WEBVTT
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WBUR Podcasts, Boston.
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An old proverb from Africa says, truth is like oil.
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No matter how much water you pour on it, it
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will always float. In other words, no matter how much
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you try to hide the truth, it will eventually reveal itself.
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As we'll hear in today's story, when one tricky character
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tries covering up the truth, An even trickier character blows
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his cover. I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round,
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where storytime happens all the time. Today, our story is
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called Hot Potatoes. It was inspired by tales from the Tonga,
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a Bantu ethnic group who are part of the Tsonga
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people of South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. Some really great
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people came together to bring you our adaptation of this tale,
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including Arlen Escarpeta, who stars as Zeke Wallace on the
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NBC series Found. So circle around, everyone, for Hot Potatoes.
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It was a blisteringly hot day on the savannah. and
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Hare was desperate for a drink.
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Oh, I'm so thirsty. If I don't find water soon,
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I'll dry up into a husk from the tips of
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my long, pointy ears to the back of my short,
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bushy tail.
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Under a blazing sun, Hare bounded across the grasslands in
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search of a waterhole. When he finally found one, who
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should he find standing beside it Her horned brown head
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raised high and alert, but Antelope.
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Hey there, Antelope. What you doing?
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Antelope narrowed her eyes. She knew hair was a tricky one,
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with a notorious reputation for pulling pranks.
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What am I doing, you ask?
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What does it look like I'm doing, hair? I'm guarding
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over this waterhole I found. I spent hours looking for it.
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And in this sweltering weather, I'm not letting one drop
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go to waste.
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I see.
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Hare put on his most winning grin.
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Tell me something, Antelope. What do you think of melons?
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Melons? Antelope's face lit up.
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I love melons. They're so sweet, so juicy.
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They'd be especially refreshing in this heat.
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Why do you ask? Well, I'm with you. Melons would
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be refreshing in this heat, and that's why I was
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going to grow some. Grow some? Sure. Care to help
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me do some farming? We can split the melons 50-50.
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At the thought of chomping down a sweet, juicy melon,
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Antelope lowered her guard.
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You can count me in, Hare. What do we do first? First,
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we have to plow. Plowing loosens up the earth and
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makes it ready for planting seeds.
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See that? Hare motions toward a fallen tree branch.
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That hefty branch will make for an ideal plow. So,
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how about I go grab some melon seeds while you
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drag the branch across the ground? You're so brave. Big
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and strong, we'll be ready for planting in no time.
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Antelope's face tightened with worry.
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But that branch is much too big to hold in
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my mouth, Hare. And I can't exactly grasp it with
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my hooves.
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I won't be able to balance. Hare was well aware
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of this fact, but he pretended to think.
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Gosh, Antelope, you're right. So I'll tell you what. How
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about if I tie the stick to your middle, then
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you'll have no problem plowing.
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Quick as a wink, Hare grabbed a long vine, wrapped
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it around Antelope's belly, and tied it to the branch.
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He jammed one end of the branch deep into the earth,
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and Antelope immediately began to struggle.
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Hare, now I can't move.
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The branch is.
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Stuck in the ground.
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Is it?
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Hare shrugged.
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That's your problem, Antelope, not mine. And now this is
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my waterhole, not yours.
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And with that, he drank up every last drop in
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the waterhole and bounded away. You'll pay for this, Hare.
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One of these days, he'll pay for this. You hear?
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But Hare did not hear. He had already hopped over
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to another waterhole. This one watched over by Lizard.
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Hey there, Lizard. Whatcha doing?
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Lizard gave Hare a sideways glance. He too was well
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aware of Hare's reputation as a trickster.
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Don't even try it, Hare. This is my waterhole. You
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can't dupe me into sparing a drop.
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I see.
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Hare gave his whiskers a wiggle.
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Actually, to tell you the truth... I wasn't even interested
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in your water, Lizard. I was looking for someone to
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help me do some farming and plant some luscious, succulent melons.
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We would split the harvest, of course.
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At the thought of biting into a luscious, succulent melon,
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Lizard forgot all about Hare's schemes.
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It just so happens I adore melons. You can count
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me in, Hare. What do we do first? First we
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have to plow. You see that big stick over there?
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How about I go grab some melon seeds while you
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drag the stick across the ground? You're so nimble and quick,
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we'll be ready for planting in no time.
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Lizard's forehead creased with concern.
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My legs are too short to hold that stick, Hare,
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and my mouth is too small to clamp it in
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my teeth.
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Hare, of course, was well aware of this fact, but
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again he pretended to think differently.
