Full Transcript for 'Maya's Feathers' | feat. Vella Lovell

I need 36 00:02:17.409 --> 00:02:18.969 to visit Mama's workshop for a while. 37 00:02:19.460 --> 00:02:21.699 Maya spent part of each day as an apprentice at 38 00:02:21.740 --> 00:02:25.080 her mother's shop. She loved being alone with Mama. It 39 00:02:25.139 --> 00:02:26.479 was their special time. 40 00:02:26.919 --> 00:02:29.469 Maya, can you please take this hem and use your 41 00:02:29.530 --> 00:02:32.990 seam ripper to pull it out? Somehow I made it 42 00:02:33.050 --> 00:02:33.629 too short. 43 00:02:34.030 --> 00:02:34.729 Of course, Mama. 44 00:02:35.189 --> 00:02:38.710 While Maya and her mother worked, an older woman, Mrs. Meyer, 45 00:02:38.909 --> 00:02:40.009 breezed through the door. 46 00:02:41.229 --> 00:02:41.500 Mrs. 47 00:02:41.560 --> 00:02:45.680 Meyer always wore a big, fancy hat and always fanned 48 00:02:45.719 --> 00:02:51.740 herself with it as she complained. And Mrs. Meyer always complained. 49 00:02:52.300 --> 00:02:57.060 about her children, her aches and pains, her noisy neighbors, everything. 50 00:02:57.699 --> 00:03:00.990 But she was a regular customer, and Mama was always 51 00:03:01.099 --> 00:03:01.849 kind to her. 52 00:03:02.169 --> 00:03:05.990 Hello, Mrs. Meyer. Another crisp day out there, huh? So 53 00:03:06.189 --> 00:03:07.250 what can we do for you? 54 00:03:07.530 --> 00:03:07.770 Mrs. 55 00:03:07.830 --> 00:03:09.669 Meyer fanned herself with her hat. 56 00:03:10.069 --> 00:03:15.169 What can you do? Something you've already done, actually. This sweater. 57 00:03:15.650 --> 00:03:18.560 It's torn again. You know, I really wish you could 58 00:03:18.599 --> 00:03:20.439 have fixed it the first time around. 59 00:03:21.009 --> 00:03:22.550 Maya's mother smiled. 60 00:03:22.909 --> 00:03:24.389 I'm sorry, Mrs. Meyer. 61 00:03:25.050 --> 00:03:26.349 We'll take a look at it today. 62 00:03:26.650 --> 00:03:28.289 Why don't you come back tomorrow? 63 00:03:28.750 --> 00:03:31.370 Mrs. Meyer tossed the sweater on the counter, put her 64 00:03:31.469 --> 00:03:34.889 big fancy hat back on her head, then stomped out 65 00:03:34.909 --> 00:03:35.270 the door. 66 00:03:35.900 --> 00:03:39.719 Gosh, what a rude woman. Sometimes when she scrunches her 67 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:42.199 nose up, I think she looks like a mean cat. 68 00:03:42.659 --> 00:03:46.599 Oh, Maya, be nice. Who knows why Mrs. Meyer is 69 00:03:46.680 --> 00:03:50.469 in a bad mood? Maybe she isn't feeling well. It 70 00:03:50.669 --> 00:03:52.530 probably has nothing to do with us. 71 00:03:53.310 --> 00:03:56.379 Later that day, another regular customer swung by the shop. 72 00:03:56.909 --> 00:04:01.080 Like Mrs. Meyer, Dr. Stern was older, and he loved 73 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:02.240 to talk. 74 00:04:02.460 --> 00:04:05.120 So then my daughter comes to visit, and she reads 75 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:09.509 me the newspaper, and you simply won't believe it. Mrs. 76 00:04:09.610 --> 00:04:10.240 Milner's son. 77 00:04:10.250 --> 00:04:15.389 He talked and talked and talked. Sometimes Maya wondered if 78 00:04:15.430 --> 00:04:17.149 he had time to breathe. 79 00:04:17.449 --> 00:04:20.420 Oh, he used to be such a nice boy, such 80 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:22.139 a nice boy. 81 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:27.220 Maya's mother nodded and smiled. Maya, on the other hand, 82 00:04:27.339 --> 00:04:28.240 rolled her eyes. 83 00:04:28.300 --> 00:04:30.480 When, at last, Dr. Stern went home, Maya heaved a 84 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:31.000 sigh of relief. 85 00:04:38.680 --> 00:04:39.879 Whew, yeesh. 