WEBVTT
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Produced by the i-Lab at WBUR Boston.
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Think about the last time you listened to music. Maybe
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you heard a song on the radio or you attended
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a concert. Perhaps you enjoyed a lullaby sung by one
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of your favorite grown-ups. Music is so powerful it can
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make you tap your toes or soothe you to sleep.
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In today's story, we'll hear about a king who, thanks
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to his wife, the queen, discovers something else music can do,
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much to his surprise. I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to
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Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time. Today our
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story is called The Lute Player. Versions of this tale
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come from Russia. Germany, and many other parts of Europe.
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Some really great people came together to bring you our folktale,
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including real-life husband and wife Paul Sparks and Annie Parise. Grown-ups,
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you might recognize Paul from Sweet Bitter on Starz and
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House of Cards on Netflix. And you might know Annie
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from the Netflix comedy Friends from College. So circle around, everyone,
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for The Loot Player. Once upon a time, there was
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a king and queen. Together, they presided over a peaceful
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land full of happy people, fertile farmland, and lush green
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forests as far as the eye could see. Word eventually
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reached the king and queen that a mean and greedy
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ruler far, far away was going to be the king.
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was invading the countries around him. He called himself the Overlord.
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My queen, the Overlord is on the attack, and it's
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only a matter of time before he invades our own kingdom. Listen,
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why don't you stay here and govern our people while
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I head out with our troops?
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The king and queen had always shared the duties of
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the kingdom equally. When they sat on the throne, They
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sat hand in hand, but the queen understood her husband's fears.
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All right, my love, I will stay here and govern
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while you are away. But please stay safe and come
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back soon.
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In the king's absence, the queen ran the kingdom wisely
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and well. The overlord's much-feared troops never arrived. Instead, the
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queen's land remained at peace with its neighbors, and the
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people prospered. Still, the queen worried about the king every
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day he was gone. To pass the time, she learned
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to play a pear-shaped stringed instrument called the lute. She
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found that playing her lute calmed her mind and warmed
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her heart. And she wasn't the only one. Whenever the
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queen plucked and strummed those strings, everyone in the palace
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would stop what they were doing and sway to the music.
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The queen practiced her lute day after day, But as
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days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months, the
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king still had not returned. Then, early one morning, one
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of the queen's butlers walked in with a crumpled scroll
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of paper.
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This letter just arrived for you, Your Majesty. The handwriting
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on the envelope. It looks like the king's.
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Quickly, the queen unrolled the letter. Indeed, the handwriting was
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the king's. though his clear and elegant penmanship was much
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shakier and more scribbled than usual. Eagerly, the queen began
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to read.
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My dear queen, the reason you have not heard from
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me is because I have been taken prisoner by the overlord.
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Oh, no!
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The queen felt the color drain from her face. Her
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hands began to shake, but she kept on reading.
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I befriended a guard who helped me send this letter
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to you. The only way I can imagine being set
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free is if we pay the Overlord a ransom.
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The king instructed the queen to sell the palace and
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all of their royal possessions and bring the gold coins
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to the Overlord in exchange for the king's freedom.
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Then perhaps the cruel sovereign will let me go and
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you and I will be together again. All my love,
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your king.
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The queen clutched the letter to her heart.
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Oh, what should I do? If I sell everything we
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own and give the money to the overlord, our kingdom
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will be impoverished. We'll have to raise taxes, and that
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would be such a burden on our people.
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She began pacing up and down her chamber.
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But let's say I did follow the king's orders and
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deliver the gold coins myself. Who's to say the overlord
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wouldn't take me prisoner as well?
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Oh, The queen plopped down in a velvet chair and
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began twirling a lock of her long brown hair.
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And wait, what if the overlord doesn't even want the money?
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What if he's already ridiculously rich and just laughs at
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our gold?
