WEBVTT
1
00:00:01.209 --> 00:00:04.870
Produced by the iLab at WBUR Boston.
2
00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:13.179
Have you ever gotten caught telling a fib? Maybe you
3
00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:15.779
told a grown-up that you put your toys away, but
4
00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:17.940
then they found all your stuff shoved under your bed.
5
00:00:18.500 --> 00:00:21.769
Or you swore that you brushed your teeth, when really, well,
6
00:00:22.250 --> 00:00:25.149
you didn't. It's happened to the best of us. And
7
00:00:25.190 --> 00:00:27.190
in today's tale, we'll meet someone who gets caught in
8
00:00:27.230 --> 00:00:30.769
a lie they cannot deny. And the proof... is in
9
00:00:30.929 --> 00:00:40.159
the palms. I'm Rebecca Shearer, and welcome to Circle Round,
10
00:00:40.359 --> 00:00:43.420
where story time happens all the time. Today our story
11
00:00:43.460 --> 00:00:46.399
is called Clear as a Bell. Versions of this tale
12
00:00:46.460 --> 00:00:50.429
come from China. Interestingly, you'll also hear variations from the
13
00:00:50.649 --> 00:00:54.850
Ozark Mountain region of the United States. Some really great
14
00:00:54.869 --> 00:00:57.630
people came together to bring you our adaptation of this folktale.
15
00:00:58.020 --> 00:01:01.380
including someone you grown-ups may recognize from Top Chef and
16
00:01:01.460 --> 00:01:06.299
The Chew, Carla Hall. Her Food Network special, Holiday Baking Championship,
17
00:01:06.379 --> 00:01:09.269
is out now, along with her new children's book, Carla
18
00:01:09.390 --> 00:01:15.150
and the Christmas Cornbread. So, circle around, everyone, for Clear
19
00:01:15.530 --> 00:01:24.049
as a Bell. Many moons ago, there lived a justice
20
00:01:24.109 --> 00:01:28.189
who was renowned for her fairness and wisdom. People journeyed
21
00:01:28.269 --> 00:01:31.269
to her courtroom from miles around, eager to have the
22
00:01:31.329 --> 00:01:35.430
brilliant woman settle their disputes. One morning, the justice was
23
00:01:35.469 --> 00:01:38.750
in her chambers preparing for another day in court when
24
00:01:38.790 --> 00:01:42.439
the owner of a jewelry store walked in. The store
25
00:01:42.540 --> 00:01:46.519
owner's eyes brimmed with tears as he explained that, just yesterday,
26
00:01:46.939 --> 00:01:49.659
his jewelry shop had been robbed.
27
00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:52.689
It was dinner time, Your Honor. And I was closing
28
00:01:52.730 --> 00:01:55.049
up for the day when I discovered that a diamond
29
00:01:55.209 --> 00:01:59.390
necklace was gone. It wasn't in its case. I searched
30
00:01:59.430 --> 00:02:02.959
the store high and low, but I couldn't find it anywhere.
31
00:02:03.579 --> 00:02:06.879
I'm certain, Your Honor, that the necklace was stolen.
32
00:02:06.900 --> 00:02:10.159
The justice furrowed her brow as she handed the man
33
00:02:10.219 --> 00:02:10.659
a tissue.
34
00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:14.710
I'm sorry to hear it, sir. Do you have any
35
00:02:14.810 --> 00:02:16.909
idea who could have taken the necklace?
36
00:02:17.389 --> 00:02:19.509
Well, that's the problem, Your Honor.
37
00:02:20.500 --> 00:02:21.960
The store owner wiped his nose.
38
00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:26.539
I don't know who the thief is. Business was brisk yesterday,
39
00:02:26.580 --> 00:02:30.180
and I must have seen dozens of customers. I called
40
00:02:30.199 --> 00:02:32.259
them all up when I got home, but not one
41
00:02:32.280 --> 00:02:35.990
of them would confess. Every single person who visited my
42
00:02:36.060 --> 00:02:38.090
store yesterday claims they're innocent.
43
00:02:38.969 --> 00:02:39.840
I see.
44
00:02:40.750 --> 00:02:43.810
The justice tapped her chin as she gazed thoughtfully at
45
00:02:43.849 --> 00:02:44.409
the ceiling.
46
00:02:45.169 --> 00:02:50.759
All right, sir. Here's what we're going to do. Tomorrow morning,
47
00:02:51.460 --> 00:02:55.099
I'll have all of the suspects brought to my courtroom.
48
00:02:56.159 --> 00:02:59.180
I want you to be there, too. And I promise,
49
00:02:59.979 --> 00:03:04.139
by the time the day is through, we'll find our
50
00:03:04.259 --> 00:03:07.900
culprit and you'll find your necklace.
51
00:03:10.139 --> 00:03:13.300
Once the store owner left, the justice summoned her clerks,
52
00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:15.280
her assistants, to her chamber.
53
00:03:16.180 --> 00:03:19.439
Listen, folks. I want you to go out and find
54
00:03:19.460 --> 00:03:25.569
me A bell. I'd also like you to bring some
55
00:03:25.669 --> 00:03:30.419
sturdy rope, a dozen pots of black ink, some poles,
56
00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:36.599
and some curtains. Thick, heavy curtains. The darker, the better.
57
00:03:38.099 --> 00:03:38.960
Now hop to it.
58
00:03:41.009 --> 00:03:44.150
The next morning, the justice's courtroom was packed with people.
59
00:03:44.669 --> 00:03:47.650
The store owner was there, along with a handful of guards,
60
00:03:47.990 --> 00:03:51.520
a throng of onlookers, plus dozens of suspects in the
61
00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:55.360
theft of the diamond necklace. Sitting at her bench was
62
00:03:55.400 --> 00:03:59.560
the justice, her sharp eyes scanning the crowd. Never before
63
00:03:59.620 --> 00:04:03.330
had she seen this many suspects in one case. But
64
00:04:03.509 --> 00:04:05.969
instead of calling each suspect up to the bench and
65
00:04:06.069 --> 00:04:08.830
questioning them, she made an announcement.
66
00:04:09.330 --> 00:04:14.069
Ladies and gentlemen, I have presided over this court for
67
00:04:14.210 --> 00:04:20.110
many years, and I have tried many cases. I have
68
00:04:20.199 --> 00:04:26.370
found thousands of people innocent and thousands of people guilty.
69
00:04:28.350 --> 00:04:32.629
But the decision in today's case will not be made
70
00:04:32.709 --> 00:04:38.720
by me. Instead, I've brought in some help. Clerks?
