The Tree of Love | Ep. 301

Think about someone you love. It could be a family member or friend. Maybe even a pet or a teddy bear!

When we love someone, it can be hard to be away from them. And in today’s story, we’ll meet two people who love each other so very much, they find a way to stay together forever!

Our episode is called “The Tree of Love.” Versions of this tale come from ancient Greece.

Voices in this episode include: Amy Brentano, Joe Hernandez, Erika Rose, Mike Smith, and real-life couple Paige Davis and Patrick Page.

Broadway and TV star Paige Davis hosted the reality show, “Trading Spaces.” She was most recently seen Off-Broadway in the hit play “Pen Pals.” Patrick Page is starring in the Roundabout Theater Company production of “Archduke” in New York City. You grown-ups can enjoy Patrick in the hit HBO series “The Gilded Age,” and you kids can enjoy him in our 2022 Circle Round episode, “Poor Rich.”

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

You can make your own tree of love!

Draw a picture of a tree with plenty of leaves. On each leaf, draw or write something or someone you love.

Once the leaves are full, share your picture with a family member or friend. And if you’d like, share it with us!

Grown-ups: send a photo of your Circle Round fan and their drawing to circleround@wbur.org.

With your permission, we may feature you in the Circle Round newsletter, “The Lion’s Roar.” If you haven’t yet signed up to get special announcements, behind-the-scenes peeks and more, click this link!

Musical Spotlight: Kithara

If you’ve seen ancient Greek art at a museum, then you may have seen an image of the Greek harp or lyre known as the kithara.

Ancient Greek pottery and sculpture often depict the Greek god Apollo playing this stringed musical instrument. The kithara was also engraved on coins during the Classical and Hellenistic periods.

To play the kithara, you pluck the strings with both your hands, usually with a plectrum (or pick) made of wood, ivory or metal.

The word “kithara” helped give birth to the names of other stringed instruments, including the cittern, zither, and — you guessed it — the guitar! You can also hear Eric playing the kithara in our episode, “Ariana’s Music.”

Script:

NARRATOR: In the long-ago times of ancient Greece… in a deep valley surrounded by steep hills… there lay a village.

One evening, just before dinner time, the village was hit… by a storm.

[SOT: storm]

NARRATOR: The rain poured down in sheets, and the howling wind rattled every window and clattered every roof.

The streets were empty; everyone was huddled inside their houses, taking refuge from the storm.

But suddenly, as a streak of lightning lit up the sky, two strangers appeared in the village square. They were tall and gangly, draped in ragged cloaks full of patches and holes. They trudged down the stone path of a big, stately house, then raised their gnarled walking sticks and tapped on the door.

[SOT: tap tap tap]

STRANGER 1: Hello...?

STRANGER 2: Is anybody home?

[SOT: door cracks open] 

NARRATOR: The door opened a crack… revealing the pinched, scowling face of a woman.

VILLAGER 1: (annoyed, brusque) What do you want? I was just sitting down for dinner!

NARRATOR: The strangers smiled.

STRANGER 1: If you please, ma’am… The two of us are weary travelers.

STRANGER 2: We’re seeking shelter from the storm.

STRANGER 1: And a bite of food as well!

STRANGER 2: Will you please help us out?

NARRATOR: The woman rolled her eyes.

VILLAGER 1: Will I “help you out”??? Are you for real? There’s no way I’ll “help out” a pair of BEGGARS. Be gone at once!

NARRATOR: And with that…

[SOT: slam]

NARRATOR: …she slammed the door.

The strangers heaved a sigh, then trudged to the next house. But again…

VILLAGER 2: You vagabonds aren’t getting help from ME! Now beat it!

[SOT: slam]

NARRATOR: The same thing happened at the next house.

VILLAGER 3: Get lost!

[SOT: slam]

NARRATOR: And the next…

VILLAGER 4: Buzz off!

[SOT: slam]

NARRATOR: And the next!

VILLAGER 5: Take a hike, you guttersnipes!

[SOT: slam]

NARRATOR: Eventually, the strangers reached the outskirts of the village, where the deep valley gave way to the steep hills. Nestled in the hillside was a ramshackle, thatched-roof hut. The strangers gave the peeling, splintered door a tap.

[SOT: tap tap tap]

STRANGER 1: Hello...?