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The queen's heart began to race. Her breath grew quick
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and shallow. To calm herself, she picked up her lute
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and began to play. As her pulse slowed down and
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her breath deepened, she knew what she would do. That night,
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while everyone in the palace was asleep, the queen found
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a pair of scissors and ran to the mirror. She
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took a deep breath and snipped her long brown hair
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till it was cropped close to her head. Then she
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tiptoed into the room where the palace musicians kept their
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things and put on one of their outfits, complete with
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a cap and cloak. She jotted a quick note saying
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she was leaving on a trip and placed it on
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her throne. Next, she packed up her loot and crept
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out of the palace. All right, Overlord.
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Ready or not, here I come.
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What do you think the queen has up her sleeve?
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We'll find out after a quick break. Music 100.
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Years from now in a land far, far away. Hang on.
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It's not so far away at all, actually. Hey, Circle
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Round families. We're here to share a new listening experience
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from WBUR. The Midnight Rebellion. It's a climate podcast adventure
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for kids 8 and up. Time traveling, problem solving, laughs
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in danger.
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It's here.
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Follow the feed to listen. Oh, and bring your goggles
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and boots. That's the Midnight Rebellion. In your feed or
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wherever you get podcasts.
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Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear. Today our
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story is called The Loot Player. When we left off,
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a queen was hatching a plan to free the king
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from the mean and greedy overlord. The king had told
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the queen to sell everything they owned and use the
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gold coins to pay a ransom for the king's freedom.
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But the queen had another plan in mind. Disguised as
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a young musician, she slipped out of the palace in
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the dark of night. Over the next weeks, she played
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her lute for anyone who'd give her a ride, whether
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by horse or by ship. By the time she reached
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the overlord's castle, her face was dirty from the voyage.
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Her borrowed clothing was dusty, her cloak tattered and worn.
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The disguised queen sat down in a courtyard beside the castle,
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picked up her lute, and began singing. to play. As
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note after note wafted through the air, the Overlord's gardeners
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dropped their spades and shovels. The chefs dropped their spoons
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and knives. Even the guards, standing at attention, dropped their
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shoulders and began to sway back and forth. Eventually, the
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music reached the Overlord's throne room, where the malicious man
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was planning his next invasion.
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Hmm.
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Which country shall I take over next? There is that
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one kingdom on the other side of the lush green forest.
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What is that? Music? Who in the world is playing
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such a beautiful tune? I must hear more.
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More!
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The overlord summoned the disguised queen to his throne. When
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she stepped inside the castle, she was struck by how
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dark and gloomy the place was. Even the overlord's throne
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was in the shadows. Yet, when he spoke, his voice
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was full of light.
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Lute player, your music is nothing short of magnificent. Tell me,
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where do you come from, young man?
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The queen's heart skipped a beat. The overlord had fallen
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for her disguise.
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My country, my lord, is far away, across many seas
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and a lush green forest. For weeks... I have been
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wandering the world, making my living and gaining my passage
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by playing music.
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The Overlord nodded.
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You must be very tired then. Listen, stay here three
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days and play your lute for me. And when you
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want to go, I will give you whatever your heart desires.
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The disguised queen bowed.
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Thank you, my lord.
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And with that, She began plucking and strumming her lute,
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filling the dark castle with the sunshine of music. The
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next day, she played some more. And at the end
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of the third day, as the moon rose in the
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darkening sky, the Overlord stayed true to his promise.
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All right, lute player. Three days have passed, much as
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I hate to see you go. It's time to name
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your reward. Whatever your heart desires, it shall be yours.
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The queen knew exactly what she would ask for, but
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she pretended to think it over.
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Hmm.
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Well, I get pretty lonely when I travel. It might
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be nice to have some company, someone to talk to.
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Might you give me one of your prisoners?
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She held her breath as she awaited the overlord's response.
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Much to her delight and relief... He grinned.
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One of my prisoners? Of course. Come, follow me.
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The queen shivered as the overlord led her into the dungeon,
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where all the prisoners were fast asleep. Gazing around the room,
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the queen recognized someone very familiar, though she hadn't seen
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his face in years. She raised her finger.
