WEBVTT
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WBUR Podcasts, Boston.
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We'll start our story today with a riddle. You can
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live by me. You can keep me about you. But
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if you're not careful, you can also come to my end.
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What am I? The answer is your wits. When you
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live by your wits, you're using your cunning and cleverness.
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When you keep your wits about you, you're cautious and alert.
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But if you come to your wits end, you're desperate
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and don't know what to do next. Today's tale is
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all about wits, including a battle of wits, where the
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sharpest wit wins. I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round,
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where storytime happens all the time. Today, our story is
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called The Sharpest Tack. It's inspired by tales from many cultures,
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including the Apache and Lakota of North America and the
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Uyghur people of China. You'll also find versions from Turkey
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and across the Middle East. Some really great people came
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together to bring you our story, including Nagin Farsad and
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Stacey Vanik-Smith. Writer, director, comedian, and actor Nagin Farsad hosts
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the political comedy podcast Fake the Nation. You public radio
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fans will know her as a regular panelist on Wait, Wait,
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Don't Tell Me, the NPR News Quiz. And you'll recognize
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longtime public radio reporter and host Stacey Vanek-Smith from Marketplace,
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Planet Money, and The Indicator from Planet Money. So circle around, everyone,
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for the sharpest tack. Everyone in the country knew that
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when it came to wit and wisdom, No one held
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a candle to Nasruddin. After all, Nasruddin was sharper than
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the sharpest tack, brighter than the brightest button, and slier
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than the slyest fox. No one had ever outwitted her,
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though they certainly had tried. One day, a newcomer arrived
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in Nasruddin's country. She was a merchant by trade, and
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a crafty one at that. Rather than play by the
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rules and conduct honest business... The merchant was always playing
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tricks on people to cheat them out of their money.
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All her life, the merchant had fancied herself to be
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the cleverest one around. So when she heard about the
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wonderfully witty Nasruddin, she was most displeased.
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Ugh, who does this Nasruddin character think she is? I've
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always been sharper than the sharpest tack, brighter than the
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brightest button, and slayer than the slyest fox. And now
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I am going to prove it.
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The merchant put on her finest shirt and pants, her
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fanciest velvet coat, her most expensive fur hat, and her
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shiniest leather boots. Then, garbed in all this splendid finery,
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she mounted her strongest, fastest horse and galloped off toward
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the city where Nasruddin lived. In a wide open field
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at the city's edge, the merchant halted her horse and
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hopped down. As she got to work building a campsite,
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She asked a farmer passing by to deliver a message
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in town.
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Find Nasruddin and tell her that I am a very
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important merchant who has very important business to discuss. Tell
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her she must travel to my campsite right away.
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It was nightfall by the time Nasruddin received the message,
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so the next morning she made a beeline for the
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campsite where the merchant was waiting. Nasruddin had heard people
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grumbling about the Wily ways and sneaky scams of a
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newly arrived merchant. So the moment she spied the woman's
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elegant attire and smug smirk, she instantly knew who she was.
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But she didn't let on.
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Greetings, madame. I am Nasruddin. Are you the very important
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merchant who wishes to see me?
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The merchant's smug smirk grew even smugger.
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Why, yes, Nasruddin, I am the very important merchant who
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wishes to see you. I am also a very successful merchant,
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as you can tell from my spectacular steed and glorious garb.
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The woman's utter lack of humility made Nasruddin's skin prickle,
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but she just nodded and grinned.
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Of course, madame, your horse is magnificent, as are your clothes.
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Clearly you are extraordinarily successful. But why summon me out here?
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What can I do for you?
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Well, Nasruddin, I am fairly new to these parts, but
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ever since I've arrived, I've been hearing about how quick
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you are, how clever, how sly, how smart, how slick.
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Word has it there's not a person on this earth
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whom you couldn't trick with your wit.
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Nasruddin shook her head. To be clear, madame, I don't
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use my wit to trick people. I use it to
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teach them important lessons. To show them how to be kinder,
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for instance. Or more understanding.
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Or.
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Yes, yes, yes, whatever. The point is, I hear you're
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able to outwit anyone. But I don't believe you can
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outwit me. In fact, I challenge you to try.
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Now remember, Nasruddin was sharper than the sharpest tack, brighter
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than the brightest button, and slyer than the slyest fox. So,
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quickly and quietly... She put her sharp, bright, sly mind
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to work on a plan.
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Well, madame, I am pleased to say that I accept
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your challenge. But I must admit, it looks like it's
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going to be a tough one. So, may I please
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go home first and get my box of tricks?
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The merchant wrinkled her brow.
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Your box of tricks? What do you mean?
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Well, with a woman as cunning and clever as you are...
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No simple trick will do. So I'll need my special
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box of tricks. It's bursting with brilliant ways to fool people.
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But here's the thing. My home is very far from here.
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May I please borrow your horse?