86 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:44.040 Does that man ever stop talking? It's like he's a parrot, 87 00:04:44.199 --> 00:04:46.040 only he's repeating his own words. 88 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:48.560 Oh, Maya, try to understand. 89 00:04:49.180 --> 00:04:49.480 Dr. 90 00:04:49.519 --> 00:04:52.629 Stern is probably just lonely. You know he lives at 91 00:04:52.689 --> 00:04:57.350 home all by himself. Listen, that's enough work for today. 92 00:04:58.209 --> 00:05:00.750 Thank you for your help, Maya. Now, can you please 93 00:05:00.910 --> 00:05:04.009 go home and make sure your younger siblings are bathed 94 00:05:04.089 --> 00:05:06.339 and fed some dinner? I'll be back as soon as 95 00:05:06.399 --> 00:05:06.779 I can. 96 00:05:07.180 --> 00:05:07.899 Of course, Mama. 97 00:05:09.449 --> 00:05:12.750 So Maya headed home, opened the door to her cottage, 98 00:05:13.230 --> 00:05:16.889 and when she looked at the kitchen table, she gasped. 99 00:05:17.850 --> 00:05:25.649 She'd never seen anything like it. And you probably haven't either. 100 00:05:26.129 --> 00:05:39.769 We'll tell you more after a quick break. Welcome back 101 00:05:39.810 --> 00:05:43.290 to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear. Today, our story is 102 00:05:43.389 --> 00:05:53.439 called Maya's Feathers. Before the break, we met a big 103 00:05:53.519 --> 00:05:57.600 sister named Maya. As the oldest of four children, Maya 104 00:05:57.620 --> 00:05:59.930 helped take care of the little ones while her mother 105 00:05:59.959 --> 00:06:03.470 worked as a seamstress in town. Maya often lent a 106 00:06:03.490 --> 00:06:06.629 hand at her mama's shop. There, she met all the 107 00:06:06.689 --> 00:06:11.430 town regulars, and sometimes she got frustrated with them and 108 00:06:11.550 --> 00:06:15.569 said mean things. She just couldn't stop herself. One day, 109 00:06:15.949 --> 00:06:19.519 after helping Mama rip out some seams, Maya returned home 110 00:06:19.620 --> 00:06:22.680 to make dinner for her brothers and sisters. When she 111 00:06:22.759 --> 00:06:25.939 walked through the door, can you guess what she saw? 112 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:29.810 Sitting on the wooden chairs around the kitchen table were 113 00:06:29.870 --> 00:06:35.550 not one, not two, but three... Turtles?! Each turtle was 114 00:06:35.569 --> 00:06:38.689 wearing a shirt or a dress, the same shirts and 115 00:06:38.730 --> 00:06:42.389 dresses Maya

helped her siblings put on that morning. You know, 116 00:06:42.509 --> 00:06:45.660 when Harry, Birdie, and Nicola were running late and Maya 117 00:06:45.699 --> 00:06:50.060 had complained that they were, yes, as slow as turtles? 118 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:51.180 Oh, no! 119 00:06:51.560 --> 00:06:54.339 Harry, Birdie, Nicola! What have I done? 120 00:06:54.920 --> 00:06:58.550 Listen, don't move a muscle. Or a shell. I'll be 121 00:06:58.569 --> 00:06:59.689 back as fast as I can. 122 00:07:00.189 --> 00:07:03.769 Maya spun around and began running back to her mother's shop. 123 00:07:04.430 --> 00:07:06.689 Oh no, oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no. 124 00:07:06.790 --> 00:07:07.910 What will I tell Mama? 125 00:07:08.410 --> 00:07:11.250 As Maya sprinted through the town, she almost tripped over 126 00:07:11.329 --> 00:07:13.990 a cat that was slinking through the middle of the market. 127 00:07:14.689 --> 00:07:17.360 Yikes! Sorry about that, kitty. I didn't see you. 128 00:07:17.829 --> 00:07:20.740 Maya looked down and noticed the cat was dragging a 129 00:07:20.860 --> 00:07:27.220 big fancy hat, one Maya had seen countless times before. Mrs. Meyer? 