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I think.
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And pointed at her husband, the king.
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I want him.
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The overlords smiled.
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As you wish. We'll wake him up, and then he
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is yours.
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The queen was so well disguised that when the king awoke,
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he had no idea who she was. Together, they made
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their way out of the overlord's castle.
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Young man, I can't tell you how much this means
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to me. Believe it or not, back in my home country,
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I'm a king, and my people depend on me very much.
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On behalf of all of them, I thank you for
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giving me my freedom.
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You are most welcome, your highness. Thank you for accompanying
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me on my journey. It is an honor.
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The king and disguised queen traveled for several weeks. Again,
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the queen traded her lute playing for horse rides.
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And ship rides.
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And every time she plucked and strummed those strings, the
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king was mesmerized.
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Such beautiful music you play, young man. If only I
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could hear music like this every day. Hey, what if
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you come to my palace and be my royal musician?
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I promise I'll pay you handsomely.
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The queen's eyes twinkled.
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I appreciate the offer, your majesty, but I must decline.
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I promise, though, when the time is right, you will
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see me at your palace. You have my word.
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When the king and disguised queen reached their own country
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they bid each other farewell and went their own ways.
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The king was eager to get back to his castle
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but the queen knew a shortcut and arrived home long
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before her husband did. It was the middle of the
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night so no one saw her sneak inside. She hurried
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to her chamber where she stripped off her musician clothing
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took a quick bath put on her nightgown and slipped
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into bed. An hour later She was jolted awake by
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excited voices outside her door. Is it true? Can you
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believe it?
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Our king is back.
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After all these years, our king has returned.
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The queen jumped out of bed, wrapped her short hair
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in a scarf, and burst through the door. At the
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bottom of the staircase, she saw the king. He was
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smiling brightly and embracing each member of the palace staff
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one by one. The queen was about to run down
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and throw herself into her husband's arms. But as soon
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as the king glanced up the stairs and spotted her,
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his smile turned to a scowl and his cheeks glowed
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red with rage.
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You! For years I sat there in the overlord's dungeon
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waiting to be ransomed. Waiting, waiting, waiting, and yet no
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ransom came. Did you not receive my letter?
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Before the queen could respond, one of the butlers chimed in.
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I gave her your letter myself, sire, but she disappeared
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from sight that very night. She left a note saying
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she was going on a journey, but we haven't seen
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hide nor hair of the queen until this very minute.
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The king clenched his jaw. His hands began to tremble.
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Is that so?
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Infuriated, The king began pacing around the room, looking only
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at his staff, never at the queen.
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Can you believe it, people? While I was languishing in prison,
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her royal highness was out and about having a great
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old time. Lucky for me, I was rescued by a
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young lute player who saw to it that I made
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it safely back home again.
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A thoughtful, faraway look flooded the king's eyes.
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And, oh.
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This lute player's music. Believe me when I say you've
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never heard anything like it. One pluck or strum from
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that instrument and you can't help but drop whatever it
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is you're doing and listen. Why, my memory of that
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boy's music is so clear, so vivid. It's like he's
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playing right here, right now. And I tell you, If
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he were here now, I would give him anything.
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Anything!
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Anything?
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The sound of the lute player's voice yanked the king
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out of his reverie. He turned his head toward the
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top of the stairs, and there, to his eyes anyway,
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stood the lute player, instrument in hand.
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Yes!
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Anything!
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I'll give you anything your heart desires!
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Little did the king know that while he had been
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angrily pacing the room, the queen had crept away and
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slipped back into her musician outfit.
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Well, since your offering.
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She pulled off her cloak, revealing her royal gown beneath.
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My heart's desire is you.
