WEBVTT
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Produced by the iLab at WBUR Boston.
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Close your eyes and imagine you're at your favorite place.
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Maybe it's a park. Maybe it's a city. Maybe it's
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the home of someone you love. Think hard about that place.
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What do you see?
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What do you hear?
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Do you smell anything? Taste anything? Now open your eyes
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again and poof! You're back where you started. That is
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the power of imagination. And in today's tale, we'll get
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reacquainted with a fellow who harnesses that power masterfully. I'm
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Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens
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all the time. Today our story is called The Fire Within.
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You'll hear variations of this tale in many places, from
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the southwestern United States... to Ethiopia, Kenya, and the West Indies,
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to the Balochistan region of South and Western Asia. Our
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adaptation is especially influenced by versions from Turkey, which feature Nasruddin,
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a legendary trickster whom you may recall from our Season
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2 story, The Unwelcome Guest. Some really great people came
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together to bring you our story, including actor and comedian
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Maz Jobrani. whom you NPR fans may recognize from Wait, Wait,
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Don't Tell Me. Maz has a new comedy special, Pandemic Warrior,
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as well as his own podcast, Back to School, with
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Maz Jobrani. So circle around, everyone, for The Fire Within.
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It was a blustery autumn afternoon. and three scholars were
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sipping cups of sweet hot tea in a cafe off
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the town square. Through the cafe's windows, the scholars could
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see their fellow townspeople rushing by with chattering teeth and
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upturned collars as the bitter wind whistled and howled.
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My goodness, friends, it's so cold out there.
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When I went to the barn this morning and milked
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my cow, she gave me ice cream.
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You're telling me when I went into the kitchen and
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opened my icebox, my house actually got warmer.
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And when I stepped outside to come meet you all,
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my shadow froze to the ground. And when I took
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a step, it snapped right off.
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As the scholars chuckled and chortled, the front door burst open.
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And a familiar voice rang out.
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Greetings, friends!
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The scholars put down their teacups and swiveled their eyes
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toward the door. There, standing in the cafe's entrance, wearing
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his usual mischievous grin, was their clever old friend, Nasruddin.
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My, my, look at the three of you. You're shaking
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harder than a bowl of rice pudding on the back
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of a galloping donkey.
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The scholars smiled and rubbed their hands together.
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Well... Can you blame us, Nostradine?
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It's frigid out there.
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Downright freezing.
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Nostradine pulled up a chair and joined his friends at
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the table.
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Well, I suppose it is a bit chilly outside. But really,
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it's not so bad. I suppose when your brain works
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as hard and fast as mine does, it generates enough
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power to keep you nice and toasty.
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The scholars felt themselves bristle. They had always envied Nostradine's
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brilliant mind. and they had always resented how boastful he
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could be about it. But perhaps here was a chance
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to take their smart, alecky pal down a notch. The
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scholars exchanged a look, then leaned back in their chairs
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and folded their arms.
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You know, Nasruddin... If you really think the weather is
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not so bad.
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Why don't you prove it?
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Nasruddin raised an eyebrow. He could tell his comrades were
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up to something.
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Prove it, you say?
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Yes.
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We dare you.
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To stay outside all night. Twilight to daybreak.
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With nothing to keep you warm.
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Now Nasruddin leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. Hmm.
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Stay outside all night, huh? With no coat?
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No coat.
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And no blanket?
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No blanket.
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And no fire?
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No fire. Not even a thermos of hot, sweet tea.
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Nostradine stroked his chin and thought for a moment. Then
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he sat up straight and tall and fixed the scholars
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with a twinkling gaze.
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All right, friends.
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I accept your challenge. From twilight to daybreak, I will
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stay out in the town square with nothing to keep
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me warm but the shirt on my back. If I
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make it through the night, the three of you will
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treat me to a lavish dinner. But if I give
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up before sunrise, then I will treat you to a
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lavish dinner. In fact, I'll invite you all to my
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house and I'll prepare a meal that you'll never forget.
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What do you say?
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The scholars leaned in toward one another and exchanged some
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whispered words. Then they turned back to their friend.
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All right, Nasruddin.
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We accept your bet.
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And we look forward to that lavish dinner of yours.
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That night, as darkness fell and the stars popped out
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one by one in the vast blue-black sky, Nostradine strode
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into the town square. The air was so brisk he
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could see his breath, yet he wore nothing more than
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his usual tunic and pants and carried nothing more than
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a big, thick book. He found a bench in the
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middle of the square, plopped himself down, and by the
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light of the bright golden moon he began to read.
