The Peach of Life | Ep. 272

Do you have a friend or family member who’s gone through a tough time?

When the people we love are struggling, we want to do whatever we can to help them out. In this week’s story we’ll meet a queen who is desperate to help her daughter. And as it turns out, the only thing that will truly help is nowhere to be found!

Our story is called “The Peach of Life.” You’ll find versions of this tale from the Asian countries of China and Vietnam.

We recorded this episode before a live audience of excited kids and grown-ups at Symphony Space in New York, New York. Joining host Rebecca Sheir on stage was a star-studded cast of performers: Adam Goldberg, Kathryn Grody, Steven Hauck, Gideon Irving and Faith Salie. And playing live music on the Chinese plucked string instrument known as the ruan (read more below) was the one and only Eric Shimelonis.

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

How does teamwork play a role in your life?

Maybe you and your family cook together, or you collaborate on school projects with classmates. Perhaps you’re a member of a sports or dance team.

Find some paper and draw a picture of you and your team. Show it to someone you have fun with. And you’d like, share it with us! Grown-ups, email a photo of your Circle Round fan and their picture to circleround@wbur.org.

With your permission, we may feature it in “The Lion’s Roar,” the monthly Circle Round Club newsletter! You can learn more about the Circle Round Club here.

Musical Spotlight: Ruan

The Chinese plucked string instrument known as the ruan is a lute with a fretted neck, a circular body and four strings. While traditionally made of silk, ruan strings have been made of steel since the 20th century. The frets were created from ivory but are now more commonly made from metal mounted on wood.

The ruan dates back more than 1,800 years, when it was originally known as the pipa or qin-pipa. After the lute was introduced to China during the early 5th century, the instrument gradually developed into the higher-pitched present form you hear today (Eric Shimelonis has used the pipa in many Circle Round stories, most recently “The Lone Dragon.”). The old form of pipa with a straight neck and round body was renamed the ruan for Ruan Xian: a master player of the instrument.

You play the ruan by plucking the strings with a plectrum or pick; some players use long acrylic nails. Westerners sometimes refer to the ruan as the “moon guitar,” “Chinese guitar” or “Chinese mandolin.” Today, the ruan comes in five sizes and is  a fixture in Chinese opera and orchestras. You can also hear Eric playing the ruan – also live on-stage – in our episode, “Grime and Punishment.”

Script:

NARRATOR: It was summertime and the kingdom was abuzz. The princess had fallen ill – SO ill that she was too weak and frail to get out of bed. And her mother, the queen, was beside herself with worry.

QUEEN: The princess is my one and only child. If I lose her, my world is lost, too!

NARRATOR: Doctors from near and far came flocking to the palace, each one bearing tinctures and tonics, elixirs and herbs. Yet none of them could bring life back to the princess’s cheeks, or strength back to her body.

As the princess grew sicker and sicker, the queen heard talk of a wizard: a wise old man who lived in a cave at the foot of the mountains.

QUEEN: It’s been said this wizard possesses mystical powers capable of miracles. I must find him. And with any luck, his powers will heal my daughter!

NARRATOR: The queen mounted her horse and galloped to the wizard’s cave. Stepping inside, she found herself before a crackling fire. Crouched beside the fire, warming his weathered hands in the flickering flames, was an old man. His shoulders were sloped, his beard was silver, and the skin on his face was as wrinkled as a raisin.

The queen instantly knew who the old man was. Turns out he knew who she was, too!

WIZARD: I had a feeling you would come, Your Majesty. Your daughter is ill, is she not?

QUEEN: She IS ill. Terribly ill. I have summoned hundreds of doctors, yet none have been able to restore her health. Great wizard. I have heard you are very wise, and possess magical powers. Might YOU know how to cure my daughter?

NARRATOR: The wizard stroked his silver beard.

WIZARD: In answer to your question, Your Majesty, I have some pleasant news and some UNpleasant news. Which would you like first?

QUEEN: How about… the PLEASANT news?

WIZARD: The pleasant news is that somewhere in this kingdom there grows a very special peach: one that can cure the princess! It’s called… the Peach… of Life!