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For a moment, the king was speechless. Then he bounded
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up the stairs, wrapped his arms around the queen... begged
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her forgiveness, saying how sorry he was to doubt her courage,
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her wisdom, her love. The queen accepted his apology. Then
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she told him all about her plan, how she thought
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it wiser to rescue the king herself, or rather, for
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the young lute player to rescue him. You see, the
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king had believed that money would get him out of
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the overlord's castles. But as the queen waited and yearned
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for her beloved partner to return home, she had learned
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a very important lesson. Sometimes, all you need to set
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you free is music. Now it's your turn. Given how
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powerful music can be, how about making some of your
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own and recording it for others to hear? Pick a
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song you enjoy or write one of your own. Then
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record yourself singing it or playing it on a musical instrument.
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A grown-up can help you with the recording. You can
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use an audio program on a computer or the voice
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memo app on a smartphone. Once you're done, send the
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recording to someone you like to have fun with. And
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if you're up for it, send it to us. Our
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email address is circleround at wbur.org. This week's story, The
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Loot Player, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear, and edited
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by Circle Round's founder, Jessica Alpert. Eric Shimalonis creates our
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original music and sound design. Our artist is Sabina Han.
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Sabina's made a black and white picture for every Circle
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Round story, and you can color them in. Visit our website, wbur.org
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slash circleround, and click on Coloring Pages. Special thanks to
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this week's actors, James Konacek, Keith Maskell, Anne Underland, Tom Whaley,
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Dolores King-Williams, Annie Parise, and Paul Sparks. Grown-ups, check out
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Annie in Friends from College on Netflix, and Paul in
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Sweet Bitter on Starz. Plus, watch for him in the
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upcoming romantic comedy, The Lovebirds, co-starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae.
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This week's featured instrument was, you guessed it, the lute.
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You can learn more about this plucked string instrument from
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the Renaissance and see a photo on our website. Again,
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that's wbur.org slash Circle Round. Haven't yet subscribed to Circle Round?
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You can find us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you
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get your podcasts. And please write us a review. It
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00:19:46.829 --> 00:19:50.160
helps other families find the show. Circle Round is a
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production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station. I'm Rebecca Shear.
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Thanks for circling round with us.
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Produced by the i-Lab at WBUR Boston.
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Think about the last time you listened to music. Maybe
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you heard a song on the radio or you attended
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00:00:18.129 --> 00:00:22.089
a concert. Perhaps you enjoyed a lullaby sung by one
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of your favorite grown-ups. Music is so powerful it can
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make you tap your toes or soothe you to sleep.
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In today's story, we'll hear about a king who, thanks
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to his wife, the queen, discovers something else music can do,
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much to his surprise. I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to
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Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time. Today our
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story is called The Lute Player. Versions of this tale
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come from Russia. Germany, and many other parts of Europe.
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Some really great people came together to bring you our folktale,
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including real-life husband and wife Paul Sparks and Annie Parise. Grown-ups,
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you might recognize Paul from Sweet Bitter on Starz and
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House of Cards on Netflix. And you might know Annie
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from the Netflix comedy Friends from College. So circle around, everyone,
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for The Loot Player. Once upon a time, there was
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a king and queen. Together, they presided over a peaceful
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land full of happy people, fertile farmland, and lush green
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forests as far as the eye could see. Word eventually
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reached the king and queen that a mean and greedy
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ruler far, far away was going to be the king.
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was invading the countries around him. He called himself the Overlord.
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My queen, the Overlord is on the attack, and it's
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only a matter of time before he invades our own kingdom. Listen,
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why don't you stay here and govern our people while
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I head out with our troops?
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The king and queen had always shared the duties of
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the kingdom equally. When they sat on the throne, They
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sat hand in hand, but the queen understood her husband's fears.
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All right, my love, I will stay here and govern
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while you are away. But please stay safe and come
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back soon.
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In the king's absence, the queen ran the kingdom wisely
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and well. The overlord's much-feared troops never arrived. Instead, the
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queen's land remained at peace with its neighbors, and the
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people prospered. Still, the queen worried about the king every
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day he was gone. To pass the time, she learned
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to play a pear-shaped stringed instrument called the lute. She
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found that playing her lute calmed her mind and warmed
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her heart. And she wasn't the only one. Whenever the
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queen plucked and strummed those strings, everyone in the palace
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would stop what they were doing and sway to the music.