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Gee, Lizard, you're right. So I'll tell you what. How
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about if I tie the stick to your strong tail?
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Then you'll have no problem plowing.
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Quick as a wink, Hare seized another long vine and
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tied the stick to Lizard's tail. Then he lodged one
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end of the stick deep into the ground.
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But Hare, now I can't move. The stick is stuck.
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Is it? Hare laughed.
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That's your problem, lizard, not mine. And now this is
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my waterhole, not yours.
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And with that, he guzzled down every last drop in
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the waterhole and scampered away.
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You're going to get what's coming to you, Hare.
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Any time now, you're going to get what's coming. You hear?
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But Hare did not hear anything. He had already sprung
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over to another waterhole, this one guarded by tortoise. But
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when Hare came sauntering over, offering to split his melon
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harvest with her.
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I think I'll pass, Hare. Much as I'd love to
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do some farming with you, I'll just sit here and
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drink my water.
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I see.
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Now, you might assume that Hare was disappointed by tortoise's answer.
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But let's just say the crafty fellow had more than
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one trick up his sleeve.
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Fine, tortoise, fine. I get it. Farming is hard work,
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and who wants to work hard in this weather? So
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I'll tell you what. Boar has been doing some farming
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of his own. He's been growing a big patch of
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sweet potatoes. What do you say you and I go
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steal some?
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Uh, steal some?
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Tortoise shot Hare a disapproving look.
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Stealing is wrong, Hare.
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Not when you're stealing from a bully like Boar. Come on, Tortoise.
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You know how mean and blustery that wild pig can be.
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It was true. Boar was a bully, always pushing the
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other animals around. But Tortoise still had doubts.
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Look, even if we did try and steal Boar's sweet potatoes...
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Aren't you worried about getting caught?
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Getting caught?
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Hare rolled his eyes.
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Come now, tortoise. A smooth, sly fella like me is
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never worried about getting caught. After all, you know what
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everyone says. I am, by far, the cleverest critter on
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the savannah.
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Tortoise felt a wave of annoyance. Because she had a
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reputation for cleverness as well. And she knew she could
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outwit and outsmart Hare any day. So now, she decided
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to prove it.
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You know what, Hare?
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Since you're certain your wily ways will keep us safe, then... Sure!
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Count me in. We'll steal some sweet potatoes from Boar.
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That's the spirit!
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Hare flashed Tortoise a triumphant grin, then took off for
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the sweet potato patch. Tortoise followed, a smile growing across
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her face with each shuffling step.
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My round stubby feet may not be as quick as Hare's,
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but my sharp, shrewd mind is even quicker. And if
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my plan works... Hare will not be eating sweet potatoes
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at the end of the day. He'll be eating humble pie!
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What do you think our sharp, shrewd, shell-wearing friend is plotting?
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We'll find out after a quick break.
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100 years from now in a land far, far away.
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Hang on. It's not so far away at all, actually.
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Hey, Circle Round families.
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We're here to share a new listening experience from WBUR.
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The Midnight Rebellion. It's a climate podcast adventure for kids
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8 and up. Time traveling, problem solving, laughs in danger.
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It's here.
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Follow the feed to listen.
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Oh, and bring your goggles and boots.
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That's the Midnight Rebellion.
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In your feed or wherever you get podcasts.
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Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear. Today our
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story is called Hot Potatoes. Before the break, Hare tricked
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Antelope and Lizard and drank up all their water. But
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Tortoise wasn't so easily deceived. The slow, steady creature knew
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she could outwit a trickster like Hare. So when he
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suggested the two of them steal from Boar's sweet potato patch,
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Tortoise agreed.
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All right, Tortoise. Boar's sweet potato patch is right over there.
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I'm pretty sure he takes his afternoon nap right around
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this time. So while he's snoozing away, let's scurry on
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over and swipe some spuds.
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Tortoise and Hare dug up dozens and dozens of potatoes
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from the patch, enough to fill two large sacks. Then
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they lit a small fire behind a nearby tree and
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emptied their sacks into the flames. Before long, the air
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was filled with the irresistible aroma of roasting tubers. Mmm!
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Mmm!
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Mmm!
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These sweet potatoes smell good!
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Mmm!
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They sure do! What do you say we eat some
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right now?
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Right now?
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Hare shook his head.
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Nah, we just roasted them. Have you ever had the
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roof of your mouth burned by a hot potato? It
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is no fun. I say we divide the potatoes first,
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then we eat them later.
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Hare began picking up the hot potatoes and dividing them
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into the two sacks.
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Okay, one for you, one for me. One for you,
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one for me. One for you, one for me.
