Circle Round

Maulik Pancholy and Nikesh Patel headline this Indian folktale about a missing diamond ring in a palace vault, with a hint of magic and a guilty attendant. Kids share their favorite CircleRound stories.

A live recording in Boston transports listeners to northern Germany as Gretchen and Freya navigate their daily lives. Gretchen encounters small green people in a clearing filled with spruce trees and discovers a magical phenomenon while collecting spruce cones. She seeks the help of the forest folk to cure her sick mother and successfully heals her. The podcast concludes with expressions of gratitude and a tradition of keeping silver spruce cones.

Actress Christina Anthony and Tony winner Lindsay Mendez play a horse and rider in an enchanted tale. They catch a thief destroying a cornfield. Valentina encounters a talking rainbow-colored horse, brings corn back to life, and surprises her sisters. Valentina fulfills her promise to the horse and asks it to grant three wishes to someone in need.

Brittany O'Grady stars in a Native American tale about Coyote's mission to bring fire to a dark world. Coyote and her friends devise a plan to steal fire from the fire beings. Coyote encounters the fire beings firsthand while her friends help her pass the fire stick. They successfully bring fire to the world and celebrate. The podcast also features children sharing their favorite Circle Round stories and discussing their favorite moments.

Helen Hong shares a tale about imagination and effort affecting supply and demand. The podcast explores the concept of supply and demand through a lemonade stand example and tells a folktale about Yuna starting her own business. It highlights the importance of imagination and innovation on the road to success. Eunice learns from a businesswoman and comes up with a new idea after seeing a flower shop with less beautiful blossoms. Yuna's hard work and determination lead her to achieve her goal of buying a house and bringing her parents.

A Chinese tale about a mysterious guest, a raging storm, and the true fruits of kindness. Maylene encounters a man who turns out to be the yellow dragon in disguise. Maylene and her grandfather face a flood during a storm, only to wake up to a peaceful morning. They witness the surprising benefits of the flood on their land. The podcast emphasizes kindness, introduces an instrument, and encourages listener engagement.

Aasif Mandvi and Madhur Jaffrey star in an Indian story about a wise king, a generous shoemaker, and a priceless pair of shoes. The shoemaker's struggles, disappointment, and eventually, kind act towards a beggar leads to an unexpected opportunity as the official royal shoemaker. Listeners also share their favorite Circle Round stories.

A Dutch tale about a wealthy woman obsessed with increasing her wealth. Captain Willem is tasked with finding a precious treasure. The crew encounters a storm at sea and ends up in a humble village. A disagreement about the value of wheat leads to disastrous consequences. The podcast also includes discussions on books, featured instruments, and fan responses.

Comedian Alonzo Bodden tells an African legend about an animal's mischief that led to the creation of the savanna's most magical trees. The story emphasizes the consequences of anger and the significance of the Upside Down Tree in legends. The hyena's late arrival and disappointment at the tree planting event highlight the theme of managing anger. The hyena's brute force in planting the unique sapling leads to its value as a resource for all. The episode explores the importance of acknowledging and managing anger and features insights on dealing with anger and the episode's fan favorites.

Kimberly Guerrero stars in a tale about a thieving fox and four wise winds. A boy seeks the winds' help to catch the fox, resulting in her transformation. The podcast also includes stories about life in the Arctic and promoting the Circle Round Club.