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The queen practiced her lute day after day, But as
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days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months, the
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king still had not returned. Then, early one morning, one
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of the queen's butlers walked in with a crumpled scroll
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of paper.
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This letter just arrived for you, Your Majesty. The handwriting
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on the envelope. It looks like the king's.
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Quickly, the queen unrolled the letter. Indeed, the handwriting was
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the king's. though his clear and elegant penmanship was much
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shakier and more scribbled than usual. Eagerly, the queen began
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to read.
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My dear queen, the reason you have not heard from
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me is because I have been taken prisoner by the overlord.
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Oh, no!
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The queen felt the color drain from her face. Her
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hands began to shake, but she kept on reading.
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I befriended a guard who helped me send this letter
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to you. The only way I can imagine being set
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free is if we pay the Overlord a ransom.
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The king instructed the queen to sell the palace and
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all of their royal possessions and bring the gold coins
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to the Overlord in exchange for the king's freedom.
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Then perhaps the cruel sovereign will let me go and
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you and I will be together again. All my love,
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your king.
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The queen clutched the letter to her heart.
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Oh, what should I do? If I sell everything we
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own and give the money to the overlord, our kingdom
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will be impoverished. We'll have to raise taxes, and that
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would be such a burden on our people.
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She began pacing up and down her chamber.
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But let's say I did follow the king's orders and
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deliver the gold coins myself. Who's to say the overlord
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wouldn't take me prisoner as well?
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Oh, The queen plopped down in a velvet chair and
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began twirling a lock of her long brown hair.
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And wait, what if the overlord doesn't even want the money?
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What if he's already ridiculously rich and just laughs at
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our gold?
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The queen's heart began to race. Her breath grew quick
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and shallow. To calm herself, she picked up her lute
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and began to play. As her pulse slowed down and
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her breath deepened, she knew what she would do. That night,
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while everyone in the palace was asleep, the queen found
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a pair of scissors and ran to the mirror. She
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took a deep breath and snipped her long brown hair
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till it was cropped close to her head. Then she
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tiptoed into the room where the palace musicians kept their
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things and put on one of their outfits, complete with
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a cap and cloak. She jotted a quick note saying
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she was leaving on a trip and placed it on
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her throne. Next, she packed up her loot and crept
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out of the palace. All right, Overlord.
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Ready or not, here I come.
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What do you think the queen has up her sleeve?
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We'll find out after a quick break. Music 100.
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Years from now in a land far, far away. Hang on.
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It's not so far away at all, actually. Hey, Circle
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Round families. We're here to share a new listening experience
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from WBUR. The Midnight Rebellion. It's a climate podcast adventure
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for kids 8 and up. Time traveling, problem solving, laughs
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in danger.
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It's here.
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Follow the feed to listen. Oh, and bring your goggles
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and boots. That's the Midnight Rebellion. In your feed or
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wherever you get podcasts.
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Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear. Today our
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story is called The Loot Player. When we left off,
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a queen was hatching a plan to free the king
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from the mean and greedy overlord. The king had told
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the queen to sell everything they owned and use the
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gold coins to pay a ransom for the king's freedom.
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But the queen had another plan in mind. Disguised as
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a young musician, she slipped out of the palace in
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the dark of night. Over the next weeks, she played
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her lute for anyone who'd give her a ride, whether
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by horse or by ship. By the time she reached
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the overlord's castle, her face was dirty from the voyage.
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Her borrowed clothing was dusty, her cloak tattered and worn.
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The disguised queen sat down in a courtyard beside the castle,
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picked up her lute, and began singing. to play. As
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note after note wafted through the air, the Overlord's gardeners
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dropped their spades and shovels. The chefs dropped their spoons
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and knives. Even the guards, standing at attention, dropped their
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shoulders and began to sway back and forth. Eventually, the
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music reached the Overlord's throne room, where the malicious man
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was planning his next invasion.