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But the moment he was done... What was that? Hare's
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body went stiff. His long, pointy ears swiveled this way
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and that.
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Is that a grunting sound I hear? Kind of a...
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kind of a snuffle?
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Tortoise cocked her head to the side.
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I don't know, Hare. I'm not hearing a grunt or
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a snuffle.
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I think I am.
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And grunts and snuffles are precisely the kind of sounds
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that Boar makes, especially when he's angry. Like, say, when
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he's been rudely awakened from a nap?
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Wait, are you saying that we woke Boar up?
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Maybe. And if we did, it won't be long before
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he comes after us. Tortoise, how about I watch over
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the potatoes while you go see if Boar's sleeping or not?
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Tortoise paused. She knew full well that Hare hadn't heard
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a thing. It was all a ruse. He was hoping
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that while Tortoise went to check on Boar, he could
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sneak off with both sacks of potatoes, leaving none for her.
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Hmm, I don't know, Hare. If I leave you alone
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and Boar is awake, that brutish bully might sneak up
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on you from behind, and I won't be here to
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protect you. Better for us both to go see what's up.
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You go left. I'll go right, and we'll meet behind
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this tree when the coast is clear.
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Sure, Tortoise. Whatever you say.
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Hare smiled to himself. He knew how slow Tortoise was,
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so he figured he'd give it a few minutes, then
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he'd go back and pilfer the potatoes once Little Miss
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Slowpoke was out of sight. But Tortoise had a plan
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of her own. The moment Hare leaped off to the left,
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she started to shuffle to the right. But then She stopped,
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turned around, and crawled inside Hare's sack of stolen sweet potatoes.
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Once she was all comfy and cozy, she opened her
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mouth and began sucking the potatoes right out of their skins.
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Mmm, delicious! And not too hot at all.
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Moments later, Hare came hurrying back. When he caught neither
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Hide nor Hare of his rivals, He did exactly what
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Tortoise had predicted. He dumped all the potatoes from her
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sack into his.
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Now I can get all the bounty, and Little Miss
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Slowpoke can get all the blame.
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Hare took a breath, then cupped his paws around his mouth.
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And called out, You better stop stealing those sweet potatoes, tortoise.
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Boar is bound to catch you, and you know how
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big and strong he is.
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And with that, he hoisted his sack over his shoulder
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and took off, running as fast and as far as
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he could. But he realized he was quickly losing steam.
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Oh, gosh, this sack is heavier than I expected, and
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all this running has made me so hungry. I think
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I'll stop for a snack.
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Hare paused beside a thicket of bushes. Then he stuck
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a paw into the sack and pulled out a potato skin.
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That's odd. The skin must have slipped off one of
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the potatoes somehow.
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Hare tried again. He stuck his paw back into the
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sack and pulled out another potato skin.
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What's going on? This sack is so heavy, there have
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got to be some actual potatoes in here.
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So Hare tried again.
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Another potato skin?
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And again.
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Another potato skin? And again. Another potato skin?
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This happened over and over. Until finally, Hare stuck his
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paw into the sack and did not pull out another
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potato skin. Instead, his furry paw struck something hard and
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rough again. And when he yanked open the sack and
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peeked inside... Surprise! There was Tortoise, her hard, rough shell
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strewn with empty potato skins.
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Thanks for the ride, Hare. And for the meal. Oh,
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and thanks for reminding me who the cleverest critter on
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the savannah really is.
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And with that, she shimmied out of the sack and
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crawled away. with a stomach full of potatoes and a
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smile on her face. Now it's your turn. Turtle may
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be a slow mover, but she has the superpower ability
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to think fast. What's one of your superpowers? An ability
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that helps you in the world. It could be as
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simple as the ability to tolerate really spicy foods. or
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00:18:25.779 --> 00:18:29.240
stay super calm at the dentist. Perhaps your superpower is
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your sense of humor or your ability to practice patience.
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Find a grown-up and tell them all about your superpower.
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Then ask them to share one of theirs. Something tells
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me that after you talk, you both will feel super.
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This week's episode, Hot Potatoes, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear.
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It was edited by Dean Russell. Our original music and
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sound design is by Eric Shimalonis. Eric's featured instrument this
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week was the bolophone. You can learn more about this
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ancestor of the marimba, xylophone, and vibraphone, and see a
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photo of Eric playing one on our website, wbur.org slash circleround.