STRANGER 2: Is anybody home?

[SOT: door opens]

BAUCIS: Greetings!

PHILEMON: How may we help you?

NARRATOR: Standing at the door were an elderly man and woman. Their hair was as white as sugar, their faces were as crinkled as autumn leaves, and their backs were as curved as the hill rising high above their hut.

The strangers flashed the couple a weak grin.

STRANGER 1: (sounding a bit cold) We are travelers seeking shelter and food.

STRANGER 2: (sounding a bit cold) Will you please help us out?

NARRATOR: You remember what the other villagers did, right? How they turned the two men away? Well, THESE villagers were much more solicitous.

BAUCIS: Of course we’ll help you out!

PHILEMON: We’ll fetch wood for the fire…

BAUCIS: …and bring you something to eat.

PHILEMON: You’re both thin as a reed!

BAUCIS: Thin as a rake!

PHILEMON: All skin and bones!

NARRATOR: The man and woman ushered the strangers inside. The woman grabbed a moth-eaten blanket and bundled it around their shoulders. The man tottered out to the woodshed and returned with an armload of branches. He and the woman arranged the kindling in the hearth, then set it ablaze.

BAUCIS: These branches are the last of our firewood.

PHILEMON: At our age, it’s getting harder and harder to chop down trees!

BAUCIS: AND to wander up and down the hillside in search of fallen wood!

PHILLEMON: But these flames should last us a while.

BAUCIS: So please!

PHILEMON: Warm yourselves!

NARRATOR: The strangers rubbed their hands by the crackling fire as the man and woman busied themselves by the table. The woman laid out their best cloth: coarse and threadbare from years of use, but washed to a snowy white. The man set down four clay plates, each one more cracked and chipped than the next. Then he and the woman brought out a hunk of cheese, half a loaf of bread, and a jug of wine with four mismatched cups.

BAUCIS: Gentlemen? Dinner is served!

PHILEMON: Humble though it may be!

BAUCIS: But you know the old saying:

PHILEMON: “Eat beans for lunch and have no friends at the dinner table”!

BAUCIS: No, darling! The other saying!

PHILEMON: “When you get burned by porridge, you also blow the yogurt”...?

BAUCIS: Not THAT one! The OTHER one!

PHILEMON: Oh! …“In hospitality, the chief thing is the good will.” (beat) But the other sayings are pretty good, too!

NARRATOR: The strangers laughed and took their seats.

STRANGER 1: (with a smile) Madam! Sir! Your hospitality and good will are very much appreciated.

STRANGER 2: Yet they appear to be rather uncommon around these parts.

BAUCIS: “Uncommon”?

PHILEMON: How so?

STRANGER 1: Well… my friend and I knocked at every door in your village…

STRANGER 2: …and all of your neighbors turned us away!

BAUCIS: They did?

PHILEMON: That’s a shame!

BAUCIS: After all, everyone knows that Zeus himself…

PHILEMON: …king of the gods…

BAUCIS: … has laid down rules regarding hospitality!

PHILEMON: We must be kind to those in need!

BAUCIS: Generous!

PHILEMON: We mustn’t turn them away!

BAUCIS: So even though the two of us may not have much…

PHILEMON: …other than each other…

BAUCIS: …everything we do have…

PHILEMON: …is yours!

NARRATOR: The strangers exchanged a glance. Then they turned back to their hosts.

STRANGER 1: Good sir and madam. My friend and I were wondering: could you please tell us about yourselves?

STRANGER 2: Yes! With whom do we have the pleasure of dining this stormy evening?

NARRATOR: The man and woman blushed.

PHILEMON: Well… this wondrous woman here… is Baucis. 

BAUCIS: And this magnificent man… is Philemon.

PHILEMON: We met long, long ago…

BAUCIS: …when we were just youngsters.

PHILEMON: It was love at first sight!

BAUCIS: And we’ve been together ever since…

PHILEMON: …sharing this tiny thatched-roof hut…

BAUCIS: …and enjoying every second.

PHILEMON: Every MINUTE!

BAUCIS: Every HOUR!

PHILEMON: Every DAY!

BAUCIS: Every WEEK!

PHILEMON: Every MONTH!

BAUCIS: Every YEAR!

PHILEMON: …Of which we’ve accumulated quite a few!