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Hmm.
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Which country shall I take over next? There is that
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one kingdom on the other side of the lush green forest.
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What is that? Music? Who in the world is playing
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such a beautiful tune? I must hear more.
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More!
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The overlord summoned the disguised queen to his throne. When
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she stepped inside the castle, she was struck by how
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dark and gloomy the place was. Even the overlord's throne
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was in the shadows. Yet, when he spoke, his voice
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was full of light.
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Lute player, your music is nothing short of magnificent. Tell me,
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where do you come from, young man?
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The queen's heart skipped a beat. The overlord had fallen
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for her disguise.
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My country, my lord, is far away, across many seas
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and a lush green forest. For weeks... I have been
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wandering the world, making my living and gaining my passage
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by playing music.
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The Overlord nodded.
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You must be very tired then. Listen, stay here three
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days and play your lute for me. And when you
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want to go, I will give you whatever your heart desires.
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The disguised queen bowed.
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Thank you, my lord.
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And with that, She began plucking and strumming her lute,
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filling the dark castle with the sunshine of music. The
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next day, she played some more. And at the end
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of the third day, as the moon rose in the
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darkening sky, the Overlord stayed true to his promise.
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All right, lute player. Three days have passed, much as
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I hate to see you go. It's time to name
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your reward. Whatever your heart desires, it shall be yours.
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The queen knew exactly what she would ask for, but
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she pretended to think it over.
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Hmm.
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Well, I get pretty lonely when I travel. It might
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be nice to have some company, someone to talk to.
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Might you give me one of your prisoners?
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She held her breath as she awaited the overlord's response.
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Much to her delight and relief... He grinned.
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One of my prisoners? Of course. Come, follow me.
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The queen shivered as the overlord led her into the dungeon,
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where all the prisoners were fast asleep. Gazing around the room,
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the queen recognized someone very familiar, though she hadn't seen
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his face in years. She raised her finger.
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I think.
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And pointed at her husband, the king.
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I want him.
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The overlords smiled.
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As you wish. We'll wake him up, and then he
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is yours.
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The queen was so well disguised that when the king awoke,
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he had no idea who she was. Together, they made
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their way out of the overlord's castle.
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Young man, I can't tell you how much this means
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to me. Believe it or not, back in my home country,
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I'm a king, and my people depend on me very much.
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On behalf of all of them, I thank you for
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giving me my freedom.
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You are most welcome, your highness. Thank you for accompanying
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me on my journey. It is an honor.
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The king and disguised queen traveled for several weeks. Again,
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the queen traded her lute playing for horse rides.
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And ship rides.
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And every time she plucked and strummed those strings, the
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king was mesmerized.
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Such beautiful music you play, young man. If only I
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could hear music like this every day. Hey, what if
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you come to my palace and be my royal musician?
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I promise I'll pay you handsomely.
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The queen's eyes twinkled.
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I appreciate the offer, your majesty, but I must decline.
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I promise, though, when the time is right, you will
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see me at your palace. You have my word.
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When the king and disguised queen reached their own country
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they bid each other farewell and went their own ways.
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The king was eager to get back to his castle
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but the queen knew a shortcut and arrived home long
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before her husband did. It was the middle of the
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night so no one saw her sneak inside. She hurried
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to her chamber where she stripped off her musician clothing
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took a quick bath put on her nightgown and slipped
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into bed. An hour later She was jolted awake by
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excited voices outside her door. Is it true? Can you
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believe it?
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Our king is back.
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After all these years, our king has returned.
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The queen jumped out of bed, wrapped her short hair
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in a scarf, and burst through the door. At the
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bottom of the staircase, she saw the king. He was
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smiling brightly and embracing each member of the palace staff
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one by one. The queen was about to run down
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and throw herself into her husband's arms. But as soon
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as the king glanced up the stairs and spotted her,
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his smile turned to a scowl and his cheeks glowed
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red with rage.
