The Caged Bird | Ep. 269

What comes to mind when you hear the word freedom?

The dictionary defines freedom as the power or right to act, speak, or think like you want to – which makes freedom a very powerful thing! But the truth is, it’s not always easy to come by. In this week’s episode, we’ll meet a character who knows that truth all too well.

Our tale is called “The Caged Bird.” It’s inspired by tales from Jewish and Persian lore.

Voices in this episode include Tim Matheson and Jonathan Tucker.

Grown-ups, you may know Jonathan Tucker from hit TV shows like “Kingdom,” “Parenthood,” “City on a Hill,” “Debris” and “Westworld.” Tim Matheson is a 60-plus-year veteran of film and television with well-known roles in “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” “The West Wing,” “Hart of Dixie,” and most recently, “Virgin River.” His new memoir is called “Darn Glad to Meet You.”

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

GROWN-UPS! PRINT THIS so everyone can color while listening. We’re also keeping an album so please share your picture on Facebook and Instagram, and tag it with #CircleRoundPodcast. 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!

We all have the right to freedom. To remind yourself that you are and should be free, you can make your own free bird!

To begin, find a piece of paper and draw the outline of a bird (any kind you’d like!). Inside your outline, draw one or more things that make you feel free. Is it riding your bike? Being able to read your favorite books? Perhaps it’s the conversations you have with friends and family where you can openly share your opinions and ideas.

Once you’ve finished your free bird, show it someone you have fun with. And if you’d like, show it to us! Grown-ups, snap a photo of your Circle Round fan and their free bird and email it to circleround@wbur.org. With your permission, we may include it in “The Lion’s Roar,” the monthly newsletter of the Circle Round Club. Learn more about this super-fun super-fan opportunity here.

Musical Spotlight: Santur

The santur (a.k.a. santūr, santour, santoor) is a type of hammered dulcimer: the family of stringed instruments you’ll find in various forms across southeastern Europe, the Middle East and South Asia.

With roots in Persia, the santur has a flat, wooden, trapezoid-shaped body with 72 metallic strings strung across. To play the santur, you place the instrument on your lap and use wooden mallets to strike the strings.

The santur has been used in various ways in different places. In Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Arabia, it’s been used in classical music. In Greece, you’ll hear it in folk music. In South Asia it has strong associations with the Sufi music of India’s Kashmir region.

In the Ottoman Empire and the Caucasus – where modern-day Armenia is – the santur is especially common in popular music. You can hear Eric Shimelonis playing the santur in an earlier episode, “The Sorcerer’s Offer”: an Armenian tale about a kind shepherdess who takes a risk that could change her life!

Story Transcript:

NARRATOR: A young prince was strolling through the palace gardens when he heard something that stopped him in his tracks.

PARROT: (squawk)

PRINCE: That sounds like… a parrot! I NEVER see parrots around these parts. I must get a closer look!

NARRATOR: The prince cupped a hand to his ear and followed the sound to a towering elm tree. And there, perched on a low leafy branch was, indeed…

PARROT: (squawk)

NARRATOR: …a parrot!

PRINCE: My goodness! Aren’t YOU a pretty bird?!! Your feathers are every color of the rainbow! And they sparkle and shine like the sun! What a perfect parrot you are!

PARROT: Perfect parrot! Perfect parrot!

PRINCE: And you TALK, too! Well – you REPEAT anyway.

PARROT: Repeat! Anyway!

NARRATOR: As the prince gazed up at this magnificent creature, it suddenly occurred to him. A parrot this special shouldn't have to fend for herself in the wild! She should live with him! In the palace! And be treated like royalty!

PRINCE: Listen, you pretty bird. I’m just going to fetch a little something. Stay where you are, and I’ll be right back!

PARROT: Right back! Where you are!

NARRATOR: The prince spun around and raced to the garden shed. He grabbed a long-handled net, then hid it behind his back as he returned to the elm tree.

PRINCE: I’m back, pretty bird! Aren’t you a pretty bird!

PARROT: Pretty bird!

PRINCE: Yes you are! You’re a VERY pretty bird!

PARROT: Very pretty! Very pretty! (squawk!)

NARRATOR: The prince inched closer and closer. Once he was so close that he could see his reflection in the parrot’s bright round eyes, he pulled out the net, held it up high, and with one quick swish…

PRINCE: Gotcha!

NARRATOR: …the bird was trapped.

PARROT: (distressed squawk)

PRINCE: Don’t worry, my pretty bird. From now on you’re going to be mine – all mine! I shall keep you with me in my room, and trust me: you will be the happiest bird who ever lived!

NARRATOR: Back at the palace, the prince ordered the royal goldsmith to craft a sparkling golden cage. He ordered the royal tailor to sew a miniature satin pillow. And he ordered the cook to prepare a platter of fresh fruit and vegetables. Then he gave all of these gifts to his new pet.

For the first time in her life, the parrot had a safe, secure home. A soft, cushy bed. An ample amount of food that she didn’t need to gather herself.

So what do you think: was she now “the happiest bird who ever lived”?