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The merchant hesitated. The horse was the fastest, strongest steed
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in her stable, and she had paid a pretty penny
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for it. But she was determined to show Nasruddin what's what.
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Fine, you may borrow my horse, but go easy on him,
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won't you?
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Of course, I'll be as gentle as can be.
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As Nostradine began walking toward the horse, she suddenly froze mid-stride.
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Oh dear, your horse looks rather nervous and jumpy. I
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don't think he likes me. Perhaps if you lend me
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your velvet coat and fur hat, the horse will believe I'm...
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The merchant.
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Thought this an odd request, but she was eager to
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see that box of tricks.
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Fine, here you go.
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The merchant pulled off her velvet coat and fur hat,
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and Nasruddin put them on. But as she was about
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to mount the horse, she hesitated again.
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Actually, your horse still looks really anxious. I don't think
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he's falling for my disguise. Maybe if you gave me
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your leather boots, too?
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My leather boots?
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The merchant sighed.
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All right, fine, take them.
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The increasingly impatient woman kicked off her leather boots and
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Nasruddin pulled them on. But she still didn't mount the horse.
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Gosh, your horse still looks kind of jittery. Perhaps if
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you gave me your shirt as well and your pants?
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The merchant didn't wish to strip down to her skivvies,
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but she was determined to see this box of tricks.
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So she grudgingly agreed. She took off her costly silk
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shirt and hand-sewn satin pants and handed them over. Now
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that Nasruddin was wearing all of the merchant's luxurious, elegant clothing,
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she finally climbed into the saddle of the merchant's strongest,
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fastest horse.
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Ah, that's much better. I am now ready to accept
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your challenge and prove that I can indeed trick you.
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And with that... Nasruddin gave the reins a tug and
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galloped off like the wind. The merchant sat at her
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campsite in her underwear, waiting to see how Nasruddin would
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use that box of tricks to outwit her. She waited
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one hour. She waited two hours. She waited many hours.
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And then, as the sun went down and the moon
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came up and the merchant shivered in the darkness... It
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finally became clear. She didn't have to wait to see
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how Nasruddin would use her box of tricks to outwit her.
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Because the sharp, bright, sly woman already had.
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Oh, how could I have been so foolish?
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But not to worry. I will find a way to
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get back at Nasruddin for what she's done. That rapscallion
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may have won this round. But next time we meet, I...
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Shall even the score.
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What do you think the merchant will do next? Will
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she find a way to get revenge on Nasruddin? We'll
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find out after a quick break.
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100 years from now in a land far, far away.
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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.
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In your feed or wherever you get podcasts.
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I'm Rebecca Shear. Welcome back to Circle Round. Today, our
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story is called The Sharpest Tack. Before the break, Nasruddin
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tricked a cocky, conniving merchant into giving up a full
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suit of fancy clothing and a strong strapping horse. The
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merchant vowed to get revenge. And one day, many, many
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months later, it appeared she'd get her chance. She was
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working a new job by now. Word had spread of
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her devious ways as a merchant, so she gave up
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her business and got hired as a border guard. All
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day long, she waited in a little booth on the border,
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making sure travelers didn't smuggle any goods into her country.
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If someone tried sneaking in anything stolen... illegal or otherwise forbidden,
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and she caught them. She reported them to the police
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and took great pleasure in doing so. Thus, you can
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imagine the merchant-turned-guard's delight when she gazed out the window
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of her booth one day and spotted a familiar face
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approaching the border.
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It's that no-good scoundrel Nasruddin. Surely that scallywag is trying
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to smuggle something illegal across the border, and now... It's
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my chance to get revenge.
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The guard noticed Nasruddin was traveling by foot, and she
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was leading a donkey on a rope. Stacked on the
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donkey's back were heavy bales of straw. A scornful sneer
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spread across the guard's face as she motioned for Nasruddin
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to stop.
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Nasruddin, we meet again. I would say I'm glad to
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see you, but my days of dishonesty are far behind me, so...
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I dare not lie.
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Nostradine returned the guard's sneer with a smile.
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Well, madame, I, for one, am glad to see you.
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After your dishonesty forced you to give up your merchant business,
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I was worried you wouldn't land on your feet. But
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here you are, gainfully employed in spite of everything.
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And fully clothed.
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The guard rolled her eyes.
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Listen, Nasruddin, as much as I'd love to continue this chit-chat,
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I have a job to do. And given everything I
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know about you and your tricks, I want to make
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sure you're not attempting to smuggle any valuable goods across
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this border. I must search the donkey.
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Nasruddin shrugged.
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You are more than welcome to search this donkey, madame.
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But I can assure you, all you will find is straw,
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and there's nothing illegal about that.
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The guard rolled her eyes again, then went to work
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pulling the straw bales apart. But even though she succeeded
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in making quite a mess, she did not succeed in
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finding anything suspicious.
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All right, Nasruddin, you appear to be fine this time.