QUEEN: The Peach of Life… That’s wonderful! So… what is the UNpleasant news?

WIZARD: The UNpleasant news is, the Peach of Life… is lost. No one knows how to find it. But if they do, I promise: just one bite, and your daughter will be as hale and healthy as can be!

NARRATOR: The queen thanked the wizard, then galloped back to the palace and issued a proclamation.

QUEEN: I hereby proclaim that anyone who can find the Peach of Life… and bring it to the palace to heal my daughter... shall be richly rewarded!

NARRATOR: The queen’s proclamation spread to the farthest ends of the kingdom. Eventually it reached the countryside, where a woman named Summer ran a small orchard with her two younger brothers: a pair of twins named Autumn and Winter.

Okay, so I say Summer ran the orchard “with” Autumn and Winter. But the truth is, she did all the work: pruning, watering, and weeding the fruit trees while her brothers loafed around.

SUMMER: Autumn! Winter! Have you heard the news? The princess is gravely ill!

AUTUMN: (sarcastic) …And the queen is seeking a “magic peach” that can cure her…?

WINTER: (sarcastic) Because a “wizard” told her that THAT was the only solution?

AUTUMN: Yeah, big sis.

WINTER: We’ve heard the news.

AUTUMN: But seriously. Who in their right mind believes in magic peaches?

WINTER: Who in their right mind believes in magic?!

AUTUMN: / WINTER: (ad-lib derisive laughter)

SUMMER: Fine, fine. You two can laugh all you like. But the queen is offering a “rich reward” to anyone who can find this “Peach of Life.” And given how the three of us struggle to make ends meet with our tiny orchard, we certainly could use a “rich reward.” Don’t you think?

NARRATOR: The twins heaved a sigh. Much as they loved quibbling with their older sister, they couldn’t argue this time.

AUTUMN: (reluctantly resigned) Alright fine.

WINTER: (reluctantly resigned) What do we do?

SUMMER: Well, here’s what I’m thinking. We have one peach tree in our orchard, right? And its branches are bursting with fruit. Perhaps one of them is the Peach of Life! So Autumn? I want you to fill a sack with the best peaches from our tree and bring it to the palace.

AUTUMN: Excuse me?

NARRATOR: Autumn rolled his eyes.

AUTUMN: You want ME to haul a big old sack of peaches to the palace? Why can’t YOU do it?

SUMMER: Because in case you haven’t noticed, I’m too busy pruning, watering, and weeding the orchard! Unless you want to take my place?

NARRATOR: Autumn did NOT want to take his sister’s place. So he trudged to the orchard, stuffed a sack with the plumpest, ripest peaches he could find, then set off toward the palace.

On his way, he encountered an old man with sloped shoulders, a silver beard, and skin as wrinkled as a raisin.

Sound familiar? It was the wizard from the cave! But Autumn didn’t know that.

WIZARD: Greetings, young sir! You look like you’re on a mission. Tell me: what do you carry in that sack of yours?

NARRATOR: Impatient to get to the palace… and worried that this grizzled codger would beg for some of his peaches, Autumn scowled.

AUTUMN: I’m sorry, old man. But what is it YOUR business what I’m carrying in my sack? If you must know… I carry nothing in my sack – except… a bunch of moldy bread!

WIZARD: Moldy bread, you say…?

NARRATOR: The wizard smiled.

WIZARD: Well, you say you carry moldy bread in your sack, so moldy bread you must have. Good day!

NARRATOR: Autumn continued on this way. When he reached the palace, the guards led him straight to the queen.

QUEEN: So! You believe you have the Peach of Life that will cure my daughter? Let’s have a look!

AUTUMN: Of course, Your Majesty!

NARRATOR: Autumn pulled open the mouth of the sack. But when the queen and guards peered inside, it wasn’t peaches they laid eyes on. Instead, it was… moldy bread! Loaf after loaf of rancid, rotting bread, covered with fuzzy green mold and giving off a putrid stench!

QUEEN: Yuch! What is the meaning of this trick? Guards? Toss this man into the dungeon! Now!