71
00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:44.300
The courtroom door opened and the justices' clerks appeared. They
72
00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:48.110
were pushing a cart. On the cart was a massive
73
00:04:48.430 --> 00:04:52.160
bronze bell. as wide as a table and as tall
74
00:04:52.259 --> 00:04:56.279
as the justice herself. The assembled crowd watched with fascination
75
00:04:56.420 --> 00:04:59.079
as the clerks attached the gleaming bell to a rope
76
00:04:59.300 --> 00:05:02.660
suspended from the ceiling. The bell hung just low enough
77
00:05:02.740 --> 00:05:04.329
to walk up and touch.
78
00:05:05.129 --> 00:05:10.069
Ladies and gentlemen, this bell that hangs before you, it
79
00:05:10.569 --> 00:05:14.889
will tell the guilty from the innocent and the innocent
80
00:05:15.569 --> 00:05:20.810
from the guilty. It's will issue a ruling on this case.
81
00:05:21.639 --> 00:05:23.589
The crowd was astounded.
82
00:05:24.310 --> 00:05:29.149
You see, ladies and gentlemen, this bell is touched with
83
00:05:29.209 --> 00:05:33.550
a sort of magic. In order for that magic to work,
84
00:05:34.430 --> 00:05:38.230
I will need all of our suspects to please rise
85
00:05:38.350 --> 00:05:43.129
from their seats and form a single file line facing
86
00:05:43.350 --> 00:05:43.829
the bell.
87
00:05:44.790 --> 00:05:48.600
The suspects were confused by the judge's request, but they
88
00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:50.860
got to their feet and did as they were told.
89
00:05:51.500 --> 00:05:57.680
Good. Now, one by one, I want you to approach
90
00:05:57.720 --> 00:06:02.920
the bell and deliver your testimony. Tell the bell everything
91
00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:06.959
you remember about the day of the robbery, what time
92
00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:11.850
you visited the jewelry store, the reason you visited the
93
00:06:11.889 --> 00:06:17.629
jewelry store, and whether you came home with anything, whether purchased...
94
00:06:17.980 --> 00:06:19.100
Or stolen.
95
00:06:19.660 --> 00:06:23.199
The suspects were even more perplexed now. Was the judge
96
00:06:23.339 --> 00:06:27.720
really asking them to talk to a bell? But again,
97
00:06:27.980 --> 00:06:30.410
they did as instructed and took turns walking up to
98
00:06:30.430 --> 00:06:32.529
the bell and sharing their stories.
99
00:06:33.810 --> 00:06:39.769
Okay, well, if memory serves, I visited the jewelry store
100
00:06:40.110 --> 00:06:42.879
around nine o'clock in the morning.
101
00:06:43.259 --> 00:06:47.300
Around 12 o'clock noon. Around 6 in the evening, I think.
102
00:06:47.579 --> 00:06:50.160
Just before closing time. I was there to buy a
103
00:06:50.259 --> 00:06:52.379
present for my niece's birthday.
104
00:06:52.579 --> 00:06:54.509
For my nephew's graduation.
105
00:06:54.750 --> 00:06:56.490
For my sister's wedding.
106
00:06:56.870 --> 00:06:58.870
In the end, I bought some earrings.
107
00:06:59.290 --> 00:07:00.410
Some cufflinks.
108
00:07:00.790 --> 00:07:02.269
A bracelet and a ring.
109
00:07:02.689 --> 00:07:05.959
I didn't buy anything myself, but that doesn't mean I stole.
110
00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:08.639
I definitely did not steal.
111
00:07:09.100 --> 00:07:10.279
I'm innocent.
112
00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:11.319
So innocent.
113
00:07:11.720 --> 00:07:13.720
You have to believe me.
114
00:07:15.100 --> 00:07:18.500
The stories went on and on. When the suspects finally
115
00:07:18.579 --> 00:07:21.660
finished and returned to their seats, the justice laid her
116
00:07:21.779 --> 00:07:25.680
elbows on the bench, clasped her hands together, and addressed
117
00:07:25.819 --> 00:07:26.220
the court.
118
00:07:27.180 --> 00:07:31.120
All right, ladies and gentlemen. Now that the bell has
119
00:07:31.290 --> 00:07:36.509
heard our suspect's testimony, it will begin to determine who
120
00:07:36.550 --> 00:07:40.589
the real culprit is. But for the bell's powers to
121
00:07:40.629 --> 00:07:44.879
work properly, It first must be hidden from view.
122
00:07:45.779 --> 00:07:50.920
Clerks? The Justice's clerks scurried over to the bell, their
123
00:07:51.100 --> 00:07:54.600
arms full of the supplies the Justice had requested. They
124
00:07:54.699 --> 00:07:58.040
used the bamboo poles and black velvet curtains to construct
125
00:07:58.100 --> 00:08:01.000
a sort of tent so that the bell was covered completely.
126
00:08:01.779 --> 00:08:04.790
As for the final item on the Justice's list, well,
127
00:08:05.230 --> 00:08:06.629
we'll get to that in just a bit.
128
00:08:07.689 --> 00:08:08.629
Nice work, clerks.
129
00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:15.350
Not an inch of bronze is peeking through. So, now
130
00:08:15.410 --> 00:08:16.209
that that's.
131
00:08:16.009 --> 00:08:18.430
Done, the justice's eyes gleamed.
132
00:08:18.970 --> 00:08:22.029
Let the magic begin.
133
00:08:22.050 --> 00:08:28.620
What do you think will happen next? Does a bronze
134
00:08:28.740 --> 00:08:31.420
bell really have the power to tell the guilty from
135
00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:35.620
the innocent? We'll find out after a quick break.
136
00:08:35.620 --> 00:08:43.750
100 years from now in a land far, far away.
137
00:08:44.289 --> 00:08:48.279
Hang on. It's not so far away at all, actually. Hey,
138
00:08:48.360 --> 00:08:51.019
Circle Round families. We're here to share a new listening
139
00:08:51.080 --> 00:08:55.960
experience from WBUR. The Midnight Rebellion. It's a climate podcast
140
00:08:56.019 --> 00:08:59.220
adventure for kids 8 and up. Time traveling, problem solving,
141
00:08:59.259 --> 00:09:00.080
laughs in danger.
142
00:09:00.340 --> 00:09:00.799
It's here.
143
00:09:01.220 --> 00:09:04.360
Follow the feed to listen. Oh, and bring your goggles
144
00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:07.679
and boots. That's the Midnight Rebellion. In your feed or
145
00:09:07.750 --> 00:09:09.190
wherever you get podcasts.