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But if I see you again, you can bet I
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won't go easy on you.
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Well, as it happens, the guard did see Nasruddin again
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one short week later. Nasruddin was back at the border,
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once again leading a donkey laden with straw bales. The
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guard's eyes danced with disdain.
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You're back. Surely you have a trick up your sleeve
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this time, Nasruddin. But you can't fool me. I've brought
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some help.
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She snapped her fingers, and a team of assistants came
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bustling over. Together, they got to work tearing the straw
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bales to shreds. But once again... They found nothing suspicious.
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And once again, the annoyed guard had to allow Nasruddin
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to pass.
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You may proceed, but I'll get you next time. You'll see.
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Well, that next time came yet another week later. Once more,
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Nasruddin appeared, leading a donkey carrying bales of straw. But
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once more, the frustrated guard had to allow Nasruddin to pass.
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You may proceed, but I'll get you next time.
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The same scene played out the week after that.
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You may proceed.
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And the week after that.
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You may proceed.
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And the week after that.
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You may proceed.
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The guard was growing more and more frustrated. Nasruddin, on
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the other hand, seemed cool as a cucumber. Each time
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the guard and her team tore the straw bales apart,
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Nasruddin just stood off to the side, with her arms
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crossed and an amused glint in her eyes. Eventually, a
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year went by. But even though the routine never changed—
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Nasruddin showed up with a donkey, the guard conducted another
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fruitless search— one thing did change. Nasruddin appeared to grow wealthier.
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Her clothing got more lavish, and bright, sparkling jewels began
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to appear around her neck, wrists, and fingers— And yet,
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every time the guard and her team searched Nasruddin's donkey,
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they found nothing suspicious.
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You may proceed.
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Eventually, the day came when Nasruddin stopped showing up at
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the border. The guard couldn't get Nasruddin out of her mind.
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So one day after work, she traveled to Nasruddin's house.
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When she knocked on the door, a butler led her
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to a spacious courtyard where fountains sprayed, peacocks strutted, and
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exotic plants grew from gleaming marble pots. Standing in the
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midst of all this splendor was Nostradine, wearing an embroidered
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silk gown, glittering diamond earrings, and a broad grin.
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Well, hello, my friend. It's been a long time since
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I saw you last. Please sit down and tell me,
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to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?
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Nostradine swept over to a buttery leather sofa and sat down.
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The guard joined her.
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Well, Nastrudine, you're right. It has been a long time.
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But since I last laid eyes on you, curiosity has
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burned a hole in my heart. So, I have come
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to ask you a question.
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A question? What, like a riddle? Are you here to
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test my cleverness again?
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Nothing of the sort. It's just, all those years you
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came to the border leading a donkey and it seemed
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like you weren't smuggling a thing.
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Yet, look at you. You're living like a queen.
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I'm certain you must have been sneaking in something. But
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what was it?
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Nasruddin was quiet for a moment. Then she gave the
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guard a nod.
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The truth is, you're right. All those years when you
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saw me coming to the border, leading a donkey, and
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you painstakingly searched through all those bales of straw, I
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was smuggling something.
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I knew it!
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I knew you were smuggling something! But I shall never
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rest in peace until I know what it was. So
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tell me, I beg you, what were you smuggling across
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the border?
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Nostradine leaned back on the sofa. She folded her arms
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across her chest.
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Then.
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She looked the guard squarely in the face, and with
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a smile that stretched from ear to sparkling ear, she
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answered the desperate woman's question with one simple word.
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Donkeys!
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Nasruddin's revelation hit the guard like a lightning bolt. It
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was the donkeys that had been forbidden. All this time,
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the answer had been right in front of her. Yet
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she was nowhere near clever enough to see it. And
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thus it came to pass that Nasruddin used her wits
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to teach an important lesson yet again. Because the merchant-turned-guard
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now knew that if you really want to be sharper
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than the sharpest tack, brighter than the brightest button, and
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slyer than the slyest fox, a little bit of humility
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can go a long way. Now it's your turn. Now
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that you've heard this story, grab a buddy or a
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family member and go back and listen to our other
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Nasruddin episodes, The Fire Within and The Unwelcome Guest. You
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can also read our book, The Tale of the Unwelcome Guest.
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You can find links to all of them on our website, wbur.org.
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When you're done, ask yourself the following questions. First, what
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lessons is Nasruddin trying to teach in each story? And second,
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if you were Nasruddin, can you think of another witty
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way to teach these lessons? Share your answers with your buddy,
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then see if they can come up with even more
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ideas from their own box of tricks. This week's episode,
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The Sharpest Tack, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear. It
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00:19:48.490 --> 00:19:52.460
was edited by Sophie Codner. Our original music and sound
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design is by Eric Shemelonis. Our artist is Sabina Han.