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Circularound's artist is Sabina Han, who's created a black and
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white coloring page for every Circularound story, and you can
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print them out and color them in. Ask your grown-ups
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to visit our website, wbur.org slash circleround, and click on
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Coloring Pages. Special thanks to this week's actors, Ryan Dallasung,
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00:19:32.940 --> 00:19:37.420
Jessica Rau, Erica Rose, and Arlen Escarpeta. Arlen stars in
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00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:41.190
the NBC series Found, now streaming on Peacock. Want to
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00:19:41.250 --> 00:19:43.829
circle around with us in even more ways? Join the
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Circle Round Club and get ad-free episodes, a monthly newsletter,
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super fun swag, plus early access to our live events.
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You can also add on cool perks like our snuggly
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Circle Round lion and a personalized birthday message from me.
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Sign up today and support the public radio podcast you
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love on our website. Once more, that's WBUR.org slash Circle Round.
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For now, when you're done listening to this episode... please
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00:20:08.619 --> 00:20:12.230
leave us a five-star review on whatever podcast app you're using.
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It helps other listeners find the show so we can
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make the Circle Round circle even bigger. Circle Round is
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a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station. I'm Rebecca Shear.
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Thanks for circling round with us. Now that you've made
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it to the end of this Circle Round episode, We
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want to know, what's your favorite Circle Round story? Thousands
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of fans just like you have been telling us about
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00:20:45.410 --> 00:20:48.349
the Circle Round stories they like best. Take a listen.
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00:20:48.789 --> 00:20:51.410
Maybe one of their favorites is one of yours, too.
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00:20:51.430 --> 00:20:58.579
Hello, my name is Lucia. I live in Belgium. And
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00:20:58.759 --> 00:21:05.799
my favorite Circle Round story is Coyote's Flame. because I
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00:21:05.880 --> 00:21:12.279
like the part when coyote, squirrel, chipmunk, and frog create
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00:21:12.380 --> 00:21:17.869
the sun. My name is Lucas, and I live in Bellevue, Washington,
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00:21:18.349 --> 00:21:22.390
and my favorite circle around story is The Laughing Bird.
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00:21:23.009 --> 00:21:27.109
I like the part where the kookaburra keeps waking up
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the other animals.
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00:21:28.779 --> 00:21:29.839
My name is Noah.
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00:21:30.299 --> 00:21:34.539
I'm from Portland, Oregon, and my favorite circle around is.
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00:21:34.859 --> 00:21:35.920
The Snow Eater.
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00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:41.849
My name is Morgan. I live in Mobile, Alabama. I
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00:21:41.900 --> 00:21:46.210
love all the circle around stories, but my most favorite
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00:21:46.369 --> 00:21:50.029
is the Three-Legged Pot. My favorite part is when the
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Three-Legged Pot says.
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00:21:51.710 --> 00:21:54.569
Time to skip and skip. Whee!
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My name is Abby, and I'm from Maryland. And my
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00:21:58.769 --> 00:22:03.849
favorite circle around story is the laughing bird. And my
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favorite part is when Hakabura gets to join the sky people.
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My name is Adele and my favorite Circle Round podcast
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00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:18.380
is the polka dotted pigeon because I like the part
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00:22:18.420 --> 00:22:22.450
when the king sees two pigeons in the cage. My
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00:22:22.509 --> 00:22:27.150
name is Odette and I live in Framingham, Massachusetts. And
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00:22:27.450 --> 00:22:32.119
my favorite Circle Round story is Donkey Business because I
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00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:35.619
like the part when she plays a trick on Enzo.
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00:22:36.750 --> 00:22:41.849
I'm Luna Pearl, and I come from Los Angeles. My
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favorite story is Granny Snowstorm.
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Did someone mention a story you've missed? Not to worry. Grown-ups,
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you can find all of our Circle Round stories, plus
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00:22:52.779 --> 00:22:55.880
links to the Circle Round Club, picture books, coloring pages,
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00:22:56.019 --> 00:23:00.700
and oh so much more on our website, wbur.org slash circleround.
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WBUR Podcasts, Boston.
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00:00:09.529 --> 00:00:14.070
An old proverb from Africa says, truth is like oil.
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00:00:14.759 --> 00:00:17.339
No matter how much water you pour on it, it
4
00:00:17.379 --> 00:00:20.960
will always float. In other words, no matter how much
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00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:25.339
you try to hide the truth, it will eventually reveal itself.