146
00:09:14.850 --> 00:09:17.870
I'm Rebecca Shearer. Welcome back to Circle Round. Today our
147
00:09:17.909 --> 00:09:28.580
story is called Clear as a Bell. When we left off,
148
00:09:29.019 --> 00:09:32.279
a wise justice was looking for the thief who stole
149
00:09:32.340 --> 00:09:35.779
a diamond necklace from a jewelry store. Before the trial,
150
00:09:36.139 --> 00:09:41.049
the justice asked her clerks to fetch her five things. Rope, poles,
151
00:09:41.629 --> 00:09:45.740
heavy curtains, black ink, and a bell, the biggest bell
152
00:09:45.779 --> 00:09:49.080
they could find. At the trial the following morning, the
153
00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:51.820
judge told the courtroom that this case would be decided
154
00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:55.490
not by her, but by a bell that was touched
155
00:09:55.789 --> 00:09:59.730
with magic. But, the judge explained, the bell's powers only
156
00:09:59.789 --> 00:10:02.100
work if it was out of sight, so she had
157
00:10:02.139 --> 00:10:04.879
her clerks use poles and curtains to build a tent
158
00:10:05.139 --> 00:10:05.539
around it.
159
00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:10.330
All right, ladies and gentlemen, before the bell can reveal
160
00:10:10.490 --> 00:10:15.570
its verdict, we must do one more thing. I want
161
00:10:16.110 --> 00:10:20.029
all of the suspects in this case to stand up again,
162
00:10:20.929 --> 00:10:25.769
then take turns walking up to this tent here, reaching
163
00:10:25.789 --> 00:10:29.879
their hands through the curtains and touching the bell.
164
00:10:31.159 --> 00:10:34.379
A murmur rippled through the courtroom. What stunt was the
165
00:10:34.500 --> 00:10:35.580
justice pulling now?
166
00:10:36.379 --> 00:10:40.799
I'm sensing some confusion in the room. Allow me to explain.
167
00:10:42.700 --> 00:10:47.330
It is believed that if someone touches this bell with
168
00:10:47.389 --> 00:10:54.620
an innocent hand, a hand free of wrongdoing, nothing will happen.
169
00:10:55.899 --> 00:11:01.190
But if you touch the bell with a guilty hand,
170
00:11:02.230 --> 00:11:08.009
a hand that has robbed or stolen, the bell will
171
00:11:08.129 --> 00:11:12.889
ring and ring and ring. It will ring so loud
172
00:11:13.320 --> 00:11:17.200
and so clear that the entire city will hear it.
173
00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:22.820
and the entire city will know of your guilt. So,
174
00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:23.960
shall we begin?
175
00:11:25.779 --> 00:11:28.799
All eyes were on the first suspect as he approached
176
00:11:28.919 --> 00:11:32.870
the bell. Slowly, he lifted his arm, stuck his hand
177
00:11:32.970 --> 00:11:39.210
behind the curtains, and then nothing happened. Now the next
178
00:11:39.429 --> 00:11:42.789
suspect approached. She held out her hand, pushed it behind
179
00:11:42.850 --> 00:11:47.720
the curtains, and again, nothing happened. One by one, the
180
00:11:47.779 --> 00:11:51.200
suspects reached their hands behind the curtains, but each and
181
00:11:51.480 --> 00:11:56.950
every time, the bell stayed silent. Once all the suspects
182
00:11:57.000 --> 00:12:00.070
were back in their seats, the jewelry store owner jumped
183
00:12:00.250 --> 00:12:03.009
up and pointed an accusing finger at the bell. His
184
00:12:03.230 --> 00:12:05.190
face was pinched with anger.
185
00:12:06.710 --> 00:12:10.769
That bell, Your Honor, is bogus. One of these people
186
00:12:10.929 --> 00:12:14.649
stole a diamond necklace from my shop, yet the bell
187
00:12:14.789 --> 00:12:19.450
didn't ring. So much for magic. Now I'll never know
188
00:12:19.509 --> 00:12:20.730
who robbed my store.
189
00:12:21.529 --> 00:12:24.769
The assembled crowd broke out in a hubbub. A stir
190
00:12:24.850 --> 00:12:27.769
swept the room as they chattered amongst themselves. Was the
191
00:12:27.830 --> 00:12:31.029
jewelry store owner right? Was the justice's bell really a
192
00:12:31.070 --> 00:12:31.970
load of bunkum?
193
00:12:33.090 --> 00:12:36.029
Order in the court! Order in the court!
194
00:12:37.830 --> 00:12:40.769
When the room quieted down, the justice turned to the
195
00:12:40.820 --> 00:12:42.820
store owner with a sympathetic look.
196
00:12:43.620 --> 00:12:48.850
Good sir. I understand your frustration, but I promised you
197
00:12:49.669 --> 00:12:54.399
we would find the culprit. And I assure you, we will.
198
00:12:54.820 --> 00:12:56.820
She turned back to the suspects.
199
00:12:57.320 --> 00:13:01.220
Now listen up, folks. If you did not steal the
200
00:13:01.259 --> 00:13:05.600
diamond necklace from the jewelry store, if you believe you
201
00:13:05.700 --> 00:13:10.679
are innocent of this crime, please raise both your hands.
202
00:13:12.470 --> 00:13:15.970
Hand after hand shot up as suspect after suspect proclaimed
203
00:13:16.009 --> 00:13:19.490
their innocence. Before long, the air was swimming with hands.
204
00:13:20.309 --> 00:13:22.210
The justice stood up from her chair and came out
205
00:13:22.250 --> 00:13:25.929
from behind the bench. Her bright eyes traveled across the
206
00:13:25.970 --> 00:13:30.750
room from suspect to suspect until at last they rested
207
00:13:30.889 --> 00:13:33.710
on a tall man in the back row.
208
00:13:34.750 --> 00:13:40.340
You, sir, you are the one who stole the diamond necklace.
209
00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:40.419
Oh.
210
00:13:42.019 --> 00:13:44.679
Guards, take this man away.
211
00:13:45.559 --> 00:13:48.730
Immediately, two burly guards began marching toward the back row.
212
00:13:49.149 --> 00:13:52.889
The man leaped to his feet. But your honor, your honor,
213
00:13:53.490 --> 00:13:55.509
how can I possibly be guilty?
214
00:13:56.149 --> 00:13:59.690
The bell didn't ring when I reached behind the curtains
215
00:13:59.830 --> 00:14:04.539
and touched it. That's because you didn't touch it. Your
216
00:14:04.620 --> 00:14:05.820
hands are clean.
217
00:14:06.460 --> 00:14:07.320
They're what?
218
00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:10.799
All eyes were on the man now. It was true.
219
00:14:11.350 --> 00:14:15.350
His hands were spotless. But as the other suspects began
220
00:14:15.409 --> 00:14:20.710
to realize, their hands were filthy. All of their fingers
221
00:14:20.750 --> 00:14:24.990
and palms were smeared with something black. And when the
222
00:14:25.029 --> 00:14:28.049
judge marched over to the tent and pulled back the curtains,
223
00:14:28.750 --> 00:14:32.610
everyone saw that the bell was smeared with something black, too.
224
00:14:33.529 --> 00:14:35.090
Black ink.
225
00:14:35.990 --> 00:14:40.360
You see, sir, if you had actually touched the bell...
