The Beech-Wood Box

Think about a time you did something new.

Did you learn a new skill? Visit a new place. Maybe you made something new.

“In today's story a king challenges his people to do something very new.”

And it'll take a whole lot of magic to make it happen. I'm Rebecca Scheer, and welcome to Circle Round. We're Story Time, happens all the time. Today our story is called The Beach Wood Box. We found versions of this tale from Poland and Hungary,

where they've been shared among the Roma, the largest ethnic minority in Europe. Some really great people came together to bring you our version of this folktale, including Krasimera Belleth and Christian Hable. Krasimera Belleth is the award-winning writer-producer

and actor behind the acclaimed feature film The Therapy.

Violinist Christian Hable, whose voice and violin you're about to hear, has lent his talent to numerous gold, multi-platinum Emmy Award, Academy Award, Tony Award, and Grammy Award-winning recordings, plus a few episodes of Circle Round. So Circle Round everyone for The Beach Wood Box.

[Music]

“Nadia, the peddler, journeyed from place to place,”

selling Nick Nax and trinkets by day, and sleeping in her ragged patched up tent by night. Nadia loved seeing new places, having new adventures, and meeting new people. While she was content with her life,

she could help a feel like something was missing, a child. With this itinerant existence of mine,

I've never been able to settle down and have a bouncing baby of my own,

but perhaps I will someday. One evening, Nadia was in a misty moonlit forest, pitching her ragged patched up tent, and then her stomach let loose a growl. Ooh!

I was so busy peddling at that bizarre today, I didn't eat a morsel, and my belly is interior than a corn huskin winter. I'll go find something to eat in the woods. As Nadia wove her way through the forest,

she spotted a nest where a songbird was feeding her hatchlings, some worms. She glimpsed a deer and her fawn, nibbling a shrub, she spied up mother squirrel carrying treenuts to her pups. Ooh, look at all those good mothers,

keeping their babies healthy and fed. What lucky ducks they are to have such beautiful children, or lucky birds, deer and squirrels, I guess. While Nadia didn't care for worms or shrubs, roasted nuts sounded like a decent snack,

but the moment she started plucking beach nuts off a beach tree. Hello there. Nadia stopped and cast her head about. Who said that? Where are you?

When her gaze returned to the tree, Nadia got her answer. For peering out from a hollow in the smooth grey trunk,

“why's a woman with long, silvery hair and a dazzling smile?”

I hope I didn't start all you Nadia. Start all me. You scared the living daylights out of me. And who are you? How do you know my name?

And what are you doing inside this tree? I'm Matoya, spirit of the beach tree. I know your name because I've been watching you Nadia. I have heard you voice your deepest wish, so I'm here to grant it.

Nadia's heart did a backflip. You mean, my wish of having a child? You can make it come true? I can, but I'll need your help. So listen carefully.

Tomorrow you must find a pumpkin. As big and round as a full moon. Scoop out the seeds and pour it full of milk. Drink the milk down, and I promise. In due time, you shall have your child.

I shall have my own child. Thank you, Matoya. I promise I shall do everything you say. Nadia Grinden turns to go. Matoya stopped her.

And one more thing, Nadia. When your child is grown, and it's time for them to make their way in the world, you must give them this.

It was about the size of a shoe box, but flatter.

“This box is carved from the wood of this beach tree.”

Your child must bring it on their travels. It'll be used to them. It'll ensure that every bit is happy as they deserve to be. And with that, she flashed another dazzling smile. And vanished.

Nadia hardly slept a wink that night. Come daybreak. She rushed to the bizarre and sold just enough knickknacks and trinkets to buy a big round pumpkin and a fresh bottle of milk. She scooped out the pumpkin seeds, poured in the milk,

then trink it down.

And approximately nine months later,

she gave birth to a bright, eye baby boy. When she took him into her arms, his cries gave way to contended clues. "Hello, my precious one.

“Look how happy you are with that gummy toothless grin."”

"I shall name you happy so that you'll be joyful and content all the rest of your days." Nadia worked hard to make happy's life every bit as joyful as his name, and even though mother and son faced plenty of hard times, happy kept on smiling. The years went by, and before Nadia knew it,

it was time for her son to make his way in the world. "Happy." "Raising you has been a dream come true. Now that you're grown and starting your own life, I must give you this."

She held out the beach wood box. "Happy marveled at its dense, strong pale cream surface." This box is beautiful. "Thank you, mother." "You're very welcome. I have it on good authority that this box will be of use to you happy,

so keep it safe and may fortune smile upon you wherever you go." "Happy tucked the beach wood box into his satchel. Then he grabbed a walking stick and set out into the world. He had just wandered into a new kingdom. He overheard some villagers chatting in the town square.

"Can you believe the king's latest challenge?" The king is issuing another challenge. Last I heard he was offering ten chests of gold to anyone who could read his mind, but nobody managed to do it. "And before that, he offered ten chests of gold to anyone who could kidnap a dragon.