The answer, I’m afraid…

PARROT: (sad squawk)

NARRATOR: … is no. In those rare moments when she was alone in the prince's room, she would hang her rainbow head and bemoan her lot.

PARROT: The prince lavishes me with so many luxuries. Yet the one thing I want is the one thing I cannot have! … Freedom! If only I could sing with the other birds again! And fly with the other birds again! But alas. I am a prisoner of this golden cage.

NARRATOR: The parrot did not share her feelings with the prince. Instead, she acted like everything was fine – making her usual calls and squawks and repeating snippets of conversation, just as she always did.

A few months passed, and one afternoon, the king came to the prince’s room to share some news.

KING: My dear son. I have been called away to another royal summit. The kingdom to the south will be hosting this time around. The rulers of all neighboring lands are expected there next week, so we can discuss business.

PRINCE: Business?!?? How dreadfully BORING!

PARROT: Dreadfully boring! Business!

KING: Perhaps you’d like me to bring this bird with me? So you can enjoy some peace and quiet for once?

PARROT: Peace and quiet! For once!

PRINCE: Papa! You know I never let this bird out of her cage. And I never let this cage out of my room!

KING:  I was only kidding! I know how attached you are to this creature. But tell me, son. Shall I bring you a souvenir from my trip? Like another bird…? To keep this one company?

PARROT: Another bird! Keep company!

PRINCE: Don’t be ridiculous, Papa! My parrot doesn’t need company! She doesn’t need ANYthing! I’ve given her EVERYTHING a bird could want.

KING: Very well, son. Very well. Now head down to the banquet hall, won’t you? We’re having an early supper so I can prepare for my journey. I’ll be with you shortly.

PRINCE: Of course, Papa. Bye bye pretty bird!

PARROT: Bye bye! (squawk)

NARRATOR: Once the prince pranced out the door, the king flashed the parrot a grin.

KING: Boy oh boy! My son sure is fond of YOU! He rarely lets you out of his sight!

PARROT: Out of his sight! Fond of you!

KING: Look. I know you probably don’t understand a word I’m saying. …But while I’m away… will you keep an eye on the prince for me? It’s always hard to leave him. He’s my one and only child and he’s growing up so fast. I feel like I want to hold on to every moment before he spreads his wings and flies away. You know what I’m talking about, right?

PARROT: I DO! And, I DON’T.

NARRATOR: The king froze.

KING: WHAT did you say?

PARROT: I SAID… I DO. AND… I DON’T.

KING: My goodness! I had no idea you actually SPOKE. I thought you just repeated things!

PARROT: We birds all speak! …When someone is worth speaking TO!

KING: Hm. I suppose that makes sense.... But when you say ‘you do and you don’t’… what do you mean by that?

PARROT: Well… you said that one day the prince will “spread his wings and fly away”! Then you asked if I knew what you were talking about! And I DO know! … Just not anymore.

KING: You mean… because YOU aren’t able to spread YOUR wings and fly away.

PARROT: Precisely. Your Majesty…? Will you do me a favor?

KING: If you’re going to ask me to set you free, the answer is no. Unless my son agrees. And you know he never would.

PARROT:  I do know. Which is why I’m asking a different favor. When you set out on your travels, can you please deliver a MESSAGE for me?

KING: A message?

PARROT: Yes! If you happen to come across any parrots who look like me, will you tell them …what my life is like? 

KING: Your life?

PARROT: Yes! Tell them how I live in a golden cage. And I sleep on a satin pillow. And I’m given fruits, and vegetables, and all the attention one could want. Then ask them how I might find… my happiness.

NARRATOR: The king frowned. He didn’t like to think that the parrot was unhappy. But what else could he do? So the next day, when he set off for the kingdom to the south, he kept his eyes peeled for rainbow parrots with feathers that sparkled and shined like the sun.

It wasn’t until the summit was over and he was journeying back home that he found what he was looking for. As he traveled through a forest, he caught sight of another rainbow parrot, flitting and fluttering way up in the canopy.

The king gazed up at the bird and called out.

KING: Oh parrot! Good parrot! May I speak with you? I come bearing a message! It’s from another rainbow parrot, who lives in my palace!

NARRATOR: To the king’s delight, the parrot dove down and settled on a branch directly overhead.

KING: Thank you, parrot. This other parrot of which I speak… like I said, she lives in my palace. Her appearance is very similar to yours. But her life is nothing like yours. This parrot spends her days in a golden cage, not a green forest. She sleeps on a satin cushion, not a nest. She’s given the freshest of foods but doesn’t search for her own. She’s given protection, and safety, and all the attention in the world… but she cannot spread her wings and fly. So, good parrot. This bird who lives in my palace… she wants to know one thing. How might she find her happiness?

NARRATOR: The parrot was quiet – very quiet. He turned his eyes upwards, as if he was deep in thought.

And then, he did something that surprised the king so much, you could have knocked him over with a feather!

What do you think the bird in the forest did to stun the king?

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

[BREAK]

NARRATOR: Welcome back to Circle Round. I’m Rebecca Sheir. Today our story is called “The Caged Bird.”