226
00:14:41.080 --> 00:14:45.519
your hands would be covered in ink, just like everyone
227
00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:50.389
else's are. But you didn't touch the bell, did you?
228
00:14:51.309 --> 00:14:56.110
Because you knew you weren't innocent. You didn't touch the
229
00:14:56.129 --> 00:14:59.980
bell because you feared that it would wring out your crime,
230
00:15:00.200 --> 00:15:03.440
your guilt, and let the entire city know you stole
231
00:15:03.460 --> 00:15:07.720
the diamond necklace. This court is adjourned.
232
00:15:09.809 --> 00:15:12.629
And so it was. And with the help of a
233
00:15:12.730 --> 00:15:17.769
magic bell, the case of the stolen necklace was solved. Alright, okay,
234
00:15:17.789 --> 00:15:21.429
so perhaps the bell wasn't actually a magic bell. But
235
00:15:21.470 --> 00:15:24.840
after that case, everyone agreed that the justice was most
236
00:15:25.129 --> 00:15:37.039
definitely a magician. Now it's your turn. Want to solve
237
00:15:37.100 --> 00:15:40.750
a mystery of your own? Why not make A mystery box.
238
00:15:41.610 --> 00:15:44.389
Find a box, any box will do, and put one
239
00:15:44.769 --> 00:15:47.909
item inside. Then close up the box, bring it to
240
00:15:47.950 --> 00:15:50.669
a family member or friend, and have them figure out
241
00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:54.659
your item by asking yes or no questions. Like, can
242
00:15:54.700 --> 00:15:57.159
you write with it? Can you eat it? Is it
243
00:15:57.299 --> 00:16:00.259
bigger than a baseball? Once they figure out your item,
244
00:16:00.500 --> 00:16:03.240
switch places and have your family member or friend put
245
00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:06.879
together a mystery box. Then use your detective skills to
246
00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:17.929
determine what's inside. This week's story, Clear as a Bell,
247
00:16:17.990 --> 00:16:20.710
was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear. It was edited by
248
00:16:20.750 --> 00:16:24.580
our supervising producer, Anne-Marie Sievertson. Eric Shimalonis does all of
249
00:16:24.669 --> 00:16:28.200
our original music and sound design. Our artist is Sabina Han.
250
00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:30.820
Sabina has drawn a black and white picture for every
251
00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:34.039
Circle Round story so you can color while you listen. Grown-ups,
252
00:16:34.179 --> 00:16:36.179
you can find more than 140 of our coloring pages
253
00:16:36.220 --> 00:16:42.049
on our website, wbur.org slash circleround. While you're there, you
254
00:16:42.100 --> 00:16:45.299
can also find links to the Circle Round t-shirt, soundtrack,
255
00:16:45.500 --> 00:16:50.259
and coloring book. Special thanks to this week's actors, Jason Ennis,
256
00:16:50.580 --> 00:16:55.360
Thais Harris, Rishikesh Earway, Edward Hong, Ken Jackson, Faith Saley,
257
00:16:55.720 --> 00:16:59.899
Nick Sholley, Alexia Trainor, and Carla Hall. Carla's Food Network special,
258
00:16:59.960 --> 00:17:02.860
Holiday Baking Championship, is out now, along with her new
259
00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:07.410
children's book, Carla and the Christmas Cornbread. Our featured instrument
260
00:17:07.450 --> 00:17:10.349
this week was the handbells. To learn more about this
261
00:17:10.430 --> 00:17:13.380
handheld percussion instrument and see a photo, you can visit
262
00:17:13.450 --> 00:17:18.839
our website. Again, that's WBUR.org slash CircleRound. Want to help
263
00:17:18.900 --> 00:17:21.700
us spread the CircleRound word? Please give us a five-star
264
00:17:21.740 --> 00:17:24.619
review on your favorite podcast app and tell your friends
265
00:17:24.660 --> 00:17:28.480
to subscribe to the show. CircleRound is a production of WBUR,
266
00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:37.859
Boston's NPR news station. I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling
267
00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:44.299
around with us. One of the best things about creating
268
00:17:44.380 --> 00:17:48.450
Circle Round is hearing from listeners like you. Circle Round
269
00:17:48.490 --> 00:17:51.369
fans have been telling us about their favorite Circle Round stories,
270
00:17:51.849 --> 00:17:54.849
and we're excited to share some of their voices with you.
271
00:17:55.430 --> 00:17:57.589
My name is Audrey, and I'm from Canada.
272
00:17:57.990 --> 00:18:00.609
My favorite stories that you tell is The Princess and
273
00:18:00.650 --> 00:18:04.779
the Egg and The Gold in the Garden. And I
274
00:18:04.819 --> 00:18:09.509
love you because you tell stories. My name is Burleigh,
275
00:18:09.549 --> 00:18:15.410
and I'm from Bath, Maine, and... My favorite story is.
276
00:18:15.049 --> 00:18:20.480
The Noblest Tale because I like when Luna gets the
277
00:18:20.599 --> 00:18:22.640
thorn bush out of his foot.
278
00:18:23.140 --> 00:18:25.059
Hi, my name is Mary Margaret.
279
00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:30.779
I live in Atlanta, Georgia. My favorite circle round story
280
00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:34.119
is The Fire on the Other Side of the World.
281
00:18:34.730 --> 00:18:40.180
because it shows that little friends can do big things. Hi,
282
00:18:40.210 --> 00:18:44.630
my name is Tessa. I'm from Honolulu, and my favorite
283
00:18:44.690 --> 00:18:49.410
story is The Mountain Guardian. And my favorite part of
284
00:18:49.450 --> 00:18:53.079
it is when the shepherdess goes to the mountain and
285
00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:56.599
gets all that money from the lion's mouth.
286
00:18:57.059 --> 00:18:58.519
Hi, my name is Joey.
287
00:18:58.680 --> 00:19:01.700
And I'm from Honolulu, Hawaii. And my favorite circle round
288
00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:04.700
story is The Great Acorn Rubbery. My favorite part of
289
00:19:04.829 --> 00:19:08.730
it is when Hawk turns Squirrel into Flying Squirrel. My
290
00:19:08.769 --> 00:19:11.990
name is Ellie, and I love my girl girl. My
291
00:19:12.089 --> 00:19:16.329
favorite Circle Round story is every one of them, and
292
00:19:16.549 --> 00:19:17.170
I love you.
293
00:19:18.089 --> 00:19:21.250
Did someone mention an episode you missed? No problem! You
294
00:19:21.269 --> 00:19:24.269
can find every single Circle Round story on our website.
295
00:19:24.650 --> 00:19:28.549
That's wbur.org slash Circle Round, or wherever you and your
296
00:19:28.569 --> 00:19:30.009
grown-ups get your podcasts.