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Sabina has created a really fun black and white picture
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for all of our Circle Round stories, and you can
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print them out and color them in. Grown-ups, 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, Nagin Farsad and Stacey Vanek-Smith. Writer, director, comedian,
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00:20:16.220 --> 00:20:19.259
and actor Nagin Farsad hosts the political comedy podcast Fake
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00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:22.069
the Nation. If you're a public radio fan, you'll recognize
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00:20:22.109 --> 00:20:24.190
her as a regular panelist on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me,
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00:20:24.430 --> 00:20:27.890
the NPR news quiz. And you'll know longtime reporter and
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00:20:27.950 --> 00:20:31.569
host Stacey Vanek-Smith from such public radio shows as Marketplace,
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00:20:31.869 --> 00:20:35.029
Planet Money, and The Indicator from Planet Money. She's also
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00:20:35.069 --> 00:20:38.809
the author of Machiavelli for Women, Defend your worth, grow
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00:20:38.829 --> 00:20:43.119
your ambition, and win the workplace. Our featured instrument this
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week was the oud. You can learn more about this
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00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:48.720
Middle Eastern lute and see a photo of Eric Shemelonis
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playing it on our website. Again, that's wbur.org slash circleround.
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And while you're at wbur.org slash circleround, you can find
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00:20:58.170 --> 00:21:01.029
all sorts of other cool stuff, like information about our
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00:21:01.069 --> 00:21:03.589
live events, how to get your hands on our circleround
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00:21:03.650 --> 00:21:06.480
picture books, and how you can support your favorite public
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00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:10.279
radio podcast by joining the Circle Round Club. To show
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00:21:10.319 --> 00:21:12.539
our thanks, we'll send you a welcome box with special
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00:21:12.619 --> 00:21:16.710
Circle Round goodies, plus weekly activity emails, monthly newsletters, and
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00:21:16.849 --> 00:21:19.769
early access to live Circle Round shows. You can also
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00:21:19.789 --> 00:21:24.990
get ad-free episodes, bite-sized bedtime stories, music education videos, and
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00:21:25.150 --> 00:21:29.450
a personalized birthday message from me. Visit wbur.org slash Circle
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00:21:29.490 --> 00:21:32.789
Round and click Circle Round Club. Grownups, if you enjoy
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00:21:32.849 --> 00:21:36.109
Circle Round, please leave us a five-star review on your
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00:21:36.289 --> 00:21:39.509
favorite podcast app. It helps other listeners find the show.
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We also invite you to spread the Circle Round love
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00:21:41.970 --> 00:21:45.269
on social media. Our handle on Facebook and Instagram is
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at Circle Round Podcast. Circle Round is a production of WBUR,
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Boston's NPR news station. I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling
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round with us. Now that you've made it to the
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end of this Circle Round episode, we want to know,
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what's your favorite Circle Round story? Thousands of fans just
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like you have been telling us about the Circle Round
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00:22:10.630 --> 00:22:11.819
stories they like best.
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Take a listen.
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Maybe one of their favorites is one of yours, too.
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Hello, my name is Athena. I live in Portland, Oregon.
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And my favorite Circle Round story is a three-legged pot.
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I like the part when the three-legged pot skips Felix
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00:22:29.420 --> 00:22:34.079
to the North Pole. My name is Sais. I live
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00:22:34.200 --> 00:22:38.990
in Arlington, Massachusetts. And my favorite Circle Round story is
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00:22:39.029 --> 00:22:43.250
the Troop of Ten because I like the part when
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they all walk in with black eggplants on their left hand.
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00:22:48.349 --> 00:22:52.359
Good luck and have a nice year. My name is Bailey.
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I live in Los Angeles. My favorite Circle Round story
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00:22:56.259 --> 00:23:00.049
is The Clockbird. I like the part when The Clockbird
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00:23:00.509 --> 00:23:04.150
thinks about his heart and he thinks about.
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00:23:03.890 --> 00:23:05.390
His friends, too.
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My name is Presley, and my favorite Circle Round story
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00:23:10.289 --> 00:23:13.130
is The Horse of a Different Color. Why I like
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00:23:13.150 --> 00:23:15.660
it is because the girl wins.
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Hi, my name is Olivia, and I live at Amherst,
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00:23:20.500 --> 00:23:25.140
New York. Outside Buffalo, and my favorite circle round story
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00:23:25.319 --> 00:23:28.680
is The Bird of a Different Feather because I like
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00:23:28.759 --> 00:23:32.339
the part where Giddy Fall says, school hug! My name
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00:23:32.420 --> 00:23:36.859
is Olive, and I live in West Virginia. My favorite
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00:23:36.900 --> 00:23:41.839
circle round is Amos and the Ogre. My favorite part
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00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:46.420
is when the ogre says, ready to get your butt smacked.
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My name is Lyra. I'm from Alaska, and my favorite
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00:23:53.609 --> 00:23:57.789
story is The Little Blue Pebble, and my favorite part
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00:23:58.009 --> 00:24:01.809
is when the sister found the pebble from the mine.