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00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:29.140
As we'll hear in today's story, when one tricky character
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00:00:29.219 --> 00:00:33.420
tries covering up the truth, An even trickier character blows
8
00:00:33.479 --> 00:00:41.250
his cover. I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round,
9
00:00:41.670 --> 00:00:45.469
where storytime happens all the time. Today, our story is
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00:00:45.509 --> 00:00:49.609
called Hot Potatoes. It was inspired by tales from the Tonga,
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00:00:50.149 --> 00:00:52.560
a Bantu ethnic group who are part of the Tsonga
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00:00:52.600 --> 00:00:59.799
people of South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. Some really great
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00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:02.829
people came together to bring you our adaptation of this tale,
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00:01:03.229 --> 00:01:07.030
including Arlen Escarpeta, who stars as Zeke Wallace on the
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NBC series Found. So circle around, everyone, for Hot Potatoes.
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It was a blisteringly hot day on the savannah. and
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Hare was desperate for a drink.
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Oh, I'm so thirsty. If I don't find water soon,
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I'll dry up into a husk from the tips of
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my long, pointy ears to the back of my short,
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bushy tail.
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Under a blazing sun, Hare bounded across the grasslands in
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search of a waterhole. When he finally found one, who
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should he find standing beside it Her horned brown head
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raised high and alert, but Antelope.
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00:02:02.069 --> 00:02:04.390
Hey there, Antelope. What you doing?
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Antelope narrowed her eyes. She knew hair was a tricky one,
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with a notorious reputation for pulling pranks.
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What am I doing, you ask?
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What does it look like I'm doing, hair? I'm guarding
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over this waterhole I found. I spent hours looking for it.
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And in this sweltering weather, I'm not letting one drop
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go to waste.
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I see.
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Hare put on his most winning grin.
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Tell me something, Antelope. What do you think of melons?
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Melons? Antelope's face lit up.
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I love melons. They're so sweet, so juicy.
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They'd be especially refreshing in this heat.
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Why do you ask? Well, I'm with you. Melons would
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be refreshing in this heat, and that's why I was
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going to grow some. Grow some? Sure. Care to help
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me do some farming? We can split the melons 50-50.
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At the thought of chomping down a sweet, juicy melon,
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Antelope lowered her guard.
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You can count me in, Hare. What do we do first? First,
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00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:26.449
we have to plow. Plowing loosens up the earth and
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makes it ready for planting seeds.
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See that? Hare motions toward a fallen tree branch.
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That hefty branch will make for an ideal plow. So,
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00:03:38.699 --> 00:03:41.819
how about I go grab some melon seeds while you
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00:03:42.259 --> 00:03:45.340
drag the branch across the ground? You're so brave. Big
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00:03:45.400 --> 00:03:48.599
and strong, we'll be ready for planting in no time.
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00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:51.819
Antelope's face tightened with worry.
55
00:03:52.379 --> 00:03:54.830
But that branch is much too big to hold in
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my mouth, Hare. And I can't exactly grasp it with
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my hooves.
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I won't be able to balance. Hare was well aware
59
00:04:04.060 --> 00:04:07.120
of this fact, but he pretended to think.
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Gosh, Antelope, you're right. So I'll tell you what. How
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about if I tie the stick to your middle, then
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00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:17.620
you'll have no problem plowing.
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Quick as a wink, Hare grabbed a long vine, wrapped
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it around Antelope's belly, and tied it to the branch.
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He jammed one end of the branch deep into the earth,
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and Antelope immediately began to struggle.
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Hare, now I can't move.
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The branch is.
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Stuck in the ground.
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Is it?
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Hare shrugged.
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That's your problem, Antelope, not mine. And now this is
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00:04:45.720 --> 00:04:47.639
my waterhole, not yours.
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And with that, he drank up every last drop in
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the waterhole and bounded away. You'll pay for this, Hare.
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One of these days, he'll pay for this. You hear?
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But Hare did not hear. He had already hopped over
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to another waterhole. This one watched over by Lizard.
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Hey there, Lizard. Whatcha doing?
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Lizard gave Hare a sideways glance. He too was well
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aware of Hare's reputation as a trickster.
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Don't even try it, Hare. This is my waterhole. You
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00:05:27.529 --> 00:05:30.350
can't dupe me into sparing a drop.
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I see.
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Hare gave his whiskers a wiggle.
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Actually, to tell you the truth... I wasn't even interested
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in your water, Lizard. I was looking for someone to
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00:05:40.470 --> 00:05:44.949
help me do some farming and plant some luscious, succulent melons.
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We would split the harvest, of course.
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At the thought of biting into a luscious, succulent melon,
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Lizard forgot all about Hare's schemes.
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It just so happens I adore melons. You can count
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me in, Hare. What do we do first? First we
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have to plow. You see that big stick over there?
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How about I go grab some melon seeds while you
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00:06:11.610 --> 00:06:15.250
drag the stick across the ground? You're so nimble and quick,
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we'll be ready for planting in no time.