And nobody could do that either." "But you know how eccentric the king is. When his royal majesty is an issuing another odd challenge, he's making another odd rule." "Right, like how every evening from five o'clock to six o'clock,

everyone in the kingdom must fool silently, so he can listen to the sound of the wind." He calls it the listening hour. And whoa, onto anyone who disrespects the listening hour. Major, whoa, whoa.

Well, speaking of silence and sound,

“that's what the king's latest challenge is all about.”

He's offering ten chests of gold to anyone who can produce a sound he has never heard before.

A sound he has never heard before? The king has journeyed to every country on earth. What sound could possibly be new to him? I don't know! But whoever figures it out is going to be a very rich person,

a very rich person indeed. Happy slowed his step. He thought about the king's challenge, then he thought about Nadia. "She worked so hard to raise me and care for me all those years.

If I could give her ten chests of gold, she would never have to work again. She would be set for life." Happy meanders through the village, musing about what new sounds he might bring the king.

What if I bring him the call of an exotic animal? Of course that means I have to find an exotic animal. So maybe the sound of an undiscovered language? But if it's undiscovered, then there's no way I could hold your tongue. Happy swung round and there,

wearing a striped uniform and an angry expression was a member of the king's guard. I'm sorry, what did you say? And why are you whispering?

It's five o'clock, the listening hour.

Happy was perplexed. But then he remembered what the villagers said about the king. Every evening from five o'clock to six o'clock, everyone in the kingdom must fool silent, so he can listen to the sound of the wind.

He calls it the listening hour. And whoa, unto anyone who disrespects the listening hour. A chill raced down happy spine. Clearly he had disrespect to the listening hour. He fixed the guard with pleading eyes.

Please, sir. I'm new to this kingdom, and I just learned about this whole listening hour thing a little while ago in silence.

The guard extended an arm and grabbed happy

by the scruff of his coat. Newcommer or not.

“You have to fight the king's sacred listening hour.”

And now you must obey. What will happen to our helpless hero happy? We'll find out after a quick break. The reviews are in and super fans like you are loving the circle around club

and exciting opportunity to support public radio and get cool stuff. Including ad-free episodes and a personalized birthday message from me. Well, I like about the circle around club is that my back is here, so take sure messages.

And it's a purchase the show. And there are new ads. Growing up, support public radio and sign up today at wbr.org/circleroundclub. Welcome back to Circle Round.

My name is Rebecca Sheer. Today our story is called The Beachwood Box.

“Before the break, with little more than a walking stick”

and a beachwood box gifted by his mother, happy was seeking his fortune in the world. He soon learned of a quirky king who would reward ten chests of gold to anyone who could present him with a brand new sound.

Before happy could brainstorm a solution he accidentally violated the king's notorious listening hour and was thrown into the palace dungeon. Oh, I hope I'm not stuck in this dungeon forever. It's so dark and so cold.

There's not a flicker of light or warmth anywhere. Are you sure about that? The chili darkness gave way to a warm, glowing light and who should happy spy in front of him with long, silvery hair and a dazzling smile

but the tree spirit, Latuia. Greetings, happy. Though I wish we were meeting under a happier circumstances. Happy's jaw dropped. Who are you?

How do you know my name? And what are you doing inside this dungeon? Your mother asked me some very similar questions some time ago. You know my mother? I do.

“I might not as acquaintance before you were born, you see?”

I'm Latuia, spirit of the beach tree. Spirit of the what? The beach tree, smooth gray bark, produces nuts, has dense, strong pale cream wood,

like the wood in the box your mother gave you. Happy's eyes went as wide as pumpkin pies. The box my mother gave me. How do you know about that? Because I gave it to her before you were born.

And thanks to that box you will not be stuck in this dungeon forever. I won't. Happy, you deserve a life every bit as joyful as your name. And your beach wood box will make it so. Do you have it with you?

Of course.

I carry it with me always.

Good. May I see it? Happy placed the box in Matuia's hands. She lifted it to her face. She held it under her eyes.

And then she cried. Once the box was dripping with the listening tears, she held it to her lips. And laughed. Happy's brow wrinkled in confusion.

That remains to be seen. And hurt. Might you have a stick?

I have my walking stick here.

He handed Matuia the stick. She promptly snapped it in half. What did you do that for? Watch.

“I shall attach one piece of the stick to the box to make a neck.”

On neck. And then I will string the box's neck with this. Matuia plucked out several strands of her long, silvery hair. She ran the hairs down the neck across the box and fastened them tight. She then picked up the other half of the stick.

After plucking out more strands of hair, she strung them across it from the top of the stick to the bottom. Happy. This is a bow. A bow.

That's right. I want you to raise the box on your shoulder and hold its neck with one hand.

“With your other hand, you must hold onto the bow.”

Rub the bow strings against the next strings and hear what happens. She gave happy the box and bow. Then she flashed one of her dazzling smiles. And was gone. The dungeon went dark.

Happy let out a shiver. Then he did as the tree spirit requested. He rested his new contraption under his chin. And put bow to box. The strings began to vibrate,

and suddenly the air was filled with a warm, rich, resonant sound.