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Dear Choco Run, I love this story because it was
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a great story. It's one of my favorite stories. I
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love when you make cool stories and cool snuggle time stories.
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Love, your kids.
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P.S.
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It's the best story ever.
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Did someone mention a story you've missed? Not to worry. Grown-ups,
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00:24:23.750 --> 00:24:26.349
you can find all of our Circle Round stories, plus
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00:24:26.390 --> 00:24:29.490
links to the Circle Round Club, picture books, coloring pages,
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00:24:29.630 --> 00:24:34.329
and oh so much more on our website, wbur.org slash circleround.
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WBUR Podcasts, Boston.
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00:00:09.800 --> 00:00:13.630
We'll start our story today with a riddle. You can
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live by me. You can keep me about you. But
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00:00:17.570 --> 00:00:21.070
if you're not careful, you can also come to my end.
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00:00:21.829 --> 00:00:27.829
What am I? The answer is your wits. When you
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00:00:27.870 --> 00:00:31.190
live by your wits, you're using your cunning and cleverness.
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When you keep your wits about you, you're cautious and alert.
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But if you come to your wits end, you're desperate
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00:00:38.270 --> 00:00:41.079
and don't know what to do next. Today's tale is
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00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:44.899
all about wits, including a battle of wits, where the
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00:00:45.079 --> 00:00:52.060
sharpest wit wins. I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round,
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00:00:52.420 --> 00:00:56.079
where storytime happens all the time. Today, our story is
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00:00:56.140 --> 00:01:00.299
called The Sharpest Tack. It's inspired by tales from many cultures,
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including the Apache and Lakota of North America and the
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Uyghur people of China. You'll also find versions from Turkey
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and across the Middle East. Some really great people came
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together to bring you our story, including Nagin Farsad and
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00:01:14.370 --> 00:01:19.010
Stacey Vanik-Smith. Writer, director, comedian, and actor Nagin Farsad hosts
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00:01:19.069 --> 00:01:22.620
the political comedy podcast Fake the Nation. You public radio
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00:01:22.659 --> 00:01:25.000
fans will know her as a regular panelist on Wait, Wait,
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00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:28.030
Don't Tell Me, the NPR News Quiz. And you'll recognize
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00:01:28.109 --> 00:01:32.069
longtime public radio reporter and host Stacey Vanek-Smith from Marketplace,
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00:01:32.209 --> 00:01:37.769
Planet Money, and The Indicator from Planet Money. So circle around, everyone,
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for the sharpest tack. Everyone in the country knew that
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when it came to wit and wisdom, No one held
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a candle to Nasruddin. After all, Nasruddin was sharper than
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the sharpest tack, brighter than the brightest button, and slier
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than the slyest fox. No one had ever outwitted her,
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00:02:05.269 --> 00:02:09.509
though they certainly had tried. One day, a newcomer arrived
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in Nasruddin's country. She was a merchant by trade, and
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a crafty one at that. Rather than play by the
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rules and conduct honest business... The merchant was always playing
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tricks on people to cheat them out of their money.
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All her life, the merchant had fancied herself to be
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the cleverest one around. So when she heard about the
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wonderfully witty Nasruddin, she was most displeased.
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Ugh, who does this Nasruddin character think she is? I've
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always been sharper than the sharpest tack, brighter than the
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brightest button, and slayer than the slyest fox. And now
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I am going to prove it.
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The merchant put on her finest shirt and pants, her
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fanciest velvet coat, her most expensive fur hat, and her
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shiniest leather boots. Then, garbed in all this splendid finery,
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she mounted her strongest, fastest horse and galloped off toward
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the city where Nasruddin lived. In a wide open field
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at the city's edge, the merchant halted her horse and
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hopped down. As she got to work building a campsite,
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She asked a farmer passing by to deliver a message
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in town.
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Find Nasruddin and tell her that I am a very
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important merchant who has very important business to discuss. Tell
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her she must travel to my campsite right away.
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It was nightfall by the time Nasruddin received the message,
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so the next morning she made a beeline for the
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campsite where the merchant was waiting. Nasruddin had heard people
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grumbling about the Wily ways and sneaky scams of a
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newly arrived merchant. So the moment she spied the woman's
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elegant attire and smug smirk, she instantly knew who she was.
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But she didn't let on.
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Greetings, madame. I am Nasruddin. Are you the very important
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merchant who wishes to see me?
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The merchant's smug smirk grew even smugger.
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Why, yes, Nasruddin, I am the very important merchant who
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wishes to see you. I am also a very successful merchant,
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as you can tell from my spectacular steed and glorious garb.
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The woman's utter lack of humility made Nasruddin's skin prickle,
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but she just nodded and grinned.
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Of course, madame, your horse is magnificent, as are your clothes.
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Clearly you are extraordinarily successful. But why summon me out here?
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What can I do for you?