PHILEMON: / BAUCIS: (ad-lib tender laughter)

NARRATOR: Baucis and Philemon knew better than to ask the strangers to share their story. According to Zeus’s laws of hospitality, it was up to the visitors to offer that information, and only if they so chose.

So Baucis and Philemon found other things to chat about as they and their new friends tucked into the bread, cheese and wine. And even though an angry storm was raging outside, the hut was filled with joy and warmth.

However… as the night wore on… Baucis and Philemon discovered something strange. Throughout the humble meal they kept an eye on their visitors' cups, topping them off with wine whenever they would empty.

But get this. No matter how many cups of wine were poured… the jug remained full.

Baucis stared at Philemon. Philemon stared at Baucis. And as a shiver coursed down their spines, it became all too clear: their two haggard visitors were not the poor, weary travelers they claimed to be.

Instead… they were someone – and someTHING else – entirely!

Who do YOU think the visitors truly are?

We’ll find out their secret identities, after a quick break.

[BREAK]

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

[theme music out]

NARRATOR: Before the break, two strangers appeared in a valley village on a stormy night. They wandered from door to door, asking for shelter and food. But everyone turned them away… save for an aging couple named Baucis and Philemon.

The couple invited the travelers into their tiny, thatched-roof hut. They lit a fire with the last of their firewood, then served a meal with the last of their bread, cheese, and wine.

But as the evening wore on, Baucis and Philemon discovered that no matter how often they refilled their guests’ cups, the wine jug never emptied! It remained as full as ever.

And that’s when the couple realized: they were witnessing a miracle. A miracle that could only come from the magic… of immortals. 

In other words: the gods themselves!

Baucis and Philemon locked eyes. Then they sprang from the table and fell to their creaky old knees.

BAUCIS: Oh, great, all-powerful gods!

PHILEMON: We apologize for the meagerness of this meal!

BAUCIS: And the shabbiness of this hut!

PHILEMON: Can you please forgive us for offering so little?

NARRATOR: The strangers traded a look. Then, all of a sudden, there was a starburst of light…

[SOT: burst light]

NARRATOR: ... and who should Baucis and Philemon find looming above them but Zeus, almighty king of the gods! And Hermes, his swift-footed messenger!

STRANGER 1 (as ZEUS:): Baucis! Philemon!

STRANGER 2 (as HERMES:): Rise and stand before us!

NARRATOR: The couple staggered to their feet. Zeus and Hermes peered at them with gleaming eyes.

ZEUS: What you say is true, mortals.

HERMES: We ARE great, all-powerful gods.

ZEUS: I am Zeus…

HERMES: And I am Hermes!

ZEUS: HOWEVER! What you say is ALSO UN-true.

HERMES: …For you have NOT offered us “so little.”

ZEUS: On the contrary! You have offered us so much, with your kindness, compassion, and generosity!

HERMES: Unlike your neighbors, who cruelly turned us away.

ZEUS: And though your hospitality may be humble, it outshines the wealth of the richest kings and queens!

HERMES: So please. Come with us up the hillside.

ZEUS: There’s something we’d like to show you.

NARRATOR: Zeus and Hermes strode out the door. Baucis and Philemon grabbed each other's hands and did the same. The rain had stopped, the night had passed, and the sky was rosy with dawn as the aging couple followed the gods up the hill.

BAUCIS: (out of breath) We’re right behind you!

PHILEMON: (out of breath) How many years until they invent the escalator?

NARRATOR: After much huffing and puffing, Baucis and Philemon joined Zeus and Hermes on the summit. Once the couple caught their breath, the gods motioned for them to turn around.

ZEUS: Cast your eyes downward, friends. Look upon the village you once called home.

HERMES: See what has become of it now!

NARRATOR: Baucis and Philemon squinted down at the valley… and could hardly believe what they saw. “The village they once called home”... was gone! In its place was a wide lake, its placid surface sparkling in the brightening light of day. Not a house was to be seen… save for Baucis and Philemon’s tiny, thatched-roof hut on the hillside.

BAUCIS: What happened to our neighbors' houses?

PHILEMON: What happened to our neighbors?

NARRATOR: The gods’ faces grew grim.

HERMES: Zeus brought this storm to your valley as a test.

ZEUS: To see if the people remembered my laws of hospitality!

