TRANSCRIPT 🔗
WEBVTT
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Produced by the iLab at WBUR Boston.
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Have you ever heard the expression, what goes around comes around?
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What comes to mind when you hear that phrase? Well,
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in today's story, that saying comes to life with help
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from three talking animals, two very different sisters, and one
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bag of treasure. Whistling I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to
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Circle Round, where story time happens all the time. Today
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our story is called Granny's Leather Bag. Versions of this
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tale come from England, Scotland, and Ireland, countries off the
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coast of continental Europe. You'll also hear variations in parts
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of the United States. Some really great people came together
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to bring you our adaptation of this folktale, including Orla Brady. Grown-ups,
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you might recognize Orla from Star Trek Picard on CBS
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All Access and Into the Badlands on AMC. So, circle around, everyone.
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For Granny's Leather Bag. Long ago, in the emerald green
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countryside of Ireland, there lived two sisters, Abigail and Bridget.
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Abigail was younger. Bridget was older, and the two couldn't
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have been more different. While Abigail was a hard-working lass,
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Bridget never lifted a finger. And while Abigail was always
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thinking of others, Bridget thought of no one but herself.
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The sisters shared a cozy blue farmhouse with their mother
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and their granny. Granny worked hard every day of her life,
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growing crops and fixing up the house. And when her
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days came to an end, and her tired lungs breathed
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their last breath, she left a special gift for her
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daughter and granddaughters, a big leather bag brimming with silver coins.
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After the funeral, Mother hung Granny's leather bag on a
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shiny brass hook by the door.
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Well, daughters, it breaks my heart that we won't be
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seeing your Granny again. But how generous of her to
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leave us such riches! Thanks to the silver coins in
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this bag, the three of us will never go hungry.
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Never.
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Well, as we're about to hear, Mother may have spoken
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a bit too soon. You see, not long after Granny
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left this world, Mother was up late sewing by the
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light of the fire when she heard a knock at
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the door. Standing in the doorway was a frail old
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woman clutching a long white cane.
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Sorry to disturb you, but I've been wandering about and
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the wind is howling something fierce. Might I warm myself
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by your fire?
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But of course, please come in.
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Mother led the woman to the fireplace, then went to
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the kitchen to make a pot of tea. But when
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she came back, she noticed the front door was open.
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Oh!
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The old woman was gone. Oh my! and Granny's leather
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bag was nowhere to be seen. The shiny brass hook
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where it usually hung was empty.
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Oh, no!
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The next morning, after a sleepless night, Mother told Bridget
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and Abigail that Granny's leather bag had disappeared, and with it,
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all of their savings.
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Bridget, since you're the oldest, why don't you go out
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into the world and find your fortune? Abigail and I
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will stay here at the house. And if we don't
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hear back from you, we'll know you made it big.
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So Bridget set out across the countryside. The sky was
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gray as slate, and before long it began to drizzle.
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Then rain, then pour. Bridget was soaked to the bone
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when she stumbled upon a tumbledown cottage with peeling paint
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and a crooked roof. With a trembling hand, she knocked
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on the splintered wooden door. And who should answer that door?
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May I help you?
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But the old woman with the long white cane. The
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same woman who had run off with Granny's leather bag.
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But Bridget didn't recognize the woman. After all, Bridget had
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been asleep when the mysterious stranger stole the bag from
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the farmhouse. So, through chattering teeth, Bridget asked if she
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could stay the night.
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Load full transcript
Well, I don't let anyone stay here for free. If
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you promise to cook my dinner and clean my house
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when I go out tomorrow.
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I'll let you sleep on my couch. But.
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The old woman leaned in so close, Bridget could count
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her straggly nose hairs.
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You must never, ever look up my chimney.
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Not ever.
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No.
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Get some rest. You have a lot of work tomorrow.
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By the time Bridget woke up the next morning, the
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old woman had gone out.
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I can't believe I promised that woman I'd do all
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her cooking and cleaning. My baby sister Abigail would love
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this job.
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Me?
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Not so much.
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Bridget found a broom and half-heartedly began sweeping the floor.
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As she pushed a pile of cinders around the fireplace,
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she thought about the old woman's words.
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You must never, ever look up my chimney.
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Not ever!
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Hmm.
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I wonder what could be up that chimney of hers. Well,
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there's no harm in taking just one eensy-weensy look.