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Lizard's forehead creased with concern.
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My legs are too short to hold that stick, Hare,
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and my mouth is too small to clamp it in
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my teeth.
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Hare, of course, was well aware of this fact, but
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again he pretended to think differently.
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Gee, Lizard, you're right. So I'll tell you what. How
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about if I tie the stick to your strong tail?
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Then you'll have no problem plowing.
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Quick as a wink, Hare seized another long vine and
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00:06:50.379 --> 00:06:54.180
tied the stick to Lizard's tail. Then he lodged one
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end of the stick deep into the ground.
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But Hare, now I can't move. The stick is stuck.
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Is it? Hare laughed.
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That's your problem, lizard, not mine. And now this is
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my waterhole, not yours.
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00:07:13.790 --> 00:07:17.050
And with that, he guzzled down every last drop in
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the waterhole and scampered away.
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You're going to get what's coming to you, Hare.
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Any time now, you're going to get what's coming. You hear?
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But Hare did not hear anything. He had already sprung
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00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:38.230
over to another waterhole, this one guarded by tortoise. But
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00:07:38.509 --> 00:07:42.810
when Hare came sauntering over, offering to split his melon
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harvest with her.
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I think I'll pass, Hare. Much as I'd love to
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do some farming with you, I'll just sit here and
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drink my water.
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I see.
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Now, you might assume that Hare was disappointed by tortoise's answer.
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But let's just say the crafty fellow had more than
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one trick up his sleeve.
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Fine, tortoise, fine. I get it. Farming is hard work,
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and who wants to work hard in this weather? So
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I'll tell you what. Boar has been doing some farming
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of his own. He's been growing a big patch of
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sweet potatoes. What do you say you and I go
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steal some?
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Uh, steal some?
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Tortoise shot Hare a disapproving look.
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Stealing is wrong, Hare.
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Not when you're stealing from a bully like Boar. Come on, Tortoise.
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You know how mean and blustery that wild pig can be.
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It was true. Boar was a bully, always pushing the
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other animals around. But Tortoise still had doubts.
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Look, even if we did try and steal Boar's sweet potatoes...
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Aren't you worried about getting caught?
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Getting caught?
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Hare rolled his eyes.
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Come now, tortoise. A smooth, sly fella like me is
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never worried about getting caught. After all, you know what
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everyone says. I am, by far, the cleverest critter on
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the savannah.
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Tortoise felt a wave of annoyance. Because she had a
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reputation for cleverness as well. And she knew she could
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outwit and outsmart Hare any day. So now, she decided
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to prove it.
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You know what, Hare?
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Since you're certain your wily ways will keep us safe, then... Sure!
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Count me in. We'll steal some sweet potatoes from Boar.
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That's the spirit!
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Hare flashed Tortoise a triumphant grin, then took off for
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the sweet potato patch. Tortoise followed, a smile growing across
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her face with each shuffling step.
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My round stubby feet may not be as quick as Hare's,
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but my sharp, shrewd mind is even quicker. And if
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my plan works... Hare will not be eating sweet potatoes
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at the end of the day. He'll be eating humble pie!
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What do you think our sharp, shrewd, shell-wearing friend is plotting?
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We'll find out after a quick break.
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100 years from now in a land far, far away.
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Hang on. It's not so far away at all, actually.
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Hey, Circle Round families.
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We're here to share a new listening experience from WBUR.
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The Midnight Rebellion. It's a climate podcast adventure for kids
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8 and up. Time traveling, problem solving, laughs in danger.
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It's here.
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Follow the feed to listen.
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Oh, and bring your goggles and boots.
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That's the Midnight Rebellion.
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In your feed or wherever you get podcasts.
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Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear. Today our
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story is called Hot Potatoes. Before the break, Hare tricked
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Antelope and Lizard and drank up all their water. But
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Tortoise wasn't so easily deceived. The slow, steady creature knew
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she could outwit a trickster like Hare. So when he
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suggested the two of them steal from Boar's sweet potato patch,
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Tortoise agreed.
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All right, Tortoise. Boar's sweet potato patch is right over there.
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I'm pretty sure he takes his afternoon nap right around
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this time. So while he's snoozing away, let's scurry on
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over and swipe some spuds.
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Tortoise and Hare dug up dozens and dozens of potatoes
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from the patch, enough to fill two large sacks. Then
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they lit a small fire behind a nearby tree and
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emptied their sacks into the flames. Before long, the air
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was filled with the irresistible aroma of roasting tubers. Mmm!
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Mmm!
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Mmm!
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These sweet potatoes smell good!
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Mmm!