NARRATOR: Two of the burliest guards barreled over and led Autumn away. And meanwhile, back at the orchard, Summer and Winter had no idea that their brother had been detained.

SUMMER: Winter! It’s been days since Autumn left. Who knows when or if he’ll return? So now it’s YOUR turn to give it a go.

WINTER: Okay WHAT????

NARRATOR: Winter shook his head.

WINTER: You want ME to lug a clunky sack of peaches to the palace? Why can’t YOU do it?

SUMMER: Because in case it’s slipped your mind, I have my hands full pruning, watering, and weeding the orchard! Unless you want to take my place?

NARRATOR: Winter did NOT want to take his sister’s place. So he lumbered to the orchard and filled a sack with peaches. And on his way to the palace, do you know who happened to cross his path?

WIZARD: Greetings, young sir!

NARRATOR: You guessed it! The wizard! Though Winter hadn’t the foggiest notion of who the old man was.

WIZARD: You look like you’re on a mission. Tell me: what do you carry in that sack of yours?

NARRATOR: Like his twin brother before him, Winter scowled.

WINTER: Pardon me, old man. But what is it YOUR business what I’m carrying in my sack? If you must know… I carry nothing in my sack – except… except a bunch of cockroaches!

WIZARD: Cockroaches, you say…?

NARRATOR: The wizard grinned.

WIZARD: Well, you say you carry cockroaches in your sack, so cockroaches you must have. Good day!

NARRATOR: Winter carried on with his journey.When he arrived at the palace, the guards ushered him straight to the queen.

QUEEN: So! You believe you have the Peach of Life that will cure my daughter? Let’s have a look!

WINTER: Absolutely, Your Majesty!

NARRATOR: Winter yanked open the mouth of the sack. But when the queen and guards looked inside, it wasn’t peaches they spied. Instead, it was… cockroaches! Thousands of cockroaches, skittering out of the sack and scuttling all over the room!

QUEEN: Ewww! How dare you play such a trick? This is more offensive than that young man who brought me the moldy bread! And come to think of it, you look just like him! Guards? Take this fool and have him join his twin trickster in the dungeon. NOW.

NARRATOR: Two of the brawniest guards marched over and led Winter away. And meanwhile, back at the orchard, Summer was sick with worry.

SUMMER: Both of my brothers have been gone for some time now. I must find them. AND save the princess! (dramatic) There’s no time to lose!

NARRATOR: How do you think Summer will fare on her mission? We’ll find out what happens, after a quick break.

[BREAK]

NARRATOR: I’m Rebecca Sheir. Welcome back to Circle Round live at Symphony Space in New York, New York. Today our story is called “The Peach of Life.”

Before the break, the queen was seeking the Peach of Life: the only thing in the world that could heal her ailing daughter.

Twin brothers Autumn and Winter each picked two sacks of peaches from their orchard and headed to the palace. On the way, they were rude to a mysterious old man… who turned out to be a wizard! So at the palace, instead of peaches in their sacks…? They found moldy bread and cockroaches… and the queen threw them both into the dungeon.

Their big sister Summer wanted to find her missing brothers AND save the princess. So she grabbed a sack and rushed out to the orchard. Only a few peaches remained on its branches, and they were all small and hard and green. But Summer picked them all, then set off for the palace.

And during her travels, guess who she happened to encounter?

WIZARD: Greetings, miss!

NARRATOR: Indeed, it was the wizard! But, as with her brothers before her, Summer didn’t have a clue who he was.

WIZARD: You look like you’re on a mission. Tell me: what do you carry in that sack of yours?

NARRATOR: When the wizard asked the twins this question, you remember how they answered, right? They scowled and blew him off.

But their older sister did no such thing.

SUMMER: Since you ask, good sir… I carry peaches in my sack.

WIZARD: Peaches, you say…?

NARRATOR: The wizard arched an eyebrow.

WIZARD: Might you have one or two to spare for a hungry old man?

NARRATOR: Summer smiled. Technically she did have plenty of peaches to spare. But just as she began rummaging through her sack…

WIZARD: Actually… now that I think of it… I’m not that hungry after all.