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The air grew chillier, but Nasruddin kept reading. The wind
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grew fiercer, but Nasruddin kept reading. Then, finally, as the
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clock struck twelve, Nasruddin laid his book down on the bench.
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His hands were so cold and stiff he could no
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longer turn the pages. Nasruddin's eyes roved around the shadowy square.
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He spied shops and markets, restaurants and houses, all of
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them closed up and sleeping for the night. But inside
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one house, all the way across the square, Nastruddin caught
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sight of something that made his freezing cold face break
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into a warm, toothy grin. Aha! And suddenly, Nastruddin knew
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he was going to win the bet. What do you
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think Nastruddin spotted across the town square? And is the
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wise man right? Will it help him win the bet?
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We'll find out after a quick break. Welcome back to
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Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear. Today our story is called
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The Fire Within. Before the break, three jealous scholars issued
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a challenge to Nasruddin. If he could stay outside all
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night in the freezing cold without anything to keep him warm,
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they would treat him to a lavish feast. But if
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he couldn't do it, he would owe them a lavish feast.
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After a few hours outside, Nasruddin could hardly feel his
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fingers or toes. But suddenly, he spotted something that made
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his heart leap with joy. Ah!
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Ah, a candle.
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Indeed, all the way across the square, in the window
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of a quiet little house, burned a single candle, its
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white wax dripping as its golden flame danced and leaped.
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Nasruddin fixed his eyes on the candle. It was about
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a hundred yards away. And as Nasruddin stared at the
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flickering flame, he imagined it to be a roaring, blazing fire.
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He pictured himself curled up beside that fire, fragrant gray
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smoke curling into his nostrils as he basked in the
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heat radiating from the crackling, popping red-hot wood. And thus
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Nasruddin sat all night long. And when the stars disappeared
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and up came the sun, the wise man went back home,
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took a hot, bubbly bath, then returned to the cafe,
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where the three scholars were waiting at their usual table.
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sipping their sweet hot tea.
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Hey, good morning, my friends. I think we'd better talk
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about where you're taking me to dinner.
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The scholars dropped their teacups with a clatter.
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Nasruddin!
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Are you saying you won the bet?
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But how did you make it through the night?
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Nasruddin pulled up a chair and told the scholars the
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whole story, how he had sat in the town square.
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feeling his fingers and toes growing number and number until
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right around midnight. He had caught sight of a candle
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in a far-off window.
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And do you know what I did? I pretended that
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candle was a raging, blazing fire. I used the powers
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of my mind to imagine its warmth, its heat, and thus,
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in doing so, I managed to stay out until daybreak.
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Nasruddin clapped his hands together in triumph.
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And so, since I won the bet, where are you
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three taking me to dinner?
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I want that lavish feast.
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Nasruddin flashed the scholars a grin. They did not grin back. Instead,
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they leaned in toward one another, exchanged some whispered words,
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then turned back to their friend with a shrug.
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We're sorry, Nasruddin.
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But we aren't taking you to dinner.
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You lost the bet!
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Nasruddin shook his head.
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Now, now, now, I did not lose the bet. I
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did exactly what you challenged me to do. I stayed
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outside all night long with nothing to keep me warm.
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No coat, no blanket, no fire.
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See, that's where you're wrong, Nasruddin.
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You did have a fire.
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You had a candle!
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Nasruddin was quiet for a moment. Then he slapped his
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hand on the table and let out a laugh. I see.
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You three are pulling my leg. Surely you know I
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couldn't possibly keep myself warm with the heat from that candle.
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It was a hundred yards away, behind a closed window.
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That's a very funny joke, friends. A very funny joke.
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But Nostradine's friends were not joking.
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See, that's where you're wrong, Nostradine.
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A candle gives off heat.
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And you warmed yourself by the heat of that candle.
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So....
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You lost the bet.
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And we won.
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And now you owe us a lavish feast.
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Nostradine crossed his arms and scowled. These three actually believed
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that the heat of a candle 100 yards away could
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keep a person warm through the night? And they dared
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to call themselves scholars? How could such wise people be
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so foolish? But Nasruddin gave in and told his friends
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he would make good on his promise and have them
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over for dinner. On the appointed evening, the scholars made
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their way to Nasruddin's house with grinning faces and grumbling bellies.
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When they stepped into his dining room, they noticed the
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table was bare.
