Heart and Stone | Ep. 224

Has anyone ever told you not to “lose heart”?

“Losing heart” means you no longer believe you can accomplish something. You’ve run out of hope, and you’re ready to give up.

We’re about to meet a character who never loses heart – even when he goes on an adventure to find it!

Our story is called “Heart and Stone.” You’ll hear versions of this tale throughout Western Asia, North Africa, and Europe – especially in the Scandinavian country of Norway.

Voices in this episode include: Feodor Chin, Dave Edson, Kym Miller, Jessica Rau, Marion Toro, Chris Tucci, and Joshua Johnson. Joshua Johnson hosts "The Night Light with Joshua Johnson." He's also hosted the NBC news program “Now Tonight with Joshua Johnson,” as well as “The Week with Joshua Johnson” on MSNBC and “1A” on NPR.

This episode was adapted for Circle Round by Rebecca Sheir. It was edited by Sofie Kodner. Original music and sound design is by Eric Shimelonis. Our artist is Sabina Hahn.

ADULTS! PRINT THIS so everyone can color while listening. We’re also keeping an album so share your picture on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest, and tag it with #CircleRound. We'd love to see it! To access all the coloring pages for past episodes click HERE. Our resident artist is Sabina Hahn and you can learn more about her HERE.

Now It’s Your Turn!

Now it’s your turn.

What is something you’d never wish to lose?

Maybe it’s a thing, or maybe it’s a person. Whatever it is, draw a picture of it, then share your picture with someone you have fun with. And, if you’d like, share it with us!

Grown-ups, snap a photo of your youngster and their artwork and email it to circleround@wbur.org. We may feature it in “The Lion’s Roar,” our monthly newsletter for members of the Circle Round Club (and to learn more about this exciting new community for Circle Round superfans like you, click here!).

Musical Spotlight: Kantele

The kantele is the national instrument of Finland. Despite its Finnish origins, the kantele has been adapted for use over the centuries in Norwegian and broader Scandinavian traditional music. Norwegians now value the instrument as an important part of their musical heritage.

The kantele stems from a long line of Baltic box zithers (a.k.a. lap harps), which have a resonating body, and strings which you can pluck, strum, strike, or bow. In the case of the kantele, you pluck or strum the strings. Kanteles come in different sizes: 5-string, 10-string, 11-string, all the way up to the 36-string concert kantele.

According to Finnish folklore, the first kantele was created from the jaw bones of fish and the hair of young maidens. When the first kantele was played, the sound was so beautiful that every single living thing started to cry. The tears rolled into the ocean, and when they touched the sea they turned into beautiful blue pearls.

Story Transcript:

NARRATOR: Some really great people came together to bring you our version of this tale, including Joshua Johnson, host of the NBC news program Now Tonight with Joshua Johnson. You news junkies may also know Joshua from The Week with Joshua Johnson on MSNBC, as well as 1A on NPR.

So Circle Round, everyone… for “Heart and Stone.”

NARRATOR: Jonas lived on a farm with his two sisters, Violet and Vera. The siblings worked hard, yet they were always struggling to make ends meet. So, after years of scrimping and scraping, Violet and Vera sat Jonas down to make an announcement.

VIOLET: Listen, brother. Vera and I have been talking…

VERA: …and we’ve decided to go out into the world to seek our fortunes!

VIOLET: Make our own way!

VERA: Start our own lives!

VIOLET: So we’re going to the capital city, to see what our future holds!

VERA: Won’t you come with us?

NARRATOR: Jonas paused, then gave his shoulders a shrug.

JONAS: Look. I appreciate the invitation, you two. I really do. But I have to stay here. Someone’s got to take care of the farm! (beat) Promise me one thing, though? Send a letter once you reach the capital city? So I know you got there okay?

VIOLET: Of course we will, brother!

VERA: We’ll write to you first chance we get!

NARRATOR: Well… little did they know, but that “chance” wasn’t coming any time soon!

The capital city was clear on the other side of the country. And after journeying for days beneath the blazing summer sun, Violet and Vera reached a steep mountain. Tumbling down its side, they noticed, was a waterfall.

VIOLET: Vera! We’ve been walking forever. And it’s so hot out! Let’s stop at this waterfall for a drink!

VERA: Mighty fine idea, Violet! Mighty fine idea!