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They sure do! What do you say we eat some
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right now?
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Right now?
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Hare shook his head.
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Nah, we just roasted them. Have you ever had the
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roof of your mouth burned by a hot potato? It
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is no fun. I say we divide the potatoes first,
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then we eat them later.
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Hare began picking up the hot potatoes and dividing them
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into the two sacks.
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Okay, one for you, one for me. One for you,
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one for me. One for you, one for me.
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But the moment he was done... What was that? Hare's
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body went stiff. His long, pointy ears swiveled this way
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and that.
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Is that a grunting sound I hear? Kind of a...
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kind of a snuffle?
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Tortoise cocked her head to the side.
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I don't know, Hare. I'm not hearing a grunt or
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a snuffle.
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I think I am.
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And grunts and snuffles are precisely the kind of sounds
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that Boar makes, especially when he's angry. Like, say, when
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he's been rudely awakened from a nap?
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Wait, are you saying that we woke Boar up?
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Maybe. And if we did, it won't be long before
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he comes after us. Tortoise, how about I watch over
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the potatoes while you go see if Boar's sleeping or not?
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Tortoise paused. She knew full well that Hare hadn't heard
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a thing. It was all a ruse. He was hoping
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that while Tortoise went to check on Boar, he could
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sneak off with both sacks of potatoes, leaving none for her.
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Hmm, I don't know, Hare. If I leave you alone
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and Boar is awake, that brutish bully might sneak up
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on you from behind, and I won't be here to
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protect you. Better for us both to go see what's up.
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You go left. I'll go right, and we'll meet behind
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this tree when the coast is clear.
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Sure, Tortoise. Whatever you say.
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Hare smiled to himself. He knew how slow Tortoise was,
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so he figured he'd give it a few minutes, then
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he'd go back and pilfer the potatoes once Little Miss
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Slowpoke was out of sight. But Tortoise had a plan
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of her own. The moment Hare leaped off to the left,
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she started to shuffle to the right. But then She stopped,
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turned around, and crawled inside Hare's sack of stolen sweet potatoes.
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Once she was all comfy and cozy, she opened her
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mouth and began sucking the potatoes right out of their skins.
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Mmm, delicious! And not too hot at all.
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Moments later, Hare came hurrying back. When he caught neither
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Hide nor Hare of his rivals, He did exactly what
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Tortoise had predicted. He dumped all the potatoes from her
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sack into his.
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Now I can get all the bounty, and Little Miss
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Slowpoke can get all the blame.
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Hare took a breath, then cupped his paws around his mouth.
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And called out, You better stop stealing those sweet potatoes, tortoise.
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Boar is bound to catch you, and you know how
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big and strong he is.
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And with that, he hoisted his sack over his shoulder
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and took off, running as fast and as far as
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he could. But he realized he was quickly losing steam.
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Oh, gosh, this sack is heavier than I expected, and
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all this running has made me so hungry. I think
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I'll stop for a snack.
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Hare paused beside a thicket of bushes. Then he stuck
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a paw into the sack and pulled out a potato skin.
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That's odd. The skin must have slipped off one of
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the potatoes somehow.
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Hare tried again. He stuck his paw back into the
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sack and pulled out another potato skin.
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What's going on? This sack is so heavy, there have
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got to be some actual potatoes in here.
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So Hare tried again.
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Another potato skin?
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And again.
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Another potato skin? And again. Another potato skin?
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This happened over and over. Until finally, Hare stuck his
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paw into the sack and did not pull out another
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potato skin. Instead, his furry paw struck something hard and
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rough again. And when he yanked open the sack and
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peeked inside... Surprise! There was Tortoise, her hard, rough shell
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strewn with empty potato skins.
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Thanks for the ride, Hare. And for the meal. Oh,
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and thanks for reminding me who the cleverest critter on
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the savannah really is.
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And with that, she shimmied out of the sack and
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crawled away. with a stomach full of potatoes and a
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smile on her face. Now it's your turn. Turtle may
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be a slow mover, but she has the superpower ability
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to think fast. What's one of your superpowers? An ability
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that helps you in the world. It could be as
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00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:25.720
simple as the ability to tolerate really spicy foods. or
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00:18:25.779 --> 00:18:29.240
stay super calm at the dentist. Perhaps your superpower is
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your sense of humor or your ability to practice patience.
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Find a grown-up and tell them all about your superpower.
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Then ask them to share one of theirs. Something tells
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me that after you talk, you both will feel super.
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This week's episode, Hot Potatoes, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear.