130 00:07:27.939 --> 00:07:29.139 Is that you? 131 00:07:29.160 --> 00:07:33.250 Oh my goodness, what is happening around here? 132 00:07:33.689 --> 00:07:37.589 Breathless, Maya finally reached her mother's shop. She burst through 133 00:07:37.610 --> 00:07:37.930 the door. 134 00:07:38.250 --> 00:07:40.990 Mama, Mama, you won't believe this, but my brother and 135 00:07:41.050 --> 00:07:42.490 sisters have turned into turtles. 136 00:07:42.970 --> 00:07:43.430 And Mrs. 137 00:07:43.490 --> 00:07:45.629 Meyer, she's become a cat. 138 00:07:45.949 --> 00:07:49.680 Suddenly, there was a squawking sound by the window. Maya 139 00:07:49.720 --> 00:07:52.279 turned her head, and can you guess what she saw? 140 00:07:52.899 --> 00:07:56.639 That's right, a parrot. And who had Maya referred to 141 00:07:56.839 --> 00:08:01.620 as a parrot earlier that day? Right again. Dr. Stern. 142 00:08:01.959 --> 00:08:03.300 What is going on? 143 00:08:03.639 --> 00:08:07.199 Maya expected her mother to leap up in surprise. Instead, 144 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:10.439 Mama seemed calmer than ever as she sat at her 145 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:14.100 sewing machine. She took off her glasses and handed Maya 146 00:08:14.180 --> 00:08:15.160 a glass of water. 147 00:08:15.560 --> 00:08:21.110 Maya, take a deep breath. Everything's going to be okay. 148 00:08:21.670 --> 00:08:22.310 It is? 149 00:08:22.889 --> 00:08:25.889 It is. How can you possibly know that? 150 00:08:26.360 --> 00:08:29.339 Well, let's just say something like this might have happened 151 00:08:29.399 --> 00:08:34.179 to me when I was your age. Listen, go visit 152 00:08:34.220 --> 00:08:36.860 your Uncle Leo up the hill at the edge of town. 153 00:08:37.340 --> 00:08:42.970 He'll know exactly what to do. But you'll need this. 154 00:08:43.730 --> 00:08:47.090 Mama reached down under her sewing machine and handed Maya 155 00:08:47.269 --> 00:08:49.350 a big feather pillow. 156 00:08:49.870 --> 00:08:51.049 A feather pillow? 157 00:08:51.610 --> 00:08:52.009 Why? 158 00:08:52.509 --> 00:08:53.490 Mama smiled. 159 00:08:53.830 --> 00:08:55.549 Just trust me. 160 00:08:55.960 --> 00:08:59.299 So, tucking the big feather pillow under her arm, Maya 161 00:08:59.370 --> 00:09:02.950 raced over to Uncle Leo's house. It was a breezy evening, 162 00:09:03.269 --> 00:09:05.289 and Maya felt the wind in her face as she 163 00:09:05.409 --> 00:09:08.549 dashed up the hill where he lived. As always, her 164 00:09:08.629 --> 00:09:11.350 favorite uncle had a big smile on his face when 165 00:09:11.370 --> 00:09:12.409 he answered the door. 166 00:09:13.129 --> 00:09:17.210 Maya, what a lovely surprise. What brings you here this 167 00:09:17.269 --> 00:09:17.929 fine evening? 168 00:09:18.169 --> 00:09:20.919 Uncle Leo, you have to help me. You see, my 169 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:23.639 sisters and brother have turned into turtles, and Mrs. Meyer's 170 00:09:23.659 --> 00:09:27.360 become a cat, and Dr. Stern is a parrot, and... and... 171 00:09:27.779 --> 00:09:29.110 I just don't know what to do. 172 00:09:29.750 --> 00:09:33.679 Uncle Leo ran his fingers through his long, white beard. 173 00:09:34.379 --> 00:09:40.330 Okay, Maya, take a deep breath. You know, I've actually 174 00:09:40.370 --> 00:09:41.769 seen this happen before. 175 00:09:42.169 --> 00:09:43.769 That's what my mama said. 176 00:09:44.009 --> 00:09:47.669 Uncle Leo noticed the big feather pillow tucked under Maya's arm. 177 00:09:48.549 --> 00:09:48.769 Ah. 178 00:09:49.250 --> 00:09:51.909 And I see she sent you with the exact tool 179 00:09:51.990 --> 00:09:52.610 we need. 180 00:09:53.129 --> 00:09:56.809 You mean this pillow? Yeah, I have no idea what 181 00:09:56.850 --> 00:09:57.250 it's for. 182 00:09:57.590 --> 00:09:58.429 Well, I'll show you. 183 00:09:58.450 --> 00:09:59.600 Here. 184 00:10:00.509 --> 00:10:01.789 Come out to the back porch. 