1
00:00:01.209 --> 00:00:04.870
Produced by the iLab at WBUR Boston.
2
00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:13.179
Have you ever gotten caught telling a fib? Maybe you
3
00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:15.779
told a grown-up that you put your toys away, but
4
00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:17.940
then they found all your stuff shoved under your bed.
5
00:00:18.500 --> 00:00:21.769
Or you swore that you brushed your teeth, when really, well,
6
00:00:22.250 --> 00:00:25.149
you didn't. It's happened to the best of us. And
7
00:00:25.190 --> 00:00:27.190
in today's tale, we'll meet someone who gets caught in
8
00:00:27.230 --> 00:00:30.769
a lie they cannot deny. And the proof... is in
9
00:00:30.929 --> 00:00:40.159
the palms. I'm Rebecca Shearer, and welcome to Circle Round,
10
00:00:40.359 --> 00:00:43.420
where story time happens all the time. Today our story
11
00:00:43.460 --> 00:00:46.399
is called Clear as a Bell. Versions of this tale
12
00:00:46.460 --> 00:00:50.429
come from China. Interestingly, you'll also hear variations from the
13
00:00:50.649 --> 00:00:54.850
Ozark Mountain region of the United States. Some really great
14
00:00:54.869 --> 00:00:57.630
people came together to bring you our adaptation of this folktale.
15
00:00:58.020 --> 00:01:01.380
including someone you grown-ups may recognize from Top Chef and
16
00:01:01.460 --> 00:01:06.299
The Chew, Carla Hall. Her Food Network special, Holiday Baking Championship,
17
00:01:06.379 --> 00:01:09.269
is out now, along with her new children's book, Carla
18
00:01:09.390 --> 00:01:15.150
and the Christmas Cornbread. So, circle around, everyone, for Clear
19
00:01:15.530 --> 00:01:24.049
as a Bell. Many moons ago, there lived a justice
20
00:01:24.109 --> 00:01:28.189
who was renowned for her fairness and wisdom. People journeyed
21
00:01:28.269 --> 00:01:31.269
to her courtroom from miles around, eager to have the
22
00:01:31.329 --> 00:01:35.430
brilliant woman settle their disputes. One morning, the justice was
23
00:01:35.469 --> 00:01:38.750
in her chambers preparing for another day in court when
24
00:01:38.790 --> 00:01:42.439
the owner of a jewelry store walked in. The store
25
00:01:42.540 --> 00:01:46.519
owner's eyes brimmed with tears as he explained that, just yesterday,
26
00:01:46.939 --> 00:01:49.659
his jewelry shop had been robbed.
27
00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:52.689
It was dinner time, Your Honor. And I was closing
28
00:01:52.730 --> 00:01:55.049
up for the day when I discovered that a diamond
29
00:01:55.209 --> 00:01:59.390
necklace was gone. It wasn't in its case. I searched
30
00:01:59.430 --> 00:02:02.959
the store high and low, but I couldn't find it anywhere.
31
00:02:03.579 --> 00:02:06.879
I'm certain, Your Honor, that the necklace was stolen.
32
00:02:06.900 --> 00:02:10.159
The justice furrowed her brow as she handed the man
33
00:02:10.219 --> 00:02:10.659
a tissue.
34
00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:14.710
I'm sorry to hear it, sir. Do you have any
35
00:02:14.810 --> 00:02:16.909
idea who could have taken the necklace?
36
00:02:17.389 --> 00:02:19.509
Well, that's the problem, Your Honor.
37
00:02:20.500 --> 00:02:21.960
The store owner wiped his nose.
38
00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:26.539
I don't know who the thief is. Business was brisk yesterday,
39
00:02:26.580 --> 00:02:30.180
and I must have seen dozens of customers. I called
40
00:02:30.199 --> 00:02:32.259
them all up when I got home, but not one
41
00:02:32.280 --> 00:02:35.990
of them would confess. Every single person who visited my
42
00:02:36.060 --> 00:02:38.090
store yesterday claims they're innocent.
43
00:02:38.969 --> 00:02:39.840
I see.
44
00:02:40.750 --> 00:02:43.810
The justice tapped her chin as she gazed thoughtfully at
45
00:02:43.849 --> 00:02:44.409
the ceiling.
46
00:02:45.169 --> 00:02:50.759
All right, sir. Here's what we're going to do. Tomorrow morning,
47
00:02:51.460 --> 00:02:55.099
I'll have all of the suspects brought to my courtroom.
48
00:02:56.159 --> 00:02:59.180
I want you to be there, too. And I promise,
49
00:02:59.979 --> 00:03:04.139
by the time the day is through, we'll find our
50
00:03:04.259 --> 00:03:07.900
culprit and you'll find your necklace.
51
00:03:10.139 --> 00:03:13.300
Once the store owner left, the justice summoned her clerks,
52
00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:15.280
her assistants, to her chamber.
53
00:03:16.180 --> 00:03:19.439
Listen, folks. I want you to go out and find
54
00:03:19.460 --> 00:03:25.569
me A bell. I'd also like you to bring some
55
00:03:25.669 --> 00:03:30.419
sturdy rope, a dozen pots of black ink, some poles,
56
00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:36.599
and some curtains. Thick, heavy curtains. The darker, the better.
57
00:03:38.099 --> 00:03:38.960
Now hop to it.
58
00:03:41.009 --> 00:03:44.150
The next morning, the justice's courtroom was packed with people.
59
00:03:44.669 --> 00:03:47.650
The store owner was there, along with a handful of guards,
60
00:03:47.990 --> 00:03:51.520
a throng of onlookers, plus dozens of suspects in the
61
00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:55.360
theft of the diamond necklace. Sitting at her bench was
62
00:03:55.400 --> 00:03:59.560
the justice, her sharp eyes scanning the crowd. Never before
63
00:03:59.620 --> 00:04:03.330
had she seen this many suspects in one case. But
64
00:04:03.509 --> 00:04:05.969
instead of calling each suspect up to the bench and
65
00:04:06.069 --> 00:04:08.830
questioning them, she made an announcement.
66
00:04:09.330 --> 00:04:14.069
Ladies and gentlemen, I have presided over this court for
67
00:04:14.210 --> 00:04:20.110
many years, and I have tried many cases. I have
68
00:04:20.199 --> 00:04:26.370
found thousands of people innocent and thousands of people guilty.
69
00:04:28.350 --> 00:04:32.629
But the decision in today's case will not be made
70
00:04:32.709 --> 00:04:38.720
by me. Instead, I've brought in some help. Clerks?