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Hey, welcome, my friends, welcome. As you can see, I'm
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still cooking your lavish feast. But please, have a seat,
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make yourself comfortable, and I'll bring your food out the
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moment it's ready.
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As Nasruddin disappeared into the kitchen, the scholars gathered around
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the table. They waited 10 minutes, then 20, then 30,
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and after 60 minutes went by, an entire hour, they
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called out to Nasruddin in the kitchen.
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Um, Nasruddin? It's been an hour already.
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How's that food coming?
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Nasruddin stuck his head out the kitchen door.
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Oh, it's coming, it's coming. It shouldn't be much longer.
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Eventually, another hour went by, and there was still no
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sign of the food. In fact, the three scholars couldn't
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even smell anything cooking. Surely by now, a cloud of
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delicious aromas should be drifting from the kitchen and wafting
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out into the dining room.
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Uh, Nasruddin?
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Is everything okay?
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Are you really still cooking the food?
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Again, Nasruddin popped his head out the door.
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Actually, I am still cooking the food.
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Here, come see.
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The ravenous scholars leapt from their chairs and scurried into
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the kitchen. And what they saw made their empty stomachs
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do a flip-flop. Hanging from the ceiling, suspended by a
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silver chain, was a huge black pot. Sitting on the floor,
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about a foot beneath the pot, was a flickering candle.
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So you see, friends, like I said, dinner is cooking.
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I appreciate your patience.
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Nasruddin grabbed a spoon and gave the pot a good stir.
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The scholars shook their heads.
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But Nasruddin, you'll never cook the food in that pot
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with the heat from that candle.
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The flame is too small.
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Too weak. Not to mention too far away.
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Nasruddin stopped stirring and batted his eyes.
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Oh, is it?
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Because I figured that if a candle can keep a
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person warm as it burns 100 yards away, then surely
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a candle can cook a pot of food from just
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one foot away. Or do you scholars disagree?
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The scholars fell silent. for they knew their goose was cooked,
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even if their food wasn't. They also knew what the
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brilliant fellow standing before them had always known, that the
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old saying is true, and revenge truly is a dish
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best served cold. Now it's your turn. Use your imagination
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to dream up the most lavish feast you can think of.
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What kinds of food would you serve? Find some paper
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and draw a picture of your feast. Each and every
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appetizer and entree, drink and dessert. Share your picture with
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someone you would want to invite to your feast. And then,
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if you'd like, share your picture with us. Grown-ups, our
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email address is circleround at wbur.org. This week's story, The
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Fire Within... was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear. It was
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edited by Amory Sievertson. Circle Round's original music and sound
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design is by Eric Shimalonis. Our artist is Sabina Han.
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Sabina has drawn a black and white picture for all
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of our Circle Round stories, and you can print them
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out and color them in. Ask a grown-up to visit
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our website, wbur.org slash circleround, and click on Soundtrack and
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Coloring Pages. Special thanks to this week's actors. Jefferson Russell,
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Alexia Trainor, Chris Tucci, and Maz Jobrani. Grown-ups, Maz's comedy special,
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Pandemic Warrior, is streaming now on Peacock. You can find
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his podcast, Back to School with Maz Jobrani, wherever you
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get your podcasts. And tune into your local NPR station
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to hear Maz as a panelist on Wait, Wait, Don't
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Tell Me. Our featured instrument this week was the oud.
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You can read about this pear-shaped, stringed instrument and see
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a photo of Eric Shimalonis playing it on our website.
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Once more, that's WBUR.org slash CircleRound. CircleRound is a production
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of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station. I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks
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for circling around with us. One of the best things
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about creating Circle Round is hearing from listeners like you.
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Circle Round fans have been telling us about their favorite
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Circle Round stories, and we're excited to share some of
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their voices with you.
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Hi, I'm Jack, and I live in London. My favorite
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Circle Round story is the rice cake and the omelette.
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because I love jokes as well. Hello, my name is Cora.
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I'm from California. My favorite Circle Round story is A
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Taste of Honey, because... I like when the girl tricked
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the thieves into plowing the land for her. My name
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is Lainey. I'm Cora's little sister. And my favorite story
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is the treasured axe because I like the part when
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the girl gave the boy his axes.
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Did someone mention an episode you missed? No problem. You
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can find every single Circle Round story on our website.
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That's wbur.org slash circleround.org. or wherever you and your grown-ups
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get your podcasts.