185 00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:05.320 The porch offered a lovely view of the town below. 186 00:10:06.039 --> 00:10:09.080 Maya marveled at the way the lit-up houses and street 187 00:10:09.139 --> 00:10:12.620 lamps twinkled in the night. The evening breeze blew Uncle 188 00:10:12.700 --> 00:10:15.340 Leo's long white beard this way and that. 189 00:10:15.639 --> 00:10:20.110 Now, Maya, you worked at the shop today. By any chance, 190 00:10:20.409 --> 00:10:22.190 do you have your seam ripper with you? 191 00:10:22.590 --> 00:10:22.960 I do. 192 00:10:23.429 --> 00:10:25.919 Mama had me ripping stitches so she could redo a hem. 193 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:26.500 Good. 194 00:10:27.039 --> 00:10:30.200 Then here's what I need you to do. Take that 195 00:10:30.299 --> 00:10:33.100 seam ripper and tear open that pillow. 196 00:10:33.419 --> 00:10:35.139 Maya's eyes grew wide. 197 00:10:35.299

--> 00:10:37.159 Tear open my pillow? 198 00:10:37.379 --> 00:10:40.809 But... No buts. Just do as I say. 199 00:10:41.210 --> 00:10:44.590 So Maya took the seam ripper from her pocket, held 200 00:10:44.629 --> 00:10:50.289 it to the pillow's seam, and began to tear. Immediately, 201 00:10:50.330 --> 00:10:53.850 the feathers from inside the pillow came flying out, and 202 00:10:54.149 --> 00:10:57.100 as the wind picked up, they went drifting all the 203 00:10:57.139 --> 00:10:59.240 way down the hill toward the town. 204 00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:04.679 Okay, Maya, now I need you to go collect those feathers. 205 00:11:05.139 --> 00:11:06.679 Maya's jaw dropped. 206 00:11:06.899 --> 00:11:10.279 But Uncle Leo, the feathers have drifted all over the place, 207 00:11:10.539 --> 00:11:13.879 down the hill and across the town. There's no way 208 00:11:13.960 --> 00:11:14.759 I can find them all. 209 00:11:15.100 --> 00:11:16.379 Uncle Leo grinned. 210 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:19.049 Exactly, Maya, exactly. 211 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:21.559 Maya shook her head in confusion. 212 00:11:21.899 --> 00:11:26.259 Maya, what you say is true. Once you release those feathers, 213 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:30.620 you will never find them again. It's an awful lot. 214 00:11:31.580 --> 00:11:32.860 Like your words. 215 00:11:33.500 --> 00:11:34.730 My words? 216 00:11:35.179 --> 00:11:41.009 Yes. Calling your brother and sisters turtles. Referring to Mrs. 217 00:11:41.129 --> 00:11:44.950 Meyer as a cat. And Dr. Stern as a parrot. 218 00:11:46.009 --> 00:11:50.059 Once those words leave your mouth... They can't be taken 219 00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:51.539 back any easier. 220 00:11:51.559 --> 00:11:53.639 Then those feathers can. 221 00:11:54.200 --> 00:11:57.419 Uncle Leo's eyes twinkled as bright as the houses and 222 00:11:57.460 --> 00:12:00.820 street lamps in the town below. Gently, he placed a 223 00:12:00.860 --> 00:12:02.419 hand on Maya's shoulder. 224 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:07.019 My child, it's all right to get mad or frustrated. 225 00:12:08.419 --> 00:12:12.419 But before you say something you can't take back, take 226 00:12:12.470 --> 00:12:18.570 a deep breath and think. Treat your words like feathers. 227 00:12:19.409 --> 00:12:20.539 Like feathers. 228 00:12:21.159 --> 00:12:22.039 Exactly. 229 00:12:24.340 --> 00:12:28.019 That night, as Maya walked through town, once again she 230 00:12:28.100 --> 00:12:31.840 saw Mrs. Meyer and Dr. Stern. Only Mrs. Meyer was 231 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:35.700 buying groceries, and Dr. Stern was chatting with the blacksmith. 