Before the break, the prince’s rainbow parrot asked the king for a favor. Should he encounter any OTHER rainbow parrots during his upcoming travels, could he please tell them about her life in the palace…?  And ask how she might find her happiness?

The king did as requested. He delivered the message to one of the parrot’s relatives in a forest. And at first, this other bird did nothing. He just sat on a branch, gazing upwards as if deep in thought.

But then, he began to shiver… and tremble. Then the bird went completely limp, and plummeted to the ground.

NARRATOR: The surprised king rushed over to the fallen parrot. The bird wasn’t breathing; he wasn’t even moving! In fact, there were no signs of life whatsoever.

KING: This poor pitiful creature! Did he die of shock? Or a broken heart? Either way, I mustn’t leave him here like this. I shall give him a proper burial.

NARRATOR: But the moment the king scooped up the parrot’s motionless body, do you know what happened?

The bird suddenly lifted his head, spread out his wings…

…and flew off into the air!

The parrot soared higher… and higher… until his rainbow body was just a tiny winged shape against the bright blue sky.

KING: Well! What do you make of that? I, for one, have no idea. But I’ll report everything to the prince’s parrot. Perhaps she can make sense of this curious incident!

NARRATOR: The king hastened back to the palace. When he arrived, the prince was out for a swim. So he took the opportunity to creep into his son’s room. The moment the parrot laid eyes on the king, she bobbed up and down in her golden cage.

PARROT: Your Majesty! You’re back! Were you able to track down one of my relatives? And deliver my message?

KING: I was… And I did… but…

PARROT: …But WHAT? Why do you hesitate?

KING: Well, when I delivered your message, I’m afraid your relative didn’t deliver a message BACK.

PARROT: What do you mean? Can you tell me what happened?

NARRATOR: The king took a breath and described his encounter in the forest. When he was done, the parrot sat in her cage, silent and still on her perch.

KING: I’m sorry I didn’t bring happier news, my friend. But at least your relative survived! And could spread his wings and fly away!

NARRATOR: The parrot said nothing. She just hung her head and buried it in her feathers.

She stayed that way for the rest of the day. She wouldn’t eat… she wouldn’t drink… she wouldn’t even repeat snippets of conversation.

By nightfall, the prince was beside himself with worry.

PRINCE: What’s wrong with you, my pretty bird? I had the cook serve you the ripest berries… I had the tailor sew you an even softer pillow… I opened every single window to give you more fresh air! And yet you just sit there, brooding! Are you tired? Are you sick? Are you – 

NARRATOR: The prince fell silent. Because all of a sudden, the parrot’s body shivered and trembled, then went limp. Next thing the prince knew, the bird went tumbling off her perch.

PRINCE: My pretty bird! What’s happening??? Get up, will you? Get up!!!

NARRATOR: But the parrot did not get up. And as the prince took a closer look, he noticed she wasn’t breathing; she wasn’t even moving! In fact, there were no signs of life whatsoever.

PRINCE: Come on, my pretty bird! Get up! GET UP!

NARRATOR: The commotion caught the ear of the king, who came racing down the corridor.

KING: What’s going on, son? Are you alright?

PRINCE: It’s my bird, Papa! I don’t think SHE’S alright! Look!!!!

NARRATOR: The prince pointed a quivering finger at the golden cage.

KING: Oh dear! Seems this parrot went the way of her cousin!

PRINCE: Went the way of her WHAT?

KING: Oh! Nothing! Nothing. I’m sorry for your loss, son. We should give this parrot a proper burial. Don’t you think?

NARRATOR: The king undid the cage’s latch and reached inside. But when he scooped the parrot’s motionless body into his hands, do you know what happened?

All of a sudden, she lifted her head, beat her wings…

…and began swooping around the room – much to the prince’s astonishment.

PRINCE: What is the meaning of this? How did you die, then come back to life, my pretty bird?

PARROT: But I’m NOT your pretty bird! Not anyMORE!

PRINCE: WHAT??? I had no idea you actually SPOKE! But regardless, you ARE my pretty bird! I captured you in the garden and I’ve been giving you the royal treatment ever since! Think of all the fresh food I’ve given you! The comfy pillows! The golden cage!

NARRATOR: The parrot glided toward the window and perched down on the sill.

PARROT: Don’t you see, Prince? The finest food and pillows and cage in the whole wide world are no good – no good at all – if I don’t have freedom. Freedom to eat what I want, sleep where I want, fly where I want. And now, I WILL have freedom… thanks to the message I received from my cousin in the forest!

NARRATOR: The prince’s brow wrinkled in confusion.

PRINCE: “Your cousin in the forest”? Papa, do you have any idea what this bird is talking about?

NARRATOR: The king smiled.

KING: Yes, son. I believe I do. You see, on my travels I found another rainbow parrot in the forest. I asked him how this parrot might find happiness. The bird in the forest responded by pretending to die… and then flying away! He didn’t say anything. But I now realize he didn’t need to!

PARROT: That’s right, Your Majesty! After all… sometimes the best answers are given without a word spoken.

NARRATOR: And with that, the parrot spread her rainbow wings and flew out the window, soaring away from the palace and into the great wide world beyond… a free bird, at last.