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Well, Nasruddin, I am fairly new to these parts, but
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ever since I've arrived, I've been hearing about how quick
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you are, how clever, how sly, how smart, how slick.
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Word has it there's not a person on this earth
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whom you couldn't trick with your wit.
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Nasruddin shook her head. To be clear, madame, I don't
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use my wit to trick people. I use it to
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teach them important lessons. To show them how to be kinder,
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for instance. Or more understanding.
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Or.
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Yes, yes, yes, whatever. The point is, I hear you're
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able to outwit anyone. But I don't believe you can
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outwit me. In fact, I challenge you to try.
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Now remember, Nasruddin was sharper than the sharpest tack, brighter
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than the brightest button, and slyer than the slyest fox. So,
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quickly and quietly... She put her sharp, bright, sly mind
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to work on a plan.
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Well, madame, I am pleased to say that I accept
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your challenge. But I must admit, it looks like it's
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going to be a tough one. So, may I please
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go home first and get my box of tricks?
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The merchant wrinkled her brow.
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Your box of tricks? What do you mean?
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Well, with a woman as cunning and clever as you are...
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No simple trick will do. So I'll need my special
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box of tricks. It's bursting with brilliant ways to fool people.
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But here's the thing. My home is very far from here.
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May I please borrow your horse?
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The merchant hesitated. The horse was the fastest, strongest steed
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in her stable, and she had paid a pretty penny
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for it. But she was determined to show Nasruddin what's what.
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Fine, you may borrow my horse, but go easy on him,
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won't you?
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Of course, I'll be as gentle as can be.
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As Nostradine began walking toward the horse, she suddenly froze mid-stride.
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Oh dear, your horse looks rather nervous and jumpy. I
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don't think he likes me. Perhaps if you lend me
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your velvet coat and fur hat, the horse will believe I'm...
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The merchant.
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Thought this an odd request, but she was eager to
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see that box of tricks.
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Fine, here you go.
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The merchant pulled off her velvet coat and fur hat,
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and Nasruddin put them on. But as she was about
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to mount the horse, she hesitated again.
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Actually, your horse still looks really anxious. I don't think
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he's falling for my disguise. Maybe if you gave me
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your leather boots, too?
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My leather boots?
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The merchant sighed.
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All right, fine, take them.
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The increasingly impatient woman kicked off her leather boots and
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Nasruddin pulled them on. But she still didn't mount the horse.
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Gosh, your horse still looks kind of jittery. Perhaps if
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you gave me your shirt as well and your pants?
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The merchant didn't wish to strip down to her skivvies,
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but she was determined to see this box of tricks.
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So she grudgingly agreed. She took off her costly silk
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shirt and hand-sewn satin pants and handed them over. Now
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that Nasruddin was wearing all of the merchant's luxurious, elegant clothing,
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she finally climbed into the saddle of the merchant's strongest,
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fastest horse.
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Ah, that's much better. I am now ready to accept
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your challenge and prove that I can indeed trick you.
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And with that... Nasruddin gave the reins a tug and
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galloped off like the wind. The merchant sat at her
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campsite in her underwear, waiting to see how Nasruddin would
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use that box of tricks to outwit her. She waited
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one hour. She waited two hours. She waited many hours.
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And then, as the sun went down and the moon
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came up and the merchant shivered in the darkness... It
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finally became clear. She didn't have to wait to see
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how Nasruddin would use her box of tricks to outwit her.
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Because the sharp, bright, sly woman already had.
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Oh, how could I have been so foolish?
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But not to worry. I will find a way to
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get back at Nasruddin for what she's done. That rapscallion
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may have won this round. But next time we meet, I...
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Shall even the score.
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What do you think the merchant will do next? Will
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she find a way to get revenge on Nasruddin? We'll
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find out after a quick break.
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100 years from now in a land far, far away.
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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.
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In your feed or wherever you get podcasts.
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I'm Rebecca Shear. Welcome back to Circle Round. Today, our
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story is called The Sharpest Tack. Before the break, Nasruddin
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tricked a cocky, conniving merchant into giving up a full
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suit of fancy clothing and a strong strapping horse. The
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merchant vowed to get revenge. And one day, many, many
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months later, it appeared she'd get her chance. She was
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working a new job by now. Word had spread of
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her devious ways as a merchant, so she gave up
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her business and got hired as a border guard. All
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day long, she waited in a little booth on the border,
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making sure travelers didn't smuggle any goods into her country.
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If someone tried sneaking in anything stolen... illegal or otherwise forbidden,
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and she caught them. She reported them to the police
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and took great pleasure in doing so. Thus, you can
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imagine the merchant-turned-guard's delight when she gazed out the window
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of her booth one day and spotted a familiar face
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approaching the border.
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It's that no-good scoundrel Nasruddin. Surely that scallywag is trying
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to smuggle something illegal across the border, and now... It's
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my chance to get revenge.