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Produced by the iLab at WBUR Boston.
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Close your eyes and imagine you're at your favorite place.
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Maybe it's a park. Maybe it's a city. Maybe it's
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the home of someone you love. Think hard about that place.
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What do you see?
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What do you hear?
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Do you smell anything? Taste anything? Now open your eyes
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again and poof! You're back where you started. That is
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the power of imagination. And in today's tale, we'll get
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reacquainted with a fellow who harnesses that power masterfully. I'm
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Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens
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all the time. Today our story is called The Fire Within.
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You'll hear variations of this tale in many places, from
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the southwestern United States... to Ethiopia, Kenya, and the West Indies,
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to the Balochistan region of South and Western Asia. Our
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adaptation is especially influenced by versions from Turkey, which feature Nasruddin,
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a legendary trickster whom you may recall from our Season
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2 story, The Unwelcome Guest. Some really great people came
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together to bring you our story, including actor and comedian
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Maz Jobrani. whom you NPR fans may recognize from Wait, Wait,
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Don't Tell Me. Maz has a new comedy special, Pandemic Warrior,
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as well as his own podcast, Back to School, with
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Maz Jobrani. So circle around, everyone, for The Fire Within.
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It was a blustery autumn afternoon. and three scholars were
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sipping cups of sweet hot tea in a cafe off
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the town square. Through the cafe's windows, the scholars could
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see their fellow townspeople rushing by with chattering teeth and
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upturned collars as the bitter wind whistled and howled.
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My goodness, friends, it's so cold out there.
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When I went to the barn this morning and milked
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my cow, she gave me ice cream.
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You're telling me when I went into the kitchen and
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opened my icebox, my house actually got warmer.
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And when I stepped outside to come meet you all,
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my shadow froze to the ground. And when I took
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a step, it snapped right off.
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As the scholars chuckled and chortled, the front door burst open.
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And a familiar voice rang out.
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Greetings, friends!
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The scholars put down their teacups and swiveled their eyes
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toward the door. There, standing in the cafe's entrance, wearing
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his usual mischievous grin, was their clever old friend, Nasruddin.
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My, my, look at the three of you. You're shaking
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harder than a bowl of rice pudding on the back
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of a galloping donkey.
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The scholars smiled and rubbed their hands together.
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Well... Can you blame us, Nostradine?
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It's frigid out there.
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Downright freezing.
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Nostradine pulled up a chair and joined his friends at
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the table.
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Well, I suppose it is a bit chilly outside. But really,
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it's not so bad. I suppose when your brain works
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as hard and fast as mine does, it generates enough
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power to keep you nice and toasty.
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The scholars felt themselves bristle. They had always envied Nostradine's
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brilliant mind. and they had always resented how boastful he
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could be about it. But perhaps here was a chance
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to take their smart, alecky pal down a notch. The
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scholars exchanged a look, then leaned back in their chairs
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and folded their arms.
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You know, Nasruddin... If you really think the weather is
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not so bad.
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Why don't you prove it?
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Nasruddin raised an eyebrow. He could tell his comrades were
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up to something.
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Prove it, you say?
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Yes.
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We dare you.
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To stay outside all night. Twilight to daybreak.
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With nothing to keep you warm.
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Now Nasruddin leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. Hmm.
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Stay outside all night, huh? With no coat?
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No coat.
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And no blanket?
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No blanket.
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And no fire?
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No fire. Not even a thermos of hot, sweet tea.
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Nostradine stroked his chin and thought for a moment. Then
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he sat up straight and tall and fixed the scholars
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with a twinkling gaze.
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All right, friends.
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I accept your challenge. From twilight to daybreak, I will
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stay out in the town square with nothing to keep
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me warm but the shirt on my back. If I
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make it through the night, the three of you will
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treat me to a lavish dinner. But if I give
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up before sunrise, then I will treat you to a
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lavish dinner. In fact, I'll invite you all to my
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house and I'll prepare a meal that you'll never forget.
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What do you say?
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The scholars leaned in toward one another and exchanged some
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whispered words. Then they turned back to their friend.
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All right, Nasruddin.
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We accept your bet.
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And we look forward to that lavish dinner of yours.
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That night, as darkness fell and the stars popped out
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one by one in the vast blue-black sky, Nostradine strode
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into the town square. The air was so brisk he
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could see his breath, yet he wore nothing more than
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his usual tunic and pants and carried nothing more than
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a big, thick book. He found a bench in the
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middle of the square, plopped himself down, and by the
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light of the bright golden moon he began to read.