NARRATOR: However… just as the sisters leaned down toward the icy water and took their first sip…

TROLL: Well well well! What have we here?????

NARRATOR: Violet and Vera cast their eyes upward. And what should they spy on a craggy ledge above them… but a big, shaggy troll! His hairy hands rested on his hairy hips, and his bulbous nose stuck out like a cucumber from his bristly face.

TROLL: So! You humans think you can drink from my waterfall, do you? Well you’d better think again!

NARRATOR: Violet and Vera tried to contain a shiver.

VIOLET: Um… “your” waterfall…?

VERA: We had no idea this waterfall belonged to you!

TROLL: Well it DOES! And now that you’ve drunk from it, I have no choice but to turn you… to stone!

NARRATOR: Before the sisters could protest, the troll swished his hairy hands through the air…

TROLL: (throwing hands into air with vigor) Yahhhh!

NARRATOR: …and cast a spell on Violet and Vera, turning them into cold, gray, stone!

[SOT: magic sound]

NARRATOR: Well… days went by… then weeks… and back at the farm, Jonas was growing worried.

JONAS: Why haven’t I received a letter from my sisters? Violet and Vera told me they’d write once they reached the capital city, and they should be there by now! (beat) UnLESS…

NARRATOR: A quiver surged down his spine.

JONAS: …Unless they never reached the capital city! Because something has gone terribly wrong! I must find them!

NARRATOR: Quickly, Jonas packed up his things and set off across the country. He walked and walked, and the moment he entered a lush, misty forest....

EAGLE: You down there! Can you help me?!?? Please?!??

NARRATOR: Jonas glanced up and saw a giant eagle in her nest. Her broad wings were flapping wildly, and her feathery head was cocking from side to side.

EAGLE: One of my chicks has fallen to the ground and it’s too big for me to carry back up! Will you help me? Please?

NARRATOR: Jonas looked down, and sure enough, on the damp, squishy forest floor lay a fluffy little eaglet.

Jonas didn’t even think twice. He scooped up the baby bird, then clambered up to the eagle’s nest.

JONAS: Here you go, eagle. Your chick is safe and sound.

EAGLE: Thank you, young man. Thank you! You’ve done a great favor for me… I hope someday I can do something for you!

NARRATOR: And with that, the eagle popped a worm into her chick’s wide-open mouth, then snuggled it beneath her wing.

Jonas scooted back down the tree and continued on his way. But just as he was about to cross a fast-running river…

BULLFROG: You over there! Can you help me?!?? Please?!?

NARRATOR: Jonas looked down and saw a green bullfrog on the bank. His webbed foot was caught beneath a rock, and slithering toward the helpless creature, with its menacing mouth open wide, was a snake!

BULLFROG: I have a family to take care of and I mustn’t be this snake’s next meal! Will you help me? Please?

NARRATOR: As with the eagle, Jonas didn’t think twice. He crouched down, lifted the stone, then tossed it into the water.

JONAS: You’re all good now, bullfrog! There’s no way that snake will follow you into the river!

BULLFROG: Thank you, young man. Thank you! You’ve done a great favor for me… I hope someday I can do something for you!

NARRATOR: And with that, the bullfrog sprang into the river, kicked his webbed feet, and went swimming away.

Jonas carried on with his journey, and when he came to a sloping meadow  filled with tall grass and wildflowers…

WOLF: You over there! Can you help me?!?? Please?!??

NARRATOR: Jonas turned around and spied a large gray wolf. His fur was matted and his eyes were dull.

WOLF: I just freed myself from a hunter’s trap, and I haven’t eaten in days! Do you have any food you could spare?

NARRATOR: Once more, Jonas didn’t even think twice. He fished a loaf of bread from his bag and handed it over.

JONAS: Here you go, wolf. Eat as much as you want.

WOLF: (eating) Thank you, young man. Thank you! You’ve done a great favor for me… I hope someday I can do something for you! (beat) (swallows food) UnLESS… I can do something right now…?

NARRATOR: Jonas smiled.

JONAS: That’s sweet of you, wolf. But I really must be going. You see, I’m on a journey to find my sisters, who – (gets interrupted)

WOLF: (interrupting) A journey, you say? How about I give you a lift? Now that I’ve gobbled down your bread I feel hearty as a horse! Hop on, kid!