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The guard noticed Nasruddin was traveling by foot, and she
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was leading a donkey on a rope. Stacked on the
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donkey's back were heavy bales of straw. A scornful sneer
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spread across the guard's face as she motioned for Nasruddin
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to stop.
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Nasruddin, we meet again. I would say I'm glad to
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see you, but my days of dishonesty are far behind me, so...
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I dare not lie.
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Nostradine returned the guard's sneer with a smile.
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Well, madame, I, for one, am glad to see you.
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After your dishonesty forced you to give up your merchant business,
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I was worried you wouldn't land on your feet. But
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here you are, gainfully employed in spite of everything.
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And fully clothed.
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The guard rolled her eyes.
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Listen, Nasruddin, as much as I'd love to continue this chit-chat,
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I have a job to do. And given everything I
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know about you and your tricks, I want to make
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sure you're not attempting to smuggle any valuable goods across
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this border. I must search the donkey.
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Nasruddin shrugged.
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You are more than welcome to search this donkey, madame.
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But I can assure you, all you will find is straw,
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and there's nothing illegal about that.
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The guard rolled her eyes again, then went to work
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pulling the straw bales apart. But even though she succeeded
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in making quite a mess, she did not succeed in
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finding anything suspicious.
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All right, Nasruddin, you appear to be fine this time.
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But if I see you again, you can bet I
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won't go easy on you.
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Well, as it happens, the guard did see Nasruddin again
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one short week later. Nasruddin was back at the border,
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once again leading a donkey laden with straw bales. The
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guard's eyes danced with disdain.
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You're back. Surely you have a trick up your sleeve
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this time, Nasruddin. But you can't fool me. I've brought
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some help.
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She snapped her fingers, and a team of assistants came
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bustling over. Together, they got to work tearing the straw
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bales to shreds. But once again... They found nothing suspicious.
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And once again, the annoyed guard had to allow Nasruddin
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to pass.
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You may proceed, but I'll get you next time. You'll see.
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Well, that next time came yet another week later. Once more,
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Nasruddin appeared, leading a donkey carrying bales of straw. But
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once more, the frustrated guard had to allow Nasruddin to pass.
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You may proceed, but I'll get you next time.
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The same scene played out the week after that.
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You may proceed.
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And the week after that.
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You may proceed.
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And the week after that.
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You may proceed.
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The guard was growing more and more frustrated. Nasruddin, on
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the other hand, seemed cool as a cucumber. Each time
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the guard and her team tore the straw bales apart,
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Nasruddin just stood off to the side, with her arms
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crossed and an amused glint in her eyes. Eventually, a
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year went by. But even though the routine never changed—
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Nasruddin showed up with a donkey, the guard conducted another
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fruitless search— one thing did change. Nasruddin appeared to grow wealthier.
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Her clothing got more lavish, and bright, sparkling jewels began
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to appear around her neck, wrists, and fingers— And yet,
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every time the guard and her team searched Nasruddin's donkey,
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they found nothing suspicious.
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You may proceed.
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Eventually, the day came when Nasruddin stopped showing up at
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the border. The guard couldn't get Nasruddin out of her mind.
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So one day after work, she traveled to Nasruddin's house.
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When she knocked on the door, a butler led her
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to a spacious courtyard where fountains sprayed, peacocks strutted, and
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exotic plants grew from gleaming marble pots. Standing in the
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midst of all this splendor was Nostradine, wearing an embroidered
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silk gown, glittering diamond earrings, and a broad grin.
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Well, hello, my friend. It's been a long time since
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I saw you last. Please sit down and tell me,
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to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?
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Nostradine swept over to a buttery leather sofa and sat down.
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The guard joined her.
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Well, Nastrudine, you're right. It has been a long time.
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But since I last laid eyes on you, curiosity has
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burned a hole in my heart. So, I have come
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to ask you a question.
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A question? What, like a riddle? Are you here to
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test my cleverness again?
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Nothing of the sort. It's just, all those years you
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came to the border leading a donkey and it seemed
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like you weren't smuggling a thing.
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Yet, look at you. You're living like a queen.
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I'm certain you must have been sneaking in something. But
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what was it?
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Nasruddin was quiet for a moment. Then she gave the
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guard a nod.
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The truth is, you're right. All those years when you
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saw me coming to the border, leading a donkey, and
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you painstakingly searched through all those bales of straw, I
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was smuggling something.
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I knew it!
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I knew you were smuggling something! But I shall never
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rest in peace until I know what it was. So
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tell me, I beg you, what were you smuggling across
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the border?
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Nostradine leaned back on the sofa. She folded her arms
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across her chest.
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Then.
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She looked the guard squarely in the face, and with
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a smile that stretched from ear to sparkling ear, she
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answered the desperate woman's question with one simple word.
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Donkeys!