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The air grew chillier, but Nasruddin kept reading. The wind
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grew fiercer, but Nasruddin kept reading. Then, finally, as the
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clock struck twelve, Nasruddin laid his book down on the bench.
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His hands were so cold and stiff he could no
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longer turn the pages. Nasruddin's eyes roved around the shadowy square.
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He spied shops and markets, restaurants and houses, all of
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them closed up and sleeping for the night. But inside
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one house, all the way across the square, Nastruddin caught
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sight of something that made his freezing cold face break
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into a warm, toothy grin. Aha! And suddenly, Nastruddin knew
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he was going to win the bet. What do you
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think Nastruddin spotted across the town square? And is the
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wise man right? Will it help him win the bet?
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We'll find out after a quick break. Welcome back to
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Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear. Today our story is called
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The Fire Within. Before the break, three jealous scholars issued
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a challenge to Nasruddin. If he could stay outside all
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night in the freezing cold without anything to keep him warm,
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they would treat him to a lavish feast. But if
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he couldn't do it, he would owe them a lavish feast.
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After a few hours outside, Nasruddin could hardly feel his
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fingers or toes. But suddenly, he spotted something that made
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his heart leap with joy. Ah!
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Ah, a candle.
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Indeed, all the way across the square, in the window
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of a quiet little house, burned a single candle, its
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white wax dripping as its golden flame danced and leaped.
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Nasruddin fixed his eyes on the candle. It was about
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a hundred yards away. And as Nasruddin stared at the
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flickering flame, he imagined it to be a roaring, blazing fire.
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He pictured himself curled up beside that fire, fragrant gray
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smoke curling into his nostrils as he basked in the
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heat radiating from the crackling, popping red-hot wood. And thus
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Nasruddin sat all night long. And when the stars disappeared
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and up came the sun, the wise man went back home,
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took a hot, bubbly bath, then returned to the cafe,
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where the three scholars were waiting at their usual table.
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sipping their sweet hot tea.
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Hey, good morning, my friends. I think we'd better talk
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about where you're taking me to dinner.
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The scholars dropped their teacups with a clatter.
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Nasruddin!
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Are you saying you won the bet?
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But how did you make it through the night?
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Nasruddin pulled up a chair and told the scholars the
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whole story, how he had sat in the town square.
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feeling his fingers and toes growing number and number until
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right around midnight. He had caught sight of a candle
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in a far-off window.
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And do you know what I did? I pretended that
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candle was a raging, blazing fire. I used the powers
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of my mind to imagine its warmth, its heat, and thus,
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in doing so, I managed to stay out until daybreak.
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Nasruddin clapped his hands together in triumph.
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And so, since I won the bet, where are you
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three taking me to dinner?
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I want that lavish feast.
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Nasruddin flashed the scholars a grin. They did not grin back. Instead,
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they leaned in toward one another, exchanged some whispered words,
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then turned back to their friend with a shrug.
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We're sorry, Nasruddin.
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But we aren't taking you to dinner.
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You lost the bet!
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Nasruddin shook his head.
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Now, now, now, I did not lose the bet. I
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did exactly what you challenged me to do. I stayed
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outside all night long with nothing to keep me warm.
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No coat, no blanket, no fire.
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See, that's where you're wrong, Nasruddin.
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You did have a fire.
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You had a candle!
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Nasruddin was quiet for a moment. Then he slapped his
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hand on the table and let out a laugh. I see.
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You three are pulling my leg. Surely you know I
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couldn't possibly keep myself warm with the heat from that candle.
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It was a hundred yards away, behind a closed window.
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That's a very funny joke, friends. A very funny joke.
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But Nostradine's friends were not joking.
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See, that's where you're wrong, Nostradine.
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A candle gives off heat.
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And you warmed yourself by the heat of that candle.
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So....
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You lost the bet.
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And we won.
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And now you owe us a lavish feast.
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Nostradine crossed his arms and scowled. These three actually believed
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that the heat of a candle 100 yards away could
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keep a person warm through the night? And they dared
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to call themselves scholars? How could such wise people be
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so foolish? But Nasruddin gave in and told his friends
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he would make good on his promise and have them
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over for dinner. On the appointed evening, the scholars made
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their way to Nasruddin's house with grinning faces and grumbling bellies.
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When they stepped into his dining room, they noticed the
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table was bare.