NARRATOR: So Jonas hopped on the wolf’s back. They rode and they rode. And just as they were passing a waterfall flowing down a steep mountain...

JONAS: Oh, wolf! That water looks so cool and refreshing! It’s such a hot day. How about we stop for a drink?

NARRATOR: Jonas tried jumping off the wolf’s back, but the creature wouldn’t let him.

WOLF: Trust me, kid! You do not want to drink from that waterfall! It belongs to a big mean troll who lives in a cavern on the mountainside! Mess with his waterfall, and the troll will mess with you! Big time!

JONAS: What do you mean?

WOLF: What do I mean??? He’ll turn you to stone! Much like he did with those two people over there!

NARRATOR: The wolf flicked his tail toward two pieces of stone at the water’s edge.

JONAS: (GASP!) Those stone figures! They look familiar! …Too familiar. (beat) (getting teary) Uch! Now I know why Violet and Vera never wrote to me! The troll turned them both to stone! Will I ever see them again?

NARRATOR: Jonas fell to his knees and began to cry. Just as he was wiping another hot tear from his eye…

TROLL: So! You want to see your sisters again, do you????

NARRATOR: Jonas sniffled and looked up. And who should he spy glaring down at him from a craggy ledge but… you guessed it… the hulking, hairy troll!

All at once, Jonas was torn between fear… and fury!

JONAS: For your information, troll… Yes! I do want to see my sisters! How could you be so cruel as to turn them to stone? How could you be so… so… so heartless????

NARRATOR: The troll fell quiet. And then… to Jonas’s absolute astonishment… the immense creature began… to cry!

TROLL: (lightly crying) Oh! So you think I’m heartless, do you? That I have no heart? (beat) Well sadly… I’m afraid your words are all too true.

JONAS: I don’t understand. What do you mean?

TROLL: (lightly crying) What I mean is, I AM heartless! (beat) I don’t have a heart! It was taken from me long long ago, thanks to an ancient curse. And I would do anything to get it back. Anything!

NARRATOR: The troll choked back a sob. Suddenly, the wheels in Jonas’s mind began to turn.

JONAS: Sooooo… you would do anything to get your heart back…? Like… say… bring my sisters back to life?

NARRATOR: The troll wiped his bulbous nose with the back of his hairy hand, then fixed Jonas with his beady eyes.

TROLL: Yes. Yes, I would bring your sisters back to life. (beat) You should know, though, that finding my heart is no easy task. In fact, it may very well be impossible.

JONAS: Impossible?

TROLL: Yes! (beat) But if you’re truly ready for this mission… and you somehow succeed… I promise: you and your sisters will be together again. (beat) However… if you fail… woe to you. Because you will all be doomed to a stone-cold fate… FOREVER!!!

NARRATOR: What will it take to find the troll’s heart?

If you were Jonas, would you be ready for this mission?

We’ll find out what happens, after a quick break.

NARRATOR: Welcome back to Circle Round. I’m Rebecca Sheir. Today our story is called “Heart and Stone.”

NARRATOR: Before the break, Jonas set off in search of his missing sisters, Violet and Vera. On the way, he returned a baby eagle to its nest, saved a bullfrog from a snake, and shared his bread with a hungry wolf.

The wolf offered Jonas a ride. When they arrived at a waterfall, Jonas discovered that a troll had turned his sisters to stone! The troll promised he would bring Violet and Vera back to life if Jonas succeeded in finding his heart.

JONAS: But where is your heart? If it isn’t inside your body, where has it gone?

TROLL: Well… far far away… there lies a clear, turquoise lake, so smooth and calm its surface is like glass. In the middle of that lake is an island. In the middle of that island is a well. At the bottom of that well swims a goose. Within that goose grows a golden egg. And inside that golden egg… is my heart. (beat) Find my heart, and bring it to me, and I’ll give you back your sisters. But fail… and you shall join them in stony silence.

NARRATOR: And with that, the troll wheeled around on his fuzzy feet, and disappeared inside his cavern.

Jonas turned to the wolf with a frown.

JONAS: (frowning) Did you hear that, wolf? I’ve heard of following your heart, but this takes things to a whole new level! I have to find a golden egg… which is inside a goose… which is inside a well… which is on a…  (having trouble remembering) a…

WOLF: …An island!