SUMMER: That’s alright. I'm not sure how tasty my peaches would be anyway! They’re not very big, or ripe… but I’m hoping one of them is the Peach of Life! The one that will cure the princess!

NARRATOR: The wizard’s eyes sparkled.

WIZARD: Well… you say you carry peaches in your sack, so peaches you must have. After all, they’re far more desirable than moldy bread and cockroaches!

SUMMER: More desirable than WHAT…?

WIZARD: Never you mind. Good day!

NARRATOR: When Summer got to the palace, she noticed the queen’s eyes were puffy and red, and her cheeks were drenched with tears.

QUEEN: (having just been crying) So! You believe you have the Peach of Life that will cure my daughter? Because you should know: my hope… and my happiness… and my patience… are all wearing thin.

SUMMER: I hear you, Your Majesty. You’ve been through quite the ordeal. I can’t imagine how hard it’s been.

QUEEN: Oh, it’s been hard alright! As the queen of this land, I have fought in battles, I have fended off intruders. But watching your one and only child waste away, before your very eyes… it breaks your heart into so many pieces you could never count them all.

SUMMER: Well Your Majesty. It is my sincere hope that I can help heal your daughter… and your heart… with these.

NARRATOR: Summer’s hands trembled as she stretched open the mouth of her sack. But when the queen and guards gazed inside, it wasn’t small, hard, green peaches they spied. It was just ONE peach. And it was the biggest, plumpest, ripest peach they had ever seen!

QUEEN: This peach! It’s magnificent! What is your name, dear?

SUMMER: Summer…

QUEEN: Well, Summer. Let’s hope this peach does the trick. My daughter cannot spare any more time.

SUMMER: …And you cannot bear any more disappointment. I understand.

NARRATOR: Summer followed the queen to the princess’s room. The young woman lay stock-still on a tall bed, her eyes closed tight, her breathing quick and shallow.

The queen sat beside her daughter and encouraged her to take a bite of the peach. The princess didn’t open her eyes. But slowly, very slowly, she opened her mouth and took a tiny nibble.

And within moments, do you know what happened?

Her breathing slowed, her eyes snapped open. Then she sat straight up in bed and threw herself into her mother’s arms.

QUEEN: Summer!!! You've done it! You’ve saved my daughter! So please, tell me. What reward do you wish for? Chests of jewels? Bags of money? A magnificent new wardrobe of fine, luxurious clothes? Name it, anything, it’s yours!

SUMMER: With all due respect, Your Majesty… what I was GOING to ask for are more trees for my family’s orchard. Maybe some animals, too! Like a goat, maybe? And some ducks? Not too many. Just enough so my brothers and I don’t have to struggle so hard to get by.

NARRATOR: The queen cocked her crowned head.

QUEEN: Summer. You say you were GOING to ask for these things… So why DON’T you?

SUMMER: Because what I REALLY want now… is to find my brothers! They’re twins, actually. And they went missing after venturing to the palace, in hopes of bringing you the magic peach!

QUEEN: Twins, you say…?

NARRATOR: The queen frowned as she put two and two together.

QUEEN: Your brothers must be the scoundrels who deceived me! They brought me moldy bread and cockroaches! And now they’re in the dungeon!

SUMMER: Moldy bread and cockroaches…?

NARRATOR: Now it was Summer who put two and two together.

SUMMER: I’m not sure what happened, Your Majesty. But I AM sure my brothers didn’t mean to deceive you. They were only trying to save our family! YOU know how important family is… right?

QUEEN: Indeed I do. Guards? Free the twins at once!

NARRATOR: By the end of the day, Summer was riding home in a royal carriage. But she wasn’t alone. By her side were her brothers. And rolling behind them was cart after cart of baby trees, baby goats, and baby ducks.

The family orchard was transformed after that day… and so was the family! After years of loafing and lazing around, Autumn and Winter were more than happy to help their heroic big sister prune, water, and weed the trees, and take care of the animals. The three siblings worked hard. But even more importantly…? They worked together.