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Nasruddin's revelation hit the guard like a lightning bolt. It
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was the donkeys that had been forbidden. All this time,
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the answer had been right in front of her. Yet
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she was nowhere near clever enough to see it. And
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thus it came to pass that Nasruddin used her wits
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to teach an important lesson yet again. Because the merchant-turned-guard
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now knew that if you really want to be sharper
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than the sharpest tack, brighter than the brightest button, and
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slyer than the slyest fox, a little bit of humility
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can go a long way. Now it's your turn. Now
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that you've heard this story, grab a buddy or a
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family member and go back and listen to our other
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Nasruddin episodes, The Fire Within and The Unwelcome Guest. You
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can also read our book, The Tale of the Unwelcome Guest.
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You can find links to all of them on our website, wbur.org.
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When you're done, ask yourself the following questions. First, what
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lessons is Nasruddin trying to teach in each story? And second,
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if you were Nasruddin, can you think of another witty
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way to teach these lessons? Share your answers with your buddy,
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then see if they can come up with even more
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ideas from their own box of tricks. This week's episode,
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The Sharpest Tack, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear. It
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was edited by Sophie Codner. Our original music and sound
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design is by Eric Shemelonis. Our artist is Sabina Han.
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Sabina has created a really fun black and white picture
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for all of our Circle Round stories, and you can
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print them out and color them in. Grown-ups, 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, Nagin Farsad and Stacey Vanek-Smith. Writer, director, comedian,
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and actor Nagin Farsad hosts the political comedy podcast Fake
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the Nation. If you're a public radio fan, you'll recognize
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her as a regular panelist on Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me,
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the NPR news quiz. And you'll know longtime reporter and
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host Stacey Vanek-Smith from such public radio shows as Marketplace,
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Planet Money, and The Indicator from Planet Money. She's also
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the author of Machiavelli for Women, Defend your worth, grow
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your ambition, and win the workplace. Our featured instrument this
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week was the oud. You can learn more about this
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Middle Eastern lute and see a photo of Eric Shemelonis
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playing it on our website. Again, that's wbur.org slash circleround.
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And while you're at wbur.org slash circleround, you can find
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all sorts of other cool stuff, like information about our
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live events, how to get your hands on our circleround
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picture books, and how you can support your favorite public
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radio podcast by joining the Circle Round Club. To show
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our thanks, we'll send you a welcome box with special
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Circle Round goodies, plus weekly activity emails, monthly newsletters, and
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early access to live Circle Round shows. You can also
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get ad-free episodes, bite-sized bedtime stories, music education videos, and
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a personalized birthday message from me. Visit wbur.org slash Circle
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Round and click Circle Round Club. Grownups, if you enjoy
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Circle Round, please leave us a five-star review on your
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favorite podcast app. It helps other listeners find the show.
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We also invite you to spread the Circle Round love
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on social media. Our handle on Facebook and Instagram is
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at Circle Round Podcast. Circle Round is a production of WBUR,
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Boston's NPR news station. I'm Rebecca Shear. Thanks for circling
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round with us. Now that you've made it to the
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end of this Circle Round episode, we want to know,
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what's your favorite Circle Round story? Thousands of fans just
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like you have been telling us about the Circle Round
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stories they like best.
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Take a listen.
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Maybe one of their favorites is one of yours, too.
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Hello, my name is Athena. I live in Portland, Oregon.
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And my favorite Circle Round story is a three-legged pot.
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I like the part when the three-legged pot skips Felix
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to the North Pole. My name is Sais. I live
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in Arlington, Massachusetts. And my favorite Circle Round story is
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the Troop of Ten because I like the part when
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they all walk in with black eggplants on their left hand.
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Good luck and have a nice year. My name is Bailey.
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I live in Los Angeles. My favorite Circle Round story
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is The Clockbird. I like the part when The Clockbird
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thinks about his heart and he thinks about.
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His friends, too.
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My name is Presley, and my favorite Circle Round story
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is The Horse of a Different Color. Why I like
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it is because the girl wins.
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Hi, my name is Olivia, and I live at Amherst,
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New York. Outside Buffalo, and my favorite circle round story
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is The Bird of a Different Feather because I like
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the part where Giddy Fall says, school hug! My name
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is Olive, and I live in West Virginia. My favorite
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circle round is Amos and the Ogre. My favorite part
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is when the ogre says, ready to get your butt smacked.
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My name is Lyra. I'm from Alaska, and my favorite
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story is The Little Blue Pebble, and my favorite part
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is when the sister found the pebble from the mine.
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Dear Choco Run, I love this story because it was
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a great story. It's one of my favorite stories. I
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love when you make cool stories and cool snuggle time stories.
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Love, your kids.
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P.S.
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It's the best story ever.
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Did someone mention a story you've missed? Not to worry. Grown-ups,
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you can find all of our Circle Round stories, plus
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links to the Circle Round Club, picture books, coloring pages,
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and oh so much more on our website, wbur.org slash circleround.
