250
the lion's mouth, he sprinted down the mountainside as fast
330
00:20:20.309 --> 00:20:23.150
as his legs could carry him and vowed never again
331
00:20:23.349 --> 00:20:26.490
to let his greed get the better of him. Once
332
00:20:26.549 --> 00:20:30.789
Uncle was gone, the lion quieted down again. It closed
333
00:20:30.829 --> 00:20:35.079
its mighty mouth, straightened its majestic head, then
froze again.
334
00:20:35.779 --> 00:20:39.900
its body turning back into smooth, cool stone, its eyes
335
00:20:40.099 --> 00:20:43.960
fixed on the mountain, it would do anything to protect.
336
00:20:54.859 --> 00:20:57.420
Now it's your turn. Have you ever thought about the
337
00:20:57.480 --> 00:21:01.609
difference between a need and a want? A need is
338
00:21:01.650 --> 00:21:05.920
something we must have to survive, like Food, water, and shelter.
339
00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:09.099
A want is something that's fun to have, but we
340
00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:12.259
can live without, like a chocolate bar or a new scooter.
341
00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:15.049
Find a piece of paper and draw a chart with
342
00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:18.430
two columns. Label one of the columns needs and the
343
00:21:18.470 --> 00:21:21.549
other one wants. Talk with a grown-up about things you
344
00:21:21.589 --> 00:21:24.029
have in your home and whether they would count as
345
00:21:24.250 --> 00:21:28.059
needs or wants. Then either write those items in the
346
00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:31.319
columns on your chart or draw a picture. And once
347
00:21:31.339 --> 00:21:33.519
you've filled out your entire chart, you can make a
348
00:21:33.559 --> 00:21:43.690
new one. If you want. This week's story, The Mountain Guardian,
349
00:21:43.730 --> 00:21:46.690
was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear. It was edited by
350
00:21:46.750 --> 00:21:51.410
Circle Round's supervising producer, Amory Sievertson. Circle Round's original music
351
00:21:51.529 --> 00:21:54.890
and sound design is by Eric Shimalonis. Our artist is
352
00:21:54.930 --> 00:21:58.950
Sabina Han. Sabina has created a black and white illustration
353
00:21:58.990 --> 00:22:01.609
for every single Circle Round story, and you can print
354
00:22:01.650 --> 00:22:04.220
them out and color them in. Ask a grown-up to
355
00:22:04.269 --> 00:22:09.109
visit wbur.org slash Circle Round, then click on Soundtrack and
356
00:22:09.210 --> 00:22:13.230
Coloring Pages. And while you're at wbur.org slash Circle Round,
357
00:22:13.329 --> 00:22:15.170
you can find a link to the latest Circle Round
358
00:22:15.230 --> 00:22:18.710
coloring book, the Circle Round soundtrack, and a transcript for
359
00:22:18.789 --> 00:22:22.390
each and every Circle Round tale. Special thanks to this
360
00:22:22.430 --> 00:22:27.670
week's actors, Theodore Chin, Faith Saley, Alonzo Bowden, and Audrey Shea.
361
00:22:28.509 --> 00:22:30.450
Look for Audrey Shea in the new comedy here today,
362
00:22:30.930 --> 00:22:35.250
as well as Netflix's upcoming music-driven film, Mixtape. And to
363
00:22:35.269 --> 00:22:38.109
listen for Alonzo Bowden on the podcast, Who's Paying Attention?
364
00:22:38.470 --> 00:22:41.549
and the NPR quiz show, Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. Grown-ups,
365
00:22:41.569 --> 00:22:46.279
you can see Alonzo's fourth stand-up comedy special, Alonzo Bowden, Heavy, Lightweight,
366
00:22:46.579 --> 00:22:50.660
on Amazon Prime Video. Our featured instrument this week was
367
00:22:50.680 --> 00:22:54.000
the dronyen. You can learn more about this six-stringed Tibetan
368
00:22:54.039 --> 00:22:58.099
lute and see a photo on our website. Again, that's wbur.org
369
00:22:58.119 --> 00:23:01.450
slash circleround. Want to keep the Circle Round experience going
370
00:23:01.569 --> 00:23:05.039
all week long? Join our communities on Facebook and Instagram.
371
00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:09.259
Our handle is at Circle Round Podcast. Circle Round is
372
00:23:09.299 --> 00:23:18.109
a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station. I'm Rebecca Shear.
373
00:23:18.509 --> 00:23:24.730
Thanks for circling around with us. One of the best
374
00:23:24.849 --> 00:23:28.759
things about creating Circle Round is hearing from listeners like you.
375
00:23:29.559 --> 00:23:32.029
Circle Round fans have been telling us about their favorite
376
00:23:32.089 --> 00:23:34.930
Circle Round stories, and we're excited to share some of
377
00:23:34.990 --> 00:23:36.430
their voices with you.
378
00:23:36.450 --> 00:23:41.369
Hi, I'm Liv, and my favorite Circle Round story is
379
00:23:41.609 --> 00:23:43.049
the lion's whisker.
380
00:23:43.069 --> 00:23:45.950
I like when they get the lion's whisker.
381
00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:50.440
Hi, my name's Cassie, and my favorite Circle Round story
382
00:23:50.460 --> 00:23:53.460
is Nilsa and the Troll, because I like the part
383
00:23:53.660 --> 00:23:57.119
where the troll gets a smile on Ace's face.
384
00:23:57.970 --> 00:24:00.549
And he gives her strawberries.
385
00:24:01.390 --> 00:24:02.549
My name's Keith.
386
00:24:03.230 --> 00:24:08.869
And my favorite circle round story is Chief Know-It-All. And
387
00:24:08.950 --> 00:24:12.470
my favorite part is when the chief doesn't win and
388
00:24:12.490 --> 00:24:17.559
the new soldier wins. My name is Opa. I live
389
00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:21.819
in Sneebrook Springs, Colorado. My favorite story is the free
390
00:24:21.900 --> 00:24:22.599
rugged pop.
391
00:24:23.319 --> 00:24:28.329
Hello, my name is Neil, and I live in Birmingham,
392
00:24:28.589 --> 00:24:33.529
and my favorite stories are Bess and his dear and
393
00:24:33.750 --> 00:24:34.849
a baker's daughter.
394
00:24:35.509 --> 00:24:40.349
Hi, my name is Quinn, and I live in Bellingham, Washington,
395
00:24:40.730 --> 00:24:45.410
and my favorite stories are the three-legged pot and the
396
00:24:45.490 --> 00:24:46.680
lute player.
397
00:24:47.960 --> 00:24:49.839
Did someone mention an episode you missed?
398
00:24:49.859 --> 00:24:50.740
No problem.
399
00:24:51.019 --> 00:24:54.130
You can find every single Circle Round story on our website.
400
00:24:54.529 --> 00:24:58.420
That's WBUR.org slash Circle Round, or wherever you and your
401
00:24:58.460 --> 00:24:59.900
grown-ups get your podcasts.