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Is there? Bridget craned her neck and squinted up into
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the dark, drafty flue.
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Whoa, would you look at that? It's Granny's leather bag
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of silver coins.
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Ha!
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Hanging right there in the chimney.
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Now, if you were in Bridget's shoes, what would you do?
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Would you leave the bag where it was? Or would
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you reach up and grab it and take it back
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to your family?
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The End.
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Well, as we're about to hear, Bridget didn't do either
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of those things. We'll find out what she did do
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after a quick break. Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm
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Rebecca Shear. Today our story is called Granny's Leather Bag.
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When we left off, Bridget did something she had been
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told not to do. She looked up the chimney of
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a tumble-down cottage with peeling paint and a crooked roof.
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The cottage belonged to an old woman, the same old
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woman who had stolen Granny's leather bag of coins from
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Bridget's family. And now, as Bridget peered up inside the
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chimney and saw that very bag, she decided to take
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it for her own.
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I mean.
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ma'am did tell me to go out and find my fortune,
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who knew it would.
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Be so easy to find? Bridget reached up, seized the bag,
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then dashed out the door and down the road. She
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hadn't gotten very far when she came upon a brown
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cow grazing in a field.
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Please, miss, could you stop a moment and milk me?
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Bridget blinked her eyes.
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I'm sorry, did you just Say something.
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I said, could you please stop and milk me? I
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haven't been milked in seven long years. And I truly
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appreciate it if you could.
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Oh, I don't have time to go around milking every
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cow I see.
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I have more important.
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Things to do.
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Like run off with my newfound fortune.
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Then she continued on her way, leaving the brown cow behind.
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Before long, Bridget came upon a grey sheep standing in
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a meadow.
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Please, miss, could you stop for a moment and shear me?
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Bridget threw up her hands.
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What?
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You need something too?
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All I'm asking, if you could please stop and shear me.
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I haven't been sheared in seven long years, and it
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would mean so much.
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If you could.
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Oh, I don't have time to give a sheep a haircut.
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I have more important things to do.
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Like spend this big bag of silver on something fancy.
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Then she continued on her way, leaving the gray sheep behind.
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Bridget was running out of steam when she came upon
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a black horse near a willow tree.
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Please, miss, could you stop for a moment and brush
me?
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Bridget slumped her shoulders.
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Not another talking animal.
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What do you want?
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I'm wondering if you could please stop and brush me.
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I haven't been brushed in seven long years, and I'd
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be absolutely grateful if you could.
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No, forget it.
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I'm not milking any cows, I'm not shearing any sheep,
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and I'm certainly not brushing any horses. I have more
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important things to do. Like start my brand new life
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as a wealthy woman.
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But.
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Bridget yawned and eyed a soft patch of grass beneath
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the willow tree.
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Maybe a quick nap wouldn't hurt.
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Then she plopped down on the ground, flung one arm
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over Granny's leather bag, and fell fast asleep. Meanwhile, back
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at the tumble-down cottage with peeling paint and a crooked roof,
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the old woman came home to an uncooked dinner and
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a filthy house. A filthy, empty house. Bridget was gone,
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and so was the leather bag. The old woman grabbed
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her long white cane, stormed out the door. and went
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along the road until she came to the brown cow
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grazing in the field.
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Hey, you there! Cow!
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Did you see a young woman go by just now,
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carrying a big leather bag?
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The cow blinked its eyes and thought about how unhelpful
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Bridget had been.
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Actually, I did. If you're looking for her, she went that-a-way.
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The cow flicked its tail to one side, and the
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old woman hurried off. Soon she came to the gray
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sheep standing in the meadow.
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Hey, you there!
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Sheep!
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Did you see a young woman go by just now,
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carrying a big leather bag?
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The sheep nodded its head and thought about how rude
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Bridget had been.
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Actually, I did. If you're wondering where she went off to,
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she headed that way.
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--> 00:11:39.590
The sheep pointed a hoof, and the old woman hurried off.
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Before long, she came to the black horse near the
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willow tree.
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Hey, you there!
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Horse!
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Did you see a young woman go by just now?
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Carrying a big leather bag?
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The horse straightened its shoulders and thought about how impolite
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Bridget had been.
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Actually, I did. If you're wondering where she is, she's
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snoozing under that tree right there.