232 00:12:36.200 --> 00:12:40.190 No fur or feathers to be seen. As Maya passed them, 233 00:12:40.509 --> 00:12:44.769 she offered a friendly wave, and they waved back. And 234 00:12:44.809 --> 00:12:47.269 when Maya got back home, who else did she see 235 00:12:47.429 --> 00:12:51.500 but Harry, Bertie, and Nicolau? looking like themselves again and 236 00:12:51.559 --> 00:12:54.059 playing a game of cards with their mother. They all 237 00:12:54.139 --> 00:12:55.940 smiled at Maya as she walked in. 238 00:12:56.580 --> 00:12:59.320 Boy, you have no idea how happy I am to 239 00:12:59.379 --> 00:13:03.250 see you all. Harry, Birdie, Nicola, I am so sorry 240 00:13:03.289 --> 00:13:06.230 for being short with you this morning. Mind if I 241 00:13:06.289 --> 00:13:06.929 join your game? 242 00:13:07.409 --> 00:13:09.889 And as Maya sat down at the table with her family, 243 00:13:10.409 --> 00:13:14.980 her hard-working mother and her wonderfully boisterous little siblings, she 244 00:13:15.049 --> 00:13:17.419 noticed her heart felt light. Light? 245 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:18.620 Light. 246 00:13:26.970 --> 00:13:30.220 Now it's your turn. Do you remember a time when 247 00:13:30.259 --> 00:13:34.220 you said something then wished you hadn't? Maybe you teased 248 00:13:34.279 --> 00:13:37.200 a friend or said angry words to a family member. 249 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:41.220 It happens to all of us sometimes, even grown-ups. Sit 250 00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:43.559 down with someone you love and tell them the words 251 00:13:43.580 --> 00:13:46.899 you used. Then ask if they've ever said something they 252 00:13:46.919 --> 00:13:50.340 wish they hadn't. Like Maya's feathers, you can't take those 253 00:13:50.379 --> 00:13:52.840 words back. But you sure can think about ways to 254 00:13:52.879 --> 00:14:03.000 be more thoughtful the next time. This week's story, Maya's Feathers, 255 00:14:03.399 --> 00:14:06.850 was adapted by Circle Round's executive producer, Jessica Alpert, and 256 00:14:06.970 --> 00:14:10.870 edited by me, Rebecca Scheer. Thanks to Rabbi Keith Stern 257 00:14:10.889 --> 00:14:14.330 of Temple Beth Avodah in Newton, Massachusetts, who introduced us 258 00:14:14.529 --> 00:14:20.169 to this folktale. Circle Round's original music and sound design 259 00:14:20.190 --> 00:14:23.649 is by Eric Shimalonis. Our artist is Sabina Han. Our 260 00:14:23.710 --> 00:14:28.350 intern is Gabby Mirzoski. Special thanks to this week's actors, 261 00:14:28.789 --> 00:14:34.110 Evan Casey, James Konacek, Marianne Nichols, Tracy Oliveira, Sophie Williams, 262 00:14:34.370 --> 00:14:38.440 and Vela Lavelle. You can see Vela in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 263 00:14:38.500 --> 00:14:41.659 on the CW television network, and you can hear Vela 264 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:46.950 in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power on Netflix. The 265 00:14:46.970 --> 00:14:51.129 featured instrument in today's story was the diatonic accordion. You 266 00:14:51.149 --> 00:14:53.350 can learn more about this buttoned accordion and see a 267 00:14:53.370 --> 00:14:59.149 picture on our website, wbur.org slash circleround. Haven't yet subscribed 268 00:14:59.210 --> 00:15:02.350 to Circle Round? Find us on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or 269 00:15:02.570 --> 00:15:05.450 wherever you get your podcasts. And please write us a review. 270 00:15:05.830 --> 00:15:08.990 It helps other people find the show. Circle Round is 271 00:15:09.029 --> 00:15:16.570 a production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station. I'm Rebecca Shearer. 272 00:15:17.220 --> 00:15:18.370 Thanks for circling around with us.