HERMES: And when your neighbors turned us away, Zeus decided to teach them a lesson.

ZEUS: As the rain poured down, it began flooding the village.

HERMES: And your neighbors fled, seeking shelter outside the valley.

ZEUS: I hope they are greeted with far more hospitality than they gave!

NARRATOR: Baucis and Philemon gazed down at the lake, then up at the gods.

BAUCIS: Mighty immortals. We understand why you did what you did.

PHILEMON: But how is it that our house survived the flood?

BAUCIS: We can see it on the hillside!

PHILEMON: Our tiny thatched-roof hut still stands!

ZEUS: Are you sure about that?

HERMES: Perhaps you should take another look!

NARRATOR: Baucis and Philemon peered down again; their tiny ramshackle home was still there. But before their very eyes, it began… to change! The hut grew taller and wider. The brown mud walls turned to sparkling white marble. The corner posts transformed into towering columns. And the thatched roof changed to glittering gold.

BAUCIS: It’s… a temple!

PHILEMON: Our humble hut has become a magnificent temple!

ZEUS: A temple to the GODS! And YOU shall be its keepers.

HERMES: When visitors come to worship, you shall tell them your story.

ZEUS: But we’d also like to grant you… a wish.

HERMES: Anything you desire!

ZEUS: Simply name it…

HERMES: …and it is yours!

NARRATOR: Now… if two all-powerful gods offered YOU a wish, what would it be?

Some people might wish for money… or fame. Some might wish for unlimited pizza and ice cream, or staying up as late as they want each and every night.

But Baucis and Philemon? They had their own wish in mind.

They took hold of each other’s weathered hands and looked at the gods with a twinkle in their eye.

BAUCIS: Dear gods. My beloved and I…

PHILEMON: I and my beloved…

BAUCIS: …what we wish…

PHILEMON: …is never to be parted.

BAUCIS: Never to live alone.

PHILEMON: When we breathe our last breaths…

BAUCIS: …we wish to breathe them together.

PHILEMON: …at the exact same moment.

BAUCIS: So that neither of us must mourn the loss of the other.

PHILEMON: And we never suffer the pain of being apart.

NARRATOR: The gods shared a look, then turned to the couple with smiles.

ZEUS: Baucis. Philemon. The two of you shall have your wish.

HERMES: And in the meantime, may you live with kindness and compassion!

ZEUS: And hospitality and goodwill!

NARRATOR: With that, there was a starburst of light…

[SOT: light]

NARRATOR: …and the gods were gone.

Baucis and Philemon relished their new life, taking care of the temple and telling their story to travelers from near and far.

With each passing year, the couple’s white hair grew whiter, their crinkly faces grew crinklier, and their curved backs grew curvier.

And then one sunny spring day, as they were tending the temple gardens, do you know what happened?

Baucis glanced at Philelmon, and noticed that his head and hands were sprouting leaves – and hers were, too!

BAUCIS: (sounding older than before) Oh!

NARRATOR: Philemon noticed that his wife’s legs were turning brown and rough – and his were, too!

PHILEMON: (sounding older than before) Oh!

NARRATOR: Baucis and Philemon reached out their arms and pulled each other close. And as their toes and feet rooted into the earth…and their legs and torsos turned hard and coarse… they stared into each other’s eyes.

BAUCIS: (sounding older than before) I love you, Philemon!

PHILEMON: (sounding older than before) And I love YOU, Baucis!

BAUCIS: / PHILEMON: FOREVER!

NARRATOR: The couple shared one last kiss, and then – at the exact same moment - the breath left their bodies… and Baucis and Philemon were gone.

In their place stood two trees. Where Baucis had been, there was a linden tree, with fragrant flowers and heart-shaped leaves. And where Philemon was, there was an oak, with furrowed bark and gnarled branches.

But the trees didn’t stand apart. Their two trunks were fused together, and their limbs intermingled and intertwined, as if they were growing as one.

You might have seen such a thing while hiking through a forest: two different trees that seem to be growing together… sharing branches, trunks, and roots. It happens when two young saplings grow so close that they actually become joined. Scientists call it inosculation – which, in Latin, translates as “into a kiss.”

And how very fitting, since it was after Baucis and Philemon’s LAST kiss that the gods fulfilled their promise… and allowed the kind, generous couple to stay together, in a loving embrace, forever.