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The old woman shuffled over and lifted her long white
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cane high in the air. Then she tapped Bridget's shoulder
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two times, and just like that, Bridget turned in to stone.
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The old woman cackled as she pulled the leather bag
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out of Bridget's cold gray arms. Then she hobbled back
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to her tumbledown cottage with peeling paint and a crooked roof. Now,
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back at the cozy blue farmhouse, Mother and Abigail were struggling.
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Their crops weren't growing, their roof was leaking, and no
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matter how many odd jobs they took on, they simply
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couldn't make ends meet. After weeks of empty bellies and
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frowning faces, Mother made a decision.
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Abigail, it's time you followed your older sister and went
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off to find your fortune.
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But Mom, I want to stay here and help you.
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No, lass, it's time.
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So Abigail gave her mom a hug, and set out
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across the countryside. There was a breeze in the air,
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and before long that breeze became a draft, then a gust,
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then a gale. Bridget was trying not to get blown
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over when she found herself knocking on the splintered wooden
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door of a tumble-down cottage with peeling paint and a
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crooked roof. And who should answer that door?
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May I help you?
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But the old woman with the long white cane. But remember...
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Abigail had no idea who the woman was. Like Bridget,
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she had been fast asleep when the old woman stole
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the leather bag. So, as Abigail stood there shivering in
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the wind, she asked the old woman if she could
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stay the night. The woman said yes, provided she cooked
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dinner and cleaned the house.
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And one more thing. You must never, ever look up
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my chimney.
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Not ever. Go to sleep.
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You have a lot of work to do tomorrow.
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The next morning, while the old woman was out, Abigail
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baked bread, whipped up a stew, and swept, dusted, and
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scrubbed the cottage high and low. Remembering the old woman's warning,
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she squeezed her eyes shut as she scoured the inside
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of the chimney. But then, something came tumbling down the flue.
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before landing on the ground with a thud. Abigail popped
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her eyes open and smiled.
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Could it be.
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Granny's leather bag? I must take it home to Mom.
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She'll be so relieved.
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Abigail picked up the bag, then sped out the door
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and down the road. She hadn't gotten far when she
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came to the brown cow grazing in the field.
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Please, Miss... Could you stop for a moment and milk me?
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I haven't been milked in seven long years, and I'd
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truly appreciate it if you could help me out.
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Now, remember how Bridget responded to the cow, saying how
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she had more important things to do? Well, guess how
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Abigail responded when the cow asked to be milked?
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Oh, you poor dear. Of course I'll milk you.
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Then generous Abigail stopped, milked the cow, and continued on
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her way. Before long, she came to the gray sheep
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standing in the meadow.
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Please, miss, could you stop for a moment and shear me?
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I haven't been sheared in seven long years. Oh, it
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would mean so much if you could help me out.
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Oh, you poor thing. Of course I'll shear you.
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So helpful Abigail stopped, sheared the sheep, then continued on
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her way. Next, she came to the black horse near
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the willow
tree.
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Please, miss, could you stop for a moment and brush me?
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I haven't been brushed in seven long years, and I'd
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be absolutely grateful if you could help me out.
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Oh, you poor creature. Of course I'll brush you.
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So kind-hearted Abigail stopped and brushed the horse. Suddenly, the
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young woman realized how exhausted she was. It had been
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quite a morning. Spying the willow tree? She decided she
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would take a rest beneath its branches.
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I might even lie next to that strange gray stone
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over there. Funny, if I didn't know better, I'd say
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that stone looks just like a woman sleeping.
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Then Abigail stretched out beneath the tree and nodded off. Meanwhile,
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back at the tumble-down cottage with peeling paint and a
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crooked roof, the old woman came home to a scrumptious
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dinner and a spotless house. A spotless... empty house, Abigail
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was gone, and so was the leather bag. The old
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woman grabbed her long white cane, stomped out the door,
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and went along the road until she came to the
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brown cow.
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Cow?
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Did you see a young woman go by just now,
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carrying a big leather bag?
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The cow chewed its cud and thought about how generous
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Abigail had been.
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Don't you think I have better things to do than
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pay attention to every single person who passes by? Go
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ask someone else.
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The old woman grunted and went on until she came
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to the gray sheep.
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Sheep!
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Did you see a young woman go by just now,
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carrying a big leather bag?