71
00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:44.300
The courtroom door opened and the justices' clerks appeared. They
72
00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:48.110
were pushing a cart. On the cart was a massive
73
00:04:48.430 --> 00:04:52.160
bronze bell. as wide as a table and as tall
74
00:04:52.259 --> 00:04:56.279
as the justice herself. The assembled crowd watched with fascination
75
00:04:56.420 --> 00:04:59.079
as the clerks attached the gleaming bell to a rope
76
00:04:59.300 --> 00:05:02.660
suspended from the ceiling. The bell hung just low enough
77
00:05:02.740 --> 00:05:04.329
to walk up and touch.
78
00:05:05.129 --> 00:05:10.069
Ladies and gentlemen, this bell that hangs before you, it
79
00:05:10.569 --> 00:05:14.889
will tell the guilty from the innocent and the innocent
80
00:05:15.569 --> 00:05:20.810
from the guilty. It's will issue a ruling on this case.
81
00:05:21.639 --> 00:05:23.589
The crowd was astounded.
82
00:05:24.310 --> 00:05:29.149
You see, ladies and gentlemen, this bell is touched with
83
00:05:29.209 --> 00:05:33.550
a sort of magic. In order for that magic to work,
84
00:05:34.430 --> 00:05:38.230
I will need all of our suspects to please rise
85
00:05:38.350 --> 00:05:43.129
from their seats and form a single file line facing
86
00:05:43.350 --> 00:05:43.829
the bell.
87
00:05:44.790 --> 00:05:48.600
The suspects were confused by the judge's request, but they
88
00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:50.860
got to their feet and did as they were told.
89
00:05:51.500 --> 00:05:57.680
Good. Now, one by one, I want you to approach
90
00:05:57.720 --> 00:06:02.920
the bell and deliver your testimony. Tell the bell everything
91
00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:06.959
you remember about the day of the robbery, what time
92
00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:11.850
you visited the jewelry store, the reason you visited the
93
00:06:11.889 --> 00:06:17.629
jewelry store, and whether you came home with anything, whether purchased...
94
00:06:17.980 --> 00:06:19.100
Or stolen.
95
00:06:19.660 --> 00:06:23.199
The suspects were even more perplexed now. Was the judge
96
00:06:23.339 --> 00:06:27.720
really asking them to talk to a bell? But again,
97
00:06:27.980 --> 00:06:30.410
they did as instructed and took turns walking up to
98
00:06:30.430 --> 00:06:32.529
the bell and sharing their stories.
99
00:06:33.810 --> 00:06:39.769
Okay, well, if memory serves, I visited the jewelry store
100
00:06:40.110 --> 00:06:42.879
around nine o'clock in the morning.
101
00:06:43.259 --> 00:06:47.300
Around 12 o'clock noon. Around 6 in the evening, I think.
102
00:06:47.579 --> 00:06:50.160
Just before closing time. I was there to buy a
103
00:06:50.259 --> 00:06:52.379
present for my niece's birthday.
104
00:06:52.579 --> 00:06:54.509
For my nephew's graduation.
105
00:06:54.750 --> 00:06:56.490
For my sister's wedding.
106
00:06:56.870 --> 00:06:58.870
In the end, I bought some earrings.
107
00:06:59.290 --> 00:07:00.410
Some cufflinks.
108
00:07:00.790 --> 00:07:02.269
A bracelet and a ring.
109
00:07:02.689 --> 00:07:05.959
I didn't buy anything myself, but that doesn't mean I stole.
110
00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:08.639
I definitely did not steal.
111
00:07:09.100 --> 00:07:10.279
I'm innocent.
112
00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:11.319
So innocent.
113
00:07:11.720 --> 00:07:13.720
You have to believe me.
114
00:07:15.100 --> 00:07:18.500
The stories went on and on. When the suspects finally
115
00:07:18.579 --> 00:07:21.660
finished and returned to their seats, the justice laid her
116
00:07:21.779 --> 00:07:25.680
elbows on the bench, clasped her hands together, and addressed
117
00:07:25.819 --> 00:07:26.220
the court.
118
00:07:27.180 --> 00:07:31.120
All right, ladies and gentlemen. Now that the bell has
119
00:07:31.290 --> 00:07:36.509
heard our suspect's testimony, it will begin to determine who
120
00:07:36.550 --> 00:07:40.589
the real culprit is. But for the bell's powers to
121
00:07:40.629 --> 00:07:44.879
work properly, It first must be hidden from view.
122
00:07:45.779 --> 00:07:50.920
Clerks? The Justice's clerks scurried over to the bell, their
123
00:07:51.100 --> 00:07:54.600
arms full of the supplies the Justice had requested. They
124
00:07:54.699 --> 00:07:58.040
used the bamboo poles and black velvet curtains to construct
125
00:07:58.100 --> 00:08:01.000
a sort of tent so that the bell was covered completely.
126
00:08:01.779 --> 00:08:04.790
As for the final item on the Justice's list, well,
127
00:08:05.230 --> 00:08:06.629
we'll get to that in just a bit.
128
00:08:07.689 --> 00:08:08.629
Nice work, clerks.
129
00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:15.350
Not an inch of bronze is peeking through. So, now
130
00:08:15.410 --> 00:08:16.209
that that's.
131
00:08:16.009 --> 00:08:18.430
Done, the justice's eyes gleamed.
132
00:08:18.970 --> 00:08:22.029
Let the magic begin.
133
00:08:22.050 --> 00:08:28.620
What do you think will happen next? Does a bronze
134
00:08:28.740 --> 00:08:31.420
bell really have the power to tell the guilty from
135
00:08:31.439 --> 00:08:35.620
the innocent? We'll find out after a quick break.
136
00:08:35.620 --> 00:08:43.750
100 years from now in a land far, far away.
137
00:08:44.289 --> 00:08:48.279
Hang on. It's not so far away at all, actually. Hey,
138
00:08:48.360 --> 00:08:51.019
Circle Round families. We're here to share a new listening
139
00:08:51.080 --> 00:08:55.960
experience from WBUR. The Midnight Rebellion. It's a climate podcast
140
00:08:56.019 --> 00:08:59.220
adventure for kids 8 and up. Time traveling, problem solving,
141
00:08:59.259 --> 00:09:00.080
laughs in danger.
142
00:09:00.340 --> 00:09:00.799
It's here.
143
00:09:01.220 --> 00:09:04.360
Follow the feed to listen. Oh, and bring your goggles
144
00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:07.679
and boots. That's the Midnight Rebellion. In your feed or
145
00:09:07.750 --> 00:09:09.190
wherever you get podcasts.