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Hey, welcome, my friends, welcome. As you can see, I'm
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still cooking your lavish feast. But please, have a seat,
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make yourself comfortable, and I'll bring your food out the
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moment it's ready.
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As Nasruddin disappeared into the kitchen, the scholars gathered around
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the table. They waited 10 minutes, then 20, then 30,
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and after 60 minutes went by, an entire hour, they
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called out to Nasruddin in the kitchen.
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Um, Nasruddin? It's been an hour already.
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How's that food coming?
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Nasruddin stuck his head out the kitchen door.
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Oh, it's coming, it's coming. It shouldn't be much longer.
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Eventually, another hour went by, and there was still no
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sign of the food. In fact, the three scholars couldn't
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even smell anything cooking. Surely by now, a cloud of
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delicious aromas should be drifting from the kitchen and wafting
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out into the dining room.
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Uh, Nasruddin?
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Is everything okay?
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Are you really still cooking the food?
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Again, Nasruddin popped his head out the door.
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Actually, I am still cooking the food.
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Here, come see.
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The ravenous scholars leapt from their chairs and scurried into
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the kitchen. And what they saw made their empty stomachs
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do a flip-flop. Hanging from the ceiling, suspended by a
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silver chain, was a huge black pot. Sitting on the floor,
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about a foot beneath the pot, was a flickering candle.
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So you see, friends, like I said, dinner is cooking.
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I appreciate your patience.
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Nasruddin grabbed a spoon and gave the pot a good stir.
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The scholars shook their heads.
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But Nasruddin, you'll never cook the food in that pot
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with the heat from that candle.
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The flame is too small.
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Too weak. Not to mention too far away.
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Nasruddin stopped stirring and batted his eyes.
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Oh, is it?
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Because I figured that if a candle can keep a
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person warm as it burns 100 yards away, then surely
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a candle can cook a pot of food from just
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one foot away. Or do you scholars disagree?
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The scholars fell silent. for they knew their goose was cooked,
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even if their food wasn't. They also knew what the
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brilliant fellow standing before them had always known, that the
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old saying is true, and revenge truly is a dish
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best served cold. Now it's your turn. Use your imagination
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to dream up the most lavish feast you can think of.
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What kinds of food would you serve? Find some paper
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and draw a picture of your feast. Each and every
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appetizer and entree, drink and dessert. Share your picture with
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someone you would want to invite to your feast. And then,
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if you'd like, share your picture with us. Grown-ups, our
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email address is circleround at wbur.org. This week's story, The
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Fire Within... was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear. It was
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edited by Amory Sievertson. Circle Round's original music and sound
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design is by Eric Shimalonis. Our artist is Sabina Han.
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Sabina has drawn a black and white picture for all
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of our Circle Round stories, and you can print them
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out and color them in. Ask a grown-up to visit
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our website, wbur.org slash circleround, and click on Soundtrack and
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Coloring Pages. Special thanks to this week's actors. Jefferson Russell,
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Alexia Trainor, Chris Tucci, and Maz Jobrani. Grown-ups, Maz's comedy special,
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Pandemic Warrior, is streaming now on Peacock. You can find
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his podcast, Back to School with Maz Jobrani, wherever you
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get your podcasts. And tune into your local NPR station
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to hear Maz as a panelist on Wait, Wait, Don't
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Tell Me. Our featured instrument this week was the oud.
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You can read about this pear-shaped, stringed instrument and see
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a photo of Eric Shimalonis playing it on our website.
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Once more, that's WBUR.org slash CircleRound. CircleRound is a production
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of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station. I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks
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for circling around with us. One of the best things
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about creating Circle Round is hearing from listeners like you.
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Circle Round fans have been telling us about their favorite
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Circle Round stories, and we're excited to share some of
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their voices with you.
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Hi, I'm Jack, and I live in London. My favorite
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Circle Round story is the rice cake and the omelette.
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because I love jokes as well. Hello, my name is Cora.
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I'm from California. My favorite Circle Round story is A
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Taste of Honey, because... I like when the girl tricked
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the thieves into plowing the land for her. My name
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is Lainey. I'm Cora's little sister. And my favorite story
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is the treasured axe because I like the part when
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the girl gave the boy his axes.
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Did someone mention an episode you missed? No problem. You
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can find every single Circle Round story on our website.
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That's wbur.org slash circleround.org. or wherever you and your grown-ups
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get your podcasts.