JONAS: Yes! An island! Which is in the middle of a lake so smooth and calm its surface is like glass??!? I couldn’t possibly find such a place!

WOLF: Perhaps not… but I could! It just so happens I know the very lake the troll was talking about! (beat) Hop on, kid!

NARRATOR: Jonas leaped onto the wolf’s back and off they went. They sped up and down hills, they zipped through valleys and plains… until they reached the clear, turquoise lake, so smooth and calm its surface was indeed like glass.

JONAS: Wow! It’s so beautiful! And look! In the middle of the lake is the island! (beat) But how can I possibly get there? There’s no way I could make it across that much water!

EAGLE: Perhaps not… but I could!

NARRATOR: Jonas lifted his head, and do you know who he saw?

You guessed it! The giant eagle from the forest! The one whose baby had fallen from the nest!

EAGLE: I hoped someday I’d be of use to you… and it looks like “someday” is TODAY!

NARRATOR: The eagle glided down, urged Jonas onto her back, then took off across the water, before making a smooth landing on the island.

EAGLE: There you go, Jonas! Thanks again for rescuing my baby!

JONAS: Any time, Eagle! And thank YOU!

NARRATOR: Jonas climbed off the eagle’s back and began looking for the well. When he found it, he peered over the edge, and lo and behold, there was the goose swimming at the bottom! All of a sudden, the bird let out a honk…

[SOT: goose honk]

NARRATOR: …and just like that, she laid a golden egg!

JONAS: There it is! The golden egg that contains the troll’s heart! But how am I supposed to retrieve it? It’s all the way at the bottom of the well! There’s no way I can possibly get down there!

BULLFROG: Perhaps not… but I could!

NARRATOR: Jonas turned around, and do you know who he saw?

That's right! The green bullfrog from the river! The one Jonas had saved from a ravenous snake!

BULLFROG: I hoped someday I’d be of use to you… and it looks like “someday” is TODAY!

NARRATOR: The bullfrog dove into the well with a plop. Moments later, he returned to the surface – and popped the golden egg into Jonas’s hand.

BULLFROG: Here you go, Jonas! Thanks again for saving me from that snake!

JONAS: Any time, Bullfrog! And thank YOU!

NARRATOR: As the bullfrog bounded away, Jonas slipped the golden egg into his bag. The eagle brought him back to the wolf, who swiftly returned to the troll’s waterfall.

JONAS: Tro-oll! Oh, troll! I’m ba-ack!

NARRATOR: The troll lumbered onto the ledge outside his cavern.

TROLL: So! You’re back, are you? And have you brought me anything? I’m thinking NOT – since no mere mortal could possibly complete such a journey!

JONAS: Perhaps not…

NARRATOR: Jonas plunged a hand into his bag.

JONAS: …but I could!!!!

NARRATOR: He grabbed the golden egg and held it up for the troll to see. At first, the troll did nothing. He didn’t move, he didn’t speak. Then, all at once, he took a running jump… launched himself off the craggy ledge… and landed beside the waterfall, right in front of Jonas!

TROLL: Could it be?!?? The egg that holds my heart??? (beat) Only one way to find out!

NARRATOR: The troll seized the egg. He clamped his hairy hands over either side, then began… to squeeze.

TROLL: (ad-lib squeezing egg)

NARRATOR: He squeezed… and he squeezed… until at last…

[SOT: egg crack]

NARRATOR: … the egg cracked open! Immediately, a warm beam of light rushed out from inside, bathing the troll in a golden glow, and making him shimmer and glimmer from his hairy head to his hairy feet.

And then… for the first time in a very long time…

TROLL: (joyful laughter)

NARRATOR: …he laughed!

TROLL: (with a little joyful laugh) My heart! MY HEART! It’s back! (beat) (heartfelt) Thank you, Jonas. Thank you! You’ve done such a great favor for me… And now I can do something for you!

NARRATOR: And… he did. Not only did he bring Violet and Vera back to life, but he sent all three siblings on their way with a bag of gold apiece.

Violet and Vera used their new fortune to move to the capital city and start their own lives. Jonas used his to buy new crops and animals for the farm, so he no longer had to scrimp and scrape.

As for the troll, well? He may have lived the most happily ever after of all.

Because after all this time, he was never heartless again.