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The sheep cocked its head and thought about how helpful
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Abigail had been.
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Don't you think I have better things to do than
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pay attention to every single person who passes by? Go
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ask someone else.
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The old woman grumbled and went on until she came
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to the black horse.
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Horse!
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Did you see a young woman go by just now?
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Carrying a big leather bag?
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The horse snorted and thought about how kind-hearted Abigail had been.
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Then it opened its mouth and began.
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To nay.
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Nay!
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Just as the horse hoped, the commotion jerked Abigail wide awake.
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What's going on?
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This woman, Abigail, she's going to tap you with her
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magic cane and turn you into stone, just like she
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did with your sister.
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Abigail gasped. Suddenly, she understood why the stone next to
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her looked like a sleeping woman. It was actually Bridget.
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Abigail sprang to her feet. She thrust out her arms
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yanked the long white cane from the woman's gnarled hands,
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then tapped her bony shoulder two times. Just like that,
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the old woman turned into stone. Abigail breathed a sigh
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of relief. Then she bent down and tapped the sleeping
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stone next to her. Immediately, Bridget came back to life. What?
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What happened?
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Where am I?
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Abigail slung Granny's leather bag over her shoulder and explained
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everything that had happened to her. Then Bridget got to
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her feet and explained everything that had happened to her.
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With tears in her eyes, the older sister apologized for
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trying to steal Granny's leather bag.
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I'm sorry, little sister.
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I was acting no better than the old woman when
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she first swiped Granny's bag from our house. And now
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look at her.
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The sisters gazed down at the woman, silent and still
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and cold and grey. And they realized the old saying
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was true. What goes around comes around, especially when you
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have a heart of stone. now it's your turn speaking
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of what goes around comes around think about a time
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you did something positive something that put good out into
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the world and then something good happened to you find
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a piece of paper and divide it into two sections
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on one side of the paper draw a picture of
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you doing your positive action then on the other side
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draw a picture of what came around as a result
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Share your picture with a grown-up, and if you'd like,
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share it with us. Ask your grown-up to take a
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photo of your drawing, then email it to circleround at wbur.org.
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This week's story, Granny's Leather Bag, was adapted by me,
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Rebecca Shear. It was edited by Virginia Marshall. Circle Round's
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executive producer is Catherine Brewer. Our original music and sound
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design is by Eric Shimalonis. If you like Eric's music,
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you will love the music of Circle Round Volume 1,
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our soundtrack from our first season. To get your copy,
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visit our website, wbur.org slash circleround, and click on Soundtrack
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and Coloring Pages. While you're there, you can find a
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bunch of black and white illustrations by Circle Round's artist,
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Sabina Han. She's created a picture for every single Circle
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Round story, and you can color them in while you listen,
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or anytime. Special thanks to this week's actors. Grown-ups, you
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can see Orla in Star Trek Picard on CBS All
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Access and Into the Badlands on AMC. And for our
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grown-up listeners in the UK and Ireland, be on the
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lookout for Orla's new film, Rose Plays Julie, this May.
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Our featured instrument this week was the Irish flute. You
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can learn more about this wooden wind instrument on our website. Again,
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that's WBUR.org slash CircleRound. Never want to miss an episode
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of CircleRound? Ask your grown-up to subscribe on Apple Podcasts
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or whatever podcast app they use. And please leave us
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some stars, write us a review, or just tell your
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friends about the show. CircleRound is a production of WBUR,
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Boston's NPR news station. I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling
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around with us. One of the best things about creating
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00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:48.309
Circle Round is hearing from listeners like you. Circle Round
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00:22:48.349 --> 00:22:51.230
fans have been telling us about their favorite Circle Round stories,
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and we're excited to share some of their voices with you.
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My name is Juniper. I live in Colorado. My favorite
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is Sweet Corn and Clever Rabbit because I like to
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tell the rabbits out every single corn in the cob.
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to every single one of his friends.
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I'm Audrey Murdoch, and I live in Toronto, Canada, and
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my favorite Circle Round story is The Woman on the
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Moon because I like how they realize that they could
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work together to light up the night, and goodbye.
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Did someone mention an episode you missed? No problem. You
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00:23:30.529 --> 00:23:33.529
can find every single Circle Round story on our website.
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That's wbur.org slash Circle Round, or wherever you and your
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grown-ups get your podcasts.