A first it was slow and sad.

Then it grew lively and gay. So lively and gay it was like the dungeon was flooded with light. And as it happens, it actually was. The door at the top of the steps had flown open. Letting in a glow of sunshine from the outside world.

“And who should come bounding down the steps with an astonished look in his face?”

But that thing. Look in the world are you doing? Happy dropped his bow. He gaped at the king unsure of what to say. I-I-I-I-I-I-I...

You need to speak, man. Go back to what you were doing. Go back to making that magnificent sound with that wondrous box. Happy let out a long exhale, magnificent sound, wondrous box. Here he was thinking he had displeased the king when it was actually the opposite.

Beaming with delight and relief. Happy tucked the box under his chin, held up the bow, and began to play. The king sat perfectly still. His eyes glued on happy's beat with box.

When the sound turned slow and mournful, he shed it here after tear. And when the sound turned bright and joyful, he let out left after the laugh. The king was amazed and impressed.

Because somehow this young man had done it,

he had made a brand new sound the king had never heard before.

And when happy received his reward, he was more than happy to give it to his hard-working mother. Word of happy's beachwood box spread throughout the land. People were so enthralled that they began to make and play their own. And before long, countless multitudes were practicing on the musical instrument we now call the violin.

Maybe you are too. Because all these years later, the violin hasn't lost its power. To this day, it's revered and celebrated around the world. For expressing a world of emotion. Now it's your turn.

If so, we invite you to share it with us.

Grownups?

“Make a quick video or audio recording of your circle round fan playing their instrument.”

And email it to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing your music. This week's episode, The Beachwood Box was adapted by me, Rebecca Sheer. It was edited by Dean Russell. Our original music and sound design is by Eric Shimologna's.

Eric's featured instruments this week were the violin and the symbolism. You can learn more about this hammered del summer used by the Roma people of Eastern Europe on our way. Wbr.org/ circleround.

Circle round's artist is Sabina Han.

Sabina has created a black and white coloring page for all of our circle round stories. And you can color them in while you listen. Grownups?

“Download our coloring pages at wwwbr.org/ circleround.”

Special thanks to this week's actors. Amy Brantano. Kieran Kumar. Jefferson A. Russell. Igor Shimologna.

Don Ursula.

Kressomira Beleff and Christian Habel.

Kressomira Beleff wrote produced and starred in the award-winning feature film The Therapy. She co-founded the FFC Global Short Film Fund, providing funding and mentorship to women and non-binary filmmakers. Her upcoming films include Hawaii. It goes on all force. The quilt.

And are real, dilemma.

“Violinist Christian Habel has lent his talents to the big screens, small screen and stages around the world.”

When he's not touring with pop and rock legends like Barbara Streisand, Sting and Billy Joel, he's soloing with top orchestras and recording Hollywood's biggest film scores. He's also played on several circle round episodes, including the Magpie with Salt on her tail, and the sweetest sounds. Love our WBR podcast and want to circle round with us in even more ways.

Head to wwwbr.org/ circleround and join the circle round club. As thanks for your donation, we'll send you all sorts of goodies like an ad-free feed, bonus bedtime stories, special circle round swag, audio features about Eric's musical instruments, and the chance to order a personalized birthday message for me, Rebecca Schier. Sign up for the circle round club and support your favorite public media podcast at wwwbr.org/ circleround.

Rown up, if you enjoy circle round, please leave us a five-star rating or review on your favorite podcast app. Your feedback helps other fans find the show so we can make the circle round circle even bigger. Circle round is a production of WBR Boston's NPR. I'm Rebecca Schier, thanks for circling round with us! Now that you've made it to the end of this circle round episode, we want to know what's your favorite circle round story.

Thousands of fans just like you have been telling us about the circle round stories they like best. Take a listen, maybe one of their favorites is one of yours too. Hello, my name is Amber, I'm from Singapore, Bida Dari, and my favorite circle round story. The circle round is a funny sound, Kakakakakak. My name is Rowan, I live in African Colorado. My favorite circle is the Zodiac 12.

My favorite part is the part when the dragon moves the rabbit across on the log. My name is Alice, and I live in Portland, Oregon. And my favorite circle round story is counting crocodiles. And my favorite part is when now steer hops across the crocodiles heads together. My name is everything, I live in Westland, Oregon.

My favorite story is the lion's whisper. And my favorite part of it is when the kids get a whisper from their life, but they don't really need it. Hi, my name is Eliana, I'm from Michigan, my favorite story is Ewas Neogre, because I like when they do this three contests, and that teaches me a girl lesson. My name is Marlow, I live in California, my favorite circle round story is the woman in the vinnacle bottle. And my favorite part is when the woman finds herself back in the vinnacle bottle.

Hello, my name is Maya, and I live in the Tacoma, Minnesota. And my favorite episode is Stella Lidragon, and if your part is when she finds a hundred kids in the backyard. Did someone mention a story you've missed? Not to worry, grownups, you can find all of our circle round stories.