146
00:09:14.850 --> 00:09:17.870
I'm Rebecca Shearer. Welcome back to Circle Round. Today our
147
00:09:17.909 --> 00:09:28.580
story is called Clear as a Bell. When we left off,
148
00:09:29.019 --> 00:09:32.279
a wise justice was looking for the thief who stole
149
00:09:32.340 --> 00:09:35.779
a diamond necklace from a jewelry store. Before the trial,
150
00:09:36.139 --> 00:09:41.049
the justice asked her clerks to fetch her five things. Rope, poles,
151
00:09:41.629 --> 00:09:45.740
heavy curtains, black ink, and a bell, the biggest bell
152
00:09:45.779 --> 00:09:49.080
they could find. At the trial the following morning, the
153
00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:51.820
judge told the courtroom that this case would be decided
154
00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:55.490
not by her, but by a bell that was touched
155
00:09:55.789 --> 00:09:59.730
with magic. But, the judge explained, the bell's powers only
156
00:09:59.789 --> 00:10:02.100
work if it was out of sight, so she had
157
00:10:02.139 --> 00:10:04.879
her clerks use poles and curtains to build a tent
158
00:10:05.139 --> 00:10:05.539
around it.
159
00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:10.330
All right, ladies and gentlemen, before the bell can reveal
160
00:10:10.490 --> 00:10:15.570
its verdict, we must do one more thing. I want
161
00:10:16.110 --> 00:10:20.029
all of the suspects in this case to stand up again,
162
00:10:20.929 --> 00:10:25.769
then take turns walking up to this tent here, reaching
163
00:10:25.789 --> 00:10:29.879
their hands through the curtains and touching the bell.
164
00:10:31.159 --> 00:10:34.379
A murmur rippled through the courtroom. What stunt was the
165
00:10:34.500 --> 00:10:35.580
justice pulling now?
166
00:10:36.379 --> 00:10:40.799
I'm sensing some confusion in the room. Allow me to explain.
167
00:10:42.700 --> 00:10:47.330
It is believed that if someone touches this bell with
168
00:10:47.389 --> 00:10:54.620
an innocent hand, a hand free of wrongdoing, nothing will happen.
169
00:10:55.899 --> 00:11:01.190
But if you touch the bell with a guilty hand,
170
00:11:02.230 --> 00:11:08.009
a hand that has robbed or stolen, the bell will
171
00:11:08.129 --> 00:11:12.889
ring and ring and ring. It will ring so loud
172
00:11:13.320 --> 00:11:17.200
and so clear that the entire city will hear it.
173
00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:22.820
and the entire city will know of your guilt. So,
174
00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:23.960
shall we begin?
175
00:11:25.779 --> 00:11:28.799
All eyes were on the first suspect as he approached
176
00:11:28.919 --> 00:11:32.870
the bell. Slowly, he lifted his arm, stuck his hand
177
00:11:32.970 --> 00:11:39.210
behind the curtains, and then nothing happened. Now the next
178
00:11:39.429 --> 00:11:42.789
suspect approached. She held out her hand, pushed it behind
179
00:11:42.850 --> 00:11:47.720
the curtains, and again, nothing happened. One by one, the
180
00:11:47.779 --> 00:11:51.200
suspects reached their hands behind the curtains, but each and
181
00:11:51.480 --> 00:11:56.950
every time, the bell stayed silent. Once all the suspects
182
00:11:57.000 --> 00:12:00.070
were back in their seats, the jewelry store owner jumped
183
00:12:00.250 --> 00:12:03.009
up and pointed an accusing finger at the bell. His
184
00:12:03.230 --> 00:12:05.190
face was pinched with anger.
185
00:12:06.710 --> 00:12:10.769
That bell, Your Honor, is bogus. One of these people
186
00:12:10.929 --> 00:12:14.649
stole a diamond necklace from my shop, yet the bell
187
00:12:14.789 --> 00:12:19.450
didn't ring. So much for magic. Now I'll never know
188
00:12:19.509 --> 00:12:20.730
who robbed my store.
189
00:12:21.529 --> 00:12:24.769
The assembled crowd broke out in a hubbub. A stir
190
00:12:24.850 --> 00:12:27.769
swept the room as they chattered amongst themselves. Was the
191
00:12:27.830 --> 00:12:31.029
jewelry store owner right? Was the justice's bell really a
192
00:12:31.070 --> 00:12:31.970
load of bunkum?
193
00:12:33.090 --> 00:12:36.029
Order in the court! Order in the court!
194
00:12:37.830 --> 00:12:40.769
When the room quieted down, the justice turned to the
195
00:12:40.820 --> 00:12:42.820
store owner with a sympathetic look.
196
00:12:43.620 --> 00:12:48.850
Good sir. I understand your frustration, but I promised you
197
00:12:49.669 --> 00:12:54.399
we would find the culprit. And I assure you, we will.
198
00:12:54.820 --> 00:12:56.820
She turned back to the suspects.
199
00:12:57.320 --> 00:13:01.220
Now listen up, folks. If you did not steal the
200
00:13:01.259 --> 00:13:05.600
diamond necklace from the jewelry store, if you believe you
201
00:13:05.700 --> 00:13:10.679
are innocent of this crime, please raise both your hands.
202
00:13:12.470 --> 00:13:15.970
Hand after hand shot up as suspect after suspect proclaimed
203
00:13:16.009 --> 00:13:19.490
their innocence. Before long, the air was swimming with hands.
204
00:13:20.309 --> 00:13:22.210
The justice stood up from her chair and came out
205
00:13:22.250 --> 00:13:25.929
from behind the bench. Her bright eyes traveled across the
206
00:13:25.970 --> 00:13:30.750
room from suspect to suspect until at last they rested
207
00:13:30.889 --> 00:13:33.710
on a tall man in the back row.
208
00:13:34.750 --> 00:13:40.340
You, sir, you are the one who stole the diamond necklace.
209
00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:40.419
Oh.
210
00:13:42.019 --> 00:13:44.679
Guards, take this man away.
211
00:13:45.559 --> 00:13:48.730
Immediately, two burly guards began marching toward the back row.
212
00:13:49.149 --> 00:13:52.889
The man leaped to his feet. But your honor, your honor,
213
00:13:53.490 --> 00:13:55.509
how can I possibly be guilty?
214
00:13:56.149 --> 00:13:59.690
The bell didn't ring when I reached behind the curtains
215
00:13:59.830 --> 00:14:04.539
and touched it. That's because you didn't touch it. Your
216
00:14:04.620 --> 00:14:05.820
hands are clean.
217
00:14:06.460 --> 00:14:07.320
They're what?
218
00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:10.799
All eyes were on the man now. It was true.
219
00:14:11.350 --> 00:14:15.350
His hands were spotless. But as the other suspects began
220
00:14:15.409 --> 00:14:20.710
to realize, their hands were filthy. All of their fingers
221
00:14:20.750 --> 00:14:24.990
and palms were smeared with something black. And when the
222
00:14:25.029 --> 00:14:28.049
judge marched over to the tent and pulled back the curtains,
223
00:14:28.750 --> 00:14:32.610
everyone saw that the bell was smeared with something black, too.
224
00:14:33.529 --> 00:14:35.090
Black ink.
225
00:14:35.990 --> 00:14:40.360
You see, sir, if you had actually touched the bell...