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It was edited by Dean Russell. Our original music and
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sound design is by Eric Shimalonis. Eric's featured instrument this
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week was the bolophone. You can learn more about this
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ancestor of the marimba, xylophone, and vibraphone, and see a
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photo of Eric playing one on our website, wbur.org slash circleround.
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Circularound's artist is Sabina Han, who's created a black and
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00:19:16.380 --> 00:19:19.859
white coloring page for every Circularound story, and you can
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00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:22.680
print them out and color them in. Ask your grown-ups
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to visit our website, wbur.org slash circleround, and click on
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00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:32.680
Coloring Pages. Special thanks to this week's actors, Ryan Dallasung,
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00:19:32.940 --> 00:19:37.420
Jessica Rau, Erica Rose, and Arlen Escarpeta. Arlen stars in
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00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:41.190
the NBC series Found, now streaming on Peacock. Want to
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00:19:41.250 --> 00:19:43.829
circle around with us in even more ways? Join the
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Circle Round Club and get ad-free episodes, a monthly newsletter,
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super fun swag, plus early access to our live events.
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You can also add on cool perks like our snuggly
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Circle Round lion and a personalized birthday message from me.
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Sign up today and support the public radio podcast you
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00:20:00.279 --> 00:20:05.150
love on our website. Once more, that's WBUR.org slash Circle Round.
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For now, when you're done listening to this episode... please
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00:20:08.619 --> 00:20:12.230
leave us a five-star review on whatever podcast app you're using.
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It helps other listeners find the show so we can
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00:20:15.170 --> 00:20:18.829
make the Circle Round circle even bigger. Circle Round is
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a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station. I'm Rebecca Shear.
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Thanks for circling round with us. Now that you've made
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00:20:35.900 --> 00:20:38.440
it to the end of this Circle Round episode, We
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want to know, what's your favorite Circle Round story? Thousands
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00:20:43.210 --> 00:20:45.369
of fans just like you have been telling us about
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00:20:45.410 --> 00:20:48.349
the Circle Round stories they like best. Take a listen.
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00:20:48.789 --> 00:20:51.410
Maybe one of their favorites is one of yours, too.
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00:20:51.430 --> 00:20:58.579
Hello, my name is Lucia. I live in Belgium. And
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00:20:58.759 --> 00:21:05.799
my favorite Circle Round story is Coyote's Flame. because I
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00:21:05.880 --> 00:21:12.279
like the part when coyote, squirrel, chipmunk, and frog create
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00:21:12.380 --> 00:21:17.869
the sun. My name is Lucas, and I live in Bellevue, Washington,
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00:21:18.349 --> 00:21:22.390
and my favorite circle around story is The Laughing Bird.
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00:21:23.009 --> 00:21:27.109
I like the part where the kookaburra keeps waking up
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the other animals.
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00:21:28.779 --> 00:21:29.839
My name is Noah.
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00:21:30.299 --> 00:21:34.539
I'm from Portland, Oregon, and my favorite circle around is.
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00:21:34.859 --> 00:21:35.920
The Snow Eater.
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00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:41.849
My name is Morgan. I live in Mobile, Alabama. I
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00:21:41.900 --> 00:21:46.210
love all the circle around stories, but my most favorite
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00:21:46.369 --> 00:21:50.029
is the Three-Legged Pot. My favorite part is when the
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Three-Legged Pot says.
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Time to skip and skip. Whee!
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My name is Abby, and I'm from Maryland. And my
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00:21:58.769 --> 00:22:03.849
favorite circle around story is the laughing bird. And my
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00:22:03.910 --> 00:22:10.079
favorite part is when Hakabura gets to join the sky people.
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My name is Adele and my favorite Circle Round podcast
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00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:18.380
is the polka dotted pigeon because I like the part
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00:22:18.420 --> 00:22:22.450
when the king sees two pigeons in the cage. My
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00:22:22.509 --> 00:22:27.150
name is Odette and I live in Framingham, Massachusetts. And
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00:22:27.450 --> 00:22:32.119
my favorite Circle Round story is Donkey Business because I
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00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:35.619
like the part when she plays a trick on Enzo.
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00:22:36.750 --> 00:22:41.849
I'm Luna Pearl, and I come from Los Angeles. My
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00:22:41.910 --> 00:22:45.430
favorite story is Granny Snowstorm.
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Did someone mention a story you've missed? Not to worry. Grown-ups,
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you can find all of our Circle Round stories, plus
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00:22:52.779 --> 00:22:55.880
links to the Circle Round Club, picture books, coloring pages,
356
00:22:56.019 --> 00:23:00.700
and oh so much more on our website, wbur.org slash circleround.