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You! For years I sat there in the overlord's dungeon
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waiting to be ransomed. Waiting, waiting, waiting, and yet no
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ransom came. Did you not receive my letter?
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Before the queen could respond, one of the butlers chimed in.
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I gave her your letter myself, sire, but she disappeared
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from sight that very night. She left a note saying
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she was going on a journey, but we haven't seen
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hide nor hair of the queen until this very minute.
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The king clenched his jaw. His hands began to tremble.
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Is that so?
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Infuriated, The king began pacing around the room, looking only
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at his staff, never at the queen.
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Can you believe it, people? While I was languishing in prison,
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her royal highness was out and about having a great
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old time. Lucky for me, I was rescued by a
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young lute player who saw to it that I made
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it safely back home again.
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A thoughtful, faraway look flooded the king's eyes.
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And, oh.
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This lute player's music. Believe me when I say you've
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never heard anything like it. One pluck or strum from
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that instrument and you can't help but drop whatever it
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is you're doing and listen. Why, my memory of that
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boy's music is so clear, so vivid. It's like he's
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playing right here, right now. And I tell you, If
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he were here now, I would give him anything.
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Anything!
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Anything?
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The sound of the lute player's voice yanked the king
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out of his reverie. He turned his head toward the
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top of the stairs, and there, to his eyes anyway,
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stood the lute player, instrument in hand.
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Yes!
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Anything!
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I'll give you anything your heart desires!
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Little did the king know that while he had been
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angrily pacing the room, the queen had crept away and
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slipped back into her musician outfit.
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Well, since your offering.
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She pulled off her cloak, revealing her royal gown beneath.
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My heart's desire is you.
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For a moment, the king was speechless. Then he bounded
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up the stairs, wrapped his arms around the queen... begged
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her forgiveness, saying how sorry he was to doubt her courage,
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her wisdom, her love. The queen accepted his apology. Then
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she told him all about her plan, how she thought
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it wiser to rescue the king herself, or rather, for
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the young lute player to rescue him. You see, the
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king had believed that money would get him out of
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the overlord's castles. But as the queen waited and yearned
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for her beloved partner to return home, she had learned
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a very important lesson. Sometimes, all you need to set
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you free is music. Now it's your turn. Given how
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powerful music can be, how about making some of your
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own and recording it for others to hear? Pick a
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song you enjoy or write one of your own. Then
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record yourself singing it or playing it on a musical instrument.
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A grown-up can help you with the recording. You can
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use an audio program on a computer or the voice
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memo app on a smartphone. Once you're done, send the
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recording to someone you like to have fun with. And
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if you're up for it, send it to us. Our
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email address is circleround at wbur.org. This week's story, The
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Loot Player, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear, and edited
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by Circle Round's founder, Jessica Alpert. Eric Shimalonis creates our
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original music and sound design. Our artist is Sabina Han.
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Sabina's made a black and white picture for every Circle
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Round story, and you can color them in. Visit our website, wbur.org
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slash circleround, and click on Coloring Pages. Special thanks to
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this week's actors, James Konacek, Keith Maskell, Anne Underland, Tom Whaley,
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Dolores King-Williams, Annie Parise, and Paul Sparks. Grown-ups, check out
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Annie in Friends from College on Netflix, and Paul in
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Sweet Bitter on Starz. Plus, watch for him in the
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upcoming romantic comedy, The Lovebirds, co-starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae.
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This week's featured instrument was, you guessed it, the lute.
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You can learn more about this plucked string instrument from
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the Renaissance and see a photo on our website. Again,
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that's wbur.org slash Circle Round. Haven't yet subscribed to Circle Round?
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You can find us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you
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get your podcasts. And please write us a review. It
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helps other families find the show. Circle Round is a
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production of WBUR, Boston's NPR news station. I'm Rebecca Shear.
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Thanks for circling round with us.