226
00:14:41.080 --> 00:14:45.519
your hands would be covered in ink, just like everyone
227
00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:50.389
else's are. But you didn't touch the bell, did you?
228
00:14:51.309 --> 00:14:56.110
Because you knew you weren't innocent. You didn't touch the
229
00:14:56.129 --> 00:14:59.980
bell because you feared that it would wring out your crime,
230
00:15:00.200 --> 00:15:03.440
your guilt, and let the entire city know you stole
231
00:15:03.460 --> 00:15:07.720
the diamond necklace. This court is adjourned.
232
00:15:09.809 --> 00:15:12.629
And so it was. And with the help of a
233
00:15:12.730 --> 00:15:17.769
magic bell, the case of the stolen necklace was solved. Alright, okay,
234
00:15:17.789 --> 00:15:21.429
so perhaps the bell wasn't actually a magic bell. But
235
00:15:21.470 --> 00:15:24.840
after that case, everyone agreed that the justice was most
236
00:15:25.129 --> 00:15:37.039
definitely a magician. Now it's your turn. Want to solve
237
00:15:37.100 --> 00:15:40.750
a mystery of your own? Why not make A mystery box.
238
00:15:41.610 --> 00:15:44.389
Find a box, any box will do, and put one
239
00:15:44.769 --> 00:15:47.909
item inside. Then close up the box, bring it to
240
00:15:47.950 --> 00:15:50.669
a family member or friend, and have them figure out
241
00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:54.659
your item by asking yes or no questions. Like, can
242
00:15:54.700 --> 00:15:57.159
you write with it? Can you eat it? Is it
243
00:15:57.299 --> 00:16:00.259
bigger than a baseball? Once they figure out your item,
244
00:16:00.500 --> 00:16:03.240
switch places and have your family member or friend put
245
00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:06.879
together a mystery box. Then use your detective skills to
246
00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:17.929
determine what's inside. This week's story, Clear as a Bell,
247
00:16:17.990 --> 00:16:20.710
was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear. It was edited by
248
00:16:20.750 --> 00:16:24.580
our supervising producer, Anne-Marie Sievertson. Eric Shimalonis does all of
249
00:16:24.669 --> 00:16:28.200
our original music and sound design. Our artist is Sabina Han.
250
00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:30.820
Sabina has drawn a black and white picture for every
251
00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:34.039
Circle Round story so you can color while you listen. Grown-ups,
252
00:16:34.179 --> 00:16:36.179
you can find more than 140 of our coloring pages
253
00:16:36.220 --> 00:16:42.049
on our website, wbur.org slash circleround. While you're there, you
254
00:16:42.100 --> 00:16:45.299
can also find links to the Circle Round t-shirt, soundtrack,
255
00:16:45.500 --> 00:16:50.259
and coloring book. Special thanks to this week's actors, Jason Ennis,
256
00:16:50.580 --> 00:16:55.360
Thais Harris, Rishikesh Earway, Edward Hong, Ken Jackson, Faith Saley,
257
00:16:55.720 --> 00:16:59.899
Nick Sholley, Alexia Trainor, and Carla Hall. Carla's Food Network special,
258
00:16:59.960 --> 00:17:02.860
Holiday Baking Championship, is out now, along with her new
259
00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:07.410
children's book, Carla and the Christmas Cornbread. Our featured instrument
260
00:17:07.450 --> 00:17:10.349
this week was the handbells. To learn more about this
261
00:17:10.430 --> 00:17:13.380
handheld percussion instrument and see a photo, you can visit
262
00:17:13.450 --> 00:17:18.839
our website. Again, that's WBUR.org slash CircleRound. Want to help
263
00:17:18.900 --> 00:17:21.700
us spread the CircleRound word? Please give us a five-star
264
00:17:21.740 --> 00:17:24.619
review on your favorite podcast app and tell your friends
265
00:17:24.660 --> 00:17:28.480
to subscribe to the show. CircleRound is a production of WBUR,
266
00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:37.859
Boston's NPR news station. I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling
267
00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:44.299
around with us. One of the best things about creating
268
00:17:44.380 --> 00:17:48.450
Circle Round is hearing from listeners like you. Circle Round
269
00:17:48.490 --> 00:17:51.369
fans have been telling us about their favorite Circle Round stories,
270
00:17:51.849 --> 00:17:54.849
and we're excited to share some of their voices with you.
271
00:17:55.430 --> 00:17:57.589
My name is Audrey, and I'm from Canada.
272
00:17:57.990 --> 00:18:00.609
My favorite stories that you tell is The Princess and
273
00:18:00.650 --> 00:18:04.779
the Egg and The Gold in the Garden. And I
274
00:18:04.819 --> 00:18:09.509
love you because you tell stories. My name is Burleigh,
275
00:18:09.549 --> 00:18:15.410
and I'm from Bath, Maine, and... My favorite story is.
276
00:18:15.049 --> 00:18:20.480
The Noblest Tale because I like when Luna gets the
277
00:18:20.599 --> 00:18:22.640
thorn bush out of his foot.
278
00:18:23.140 --> 00:18:25.059
Hi, my name is Mary Margaret.
279
00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:30.779
I live in Atlanta, Georgia. My favorite circle round story
280
00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:34.119
is The Fire on the Other Side of the World.
281
00:18:34.730 --> 00:18:40.180
because it shows that little friends can do big things. Hi,
282
00:18:40.210 --> 00:18:44.630
my name is Tessa. I'm from Honolulu, and my favorite
283
00:18:44.690 --> 00:18:49.410
story is The Mountain Guardian. And my favorite part of
284
00:18:49.450 --> 00:18:53.079
it is when the shepherdess goes to the mountain and
285
00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:56.599
gets all that money from the lion's mouth.
286
00:18:57.059 --> 00:18:58.519
Hi, my name is Joey.
287
00:18:58.680 --> 00:19:01.700
And I'm from Honolulu, Hawaii. And my favorite circle round
288
00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:04.700
story is The Great Acorn Rubbery. My favorite part of
289
00:19:04.829 --> 00:19:08.730
it is when Hawk turns Squirrel into Flying Squirrel. My
290
00:19:08.769 --> 00:19:11.990
name is Ellie, and I love my girl girl. My
291
00:19:12.089 --> 00:19:16.329
favorite Circle Round story is every one of them, and
292
00:19:16.549 --> 00:19:17.170
I love you.
293
00:19:18.089 --> 00:19:21.250
Did someone mention an episode you missed? No problem! You
294
00:19:21.269 --> 00:19:24.269
can find every single Circle Round story on our website.
295
00:19:24.650 --> 00:19:28.549
That's wbur.org slash Circle Round, or wherever you and your
296
00:19:28.569 --> 00:19:30.009
grown-ups get your podcasts.
