Stealing Summer | Ep. 316

Think about a time you felt cold.

Did your body shiver? Did your teeth chatter? Did your skin prickle up with goosebumps?

Now ask yourself: what if you felt that way every single day? Because that’s what it’s like for the characters in our story… until a heroic canine figures out how to bring on the heat!

Our story is called “Stealing Summer.” We found versions of this tale from many Native American peoples, including the Shoshone, Shasta, and Hupa.

Voices in this episode include: Kiran Kumar, Susannah Mars, Jefferson A. Russell, Dawn Ursula and Meena Harris.

Meena Harris is the founder and CEO of Phenomenal Media, a Tony-Award-winning company that elevates the stories of underrepresented women. She’s also a lawyer and bestselling author of five children’s books, including “Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea” and “Maya’s Big Question,” coming out March 3rd, 2026.

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

What’s one way you can share?

Perhaps you can share with a friend, by lending them a favorite book or toy. Maybe you can share with someone you’ve never met, by donating your outgrown clothing to charity. Or you could share with a family member, by giving them some of your time or splitting your chores.

Think about how you might share, then go out and do it! You’ll help make the world a more thoughtful, kind and generous place!

Musical Spotlight: Native American Drone Flute

In a way, playing the Native American drone flute is like having your own choir: because of its two wooden tubes, the flute plays two notes at the same time! One side of the flute plays the melody, while the other plays a constant note (or “drone”).

Traditionally, Native American peoples have played the flute as accompaniment in spiritual rituals and meditation. In our episode, we use it to accompany action and adventure!

You can hear Eric Shimelonis play this instrument in several other Circle Round episodes, including “The Sweet Spot,” “Grandfather Stone,” “Maushop and Grandfather Sun,” “The Snow Eater” and “The Fire on the Other Side of the World.”

NARRATOR (host Rebecca Sheir): It was summertime…and the animals were chilled to the bone.

Yes, you heard right:

They were chilled to the bone… in summer!

Why…?

Well… usually at this time of year, they were basking in sunshine, enjoying long, glorious days of cloudless skies and balmy temperatures.

But this year, for reasons the animals simply could not fathom, summer never came! The skies were steely gray, the air was bitter cold, and their breath came out in white puffs whenever they ventured out of their nests and burrows.

EAGLE: Boy oh boy! It’s so frigid out here, it’s like winter never left!

WOLF: You’re right about that, Eagle! This long, bushy wolf tail of mine has been covered in frost for months!

COYOTE: Same with my black-tipped coyote tail! (beat) Where did summer go? Why did it never come?

[SOT: approaching wings]

RAVEN: Actually… I can answer THAT one!

NARRATOR: Eagle, Wolf, and Coyote looked up. Perched in a snow-covered tree was glossy, dark-feathered Raven.

RAVEN: I’ve got big news, friends. (beat) I happened to find… SUMMER!

NARRATOR: Eagle, Wolf and Coyote let out a gasp.

EAGLE: / WOLF: / COYOTE: (GASP!)

RAVEN: Yup! I was just as surprised as YOU are! But today, I flew all the way around the world. It was terribly cold everywhere; I was so chilly I couldn’t feel my talons! But then… I came to THE HOUSE. A small wooden house tucked in a valley. And I kid you not, friends. All around that house… the air was warm! The ground was covered with green grass, colorful flowers, and blossoming trees! (beat) In other words, it was SUMMER!

EAGLE: But… HOW?

RAVEN: I’m glad you asked, Eagle. The house belongs to an old, old woman. And she keeps summer locked inside! Stuffed in a black bag! She opens the bag just enough so that summer can spread its warmth around her house and yard. And she refuses to share it with anyone!

WOLF: That’s not very nice!

RAVEN: Tell me about it, Wolf! It’s downright selfish! This woman stole summer away, and now she’s keeping it for herself!  So the only way summer could visit the rest of the world… is if somebody steals it BACK!

NARRATOR: The animals darted a glance… at Coyote. They knew how legendary the pointy-eared canine was for sussing out sly solutions to prickly problems.

COYOTE: (noticing them looking at her) Oh I see! You all think I can steal back summer! [NOTE: THE 2ND TIME WE WENT THROUGH THE SCRIPT, SHE MISSED THIS LINE. I HAD HER DELIVER IT AFTER SHE DID THE ONE BELOW: “I APPRECIATE THE PRAISE…”]

EAGLE: Well, can’t you?

WOLF: You always come up with something!

RAVEN: Nobody's quicker than you, Coyote!

NARRATOR: Coyote smiled.

COYOTE: I appreciate the praise, friends. But the truth is, I can’t steal back summer! (beat) Not on my own, anyway. It’s a long, dangerous mission and I’ll need a team of good friends. (beat) So! Will you join me?

NARRATOR: The other animals grew quiet – so quiet, all they could hear was the chattering of their teeth and beaks. But then…?

EAGLE: I’ll join you, Coyote!

WOLF: I will, too!

RAVEN: As will I!

COYOTE: Thank you! Now listen up, while I lay out the plan. And trust me: if we all work together, it won’t be long before we let summer out of the bag!

[theme music in]

NARRATOR: What plan is Coyote hatching?

If YOU were Coyote, what would YOU plan?

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

[theme music out]

[BREAK]

[theme music in]

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

[theme music out]

NARRATOR: Before the break, Coyote formulated a plan to rescue summer from an old woman who was keeping it for herself in a big black bag.

Coyote, Raven, Eagle, and Wolf made the long trip to the woman’s house on the other side of the world. The air was warm and the yard was lush with flowers. Coyote led her friends behind a fragrant, blossoming bush and leaned in close.

COYOTE: Okay, folks. It’s go time. Wolf: you’ll be the one to kick things off!

WOLF: You betcha!

COYOTE: Raven? You’ll go after Wolf.

RAVEN: Roger that!

COYOTE: And Eagle? You go next.

EAGLE: Aye-aye, captain!

COYOTE: Alright then! Let’s get this party started. Whenever you’re ready, Wolf, take it away!

NARRATOR: Wolf silently counted to three. Then he leaped out from behind the bush… jerked back his head… and began to howl!

WOLF: (howls)

NARRATOR: Howl after howl pierced the air, until – just as the animals hoped –

WOMAN: What is going on???

NARRATOR: …the woman barreled out of her house and came storming over.

WOMAN: You vexatious canine!! Your infernal howling is disturbing my peace! Stop it at once!

NARRATOR: But Wolf didn’t “stop it.” Instead, he kept howling.

WOLF: (howls continue) 

WOMAN: Did you hear me, you mangy mongrel??? Silence yourself at once! And leave me be before I – (gets interrupted)

RAVEN: Tally-HO!

NARRATOR: The woman glanced up. Diving down from the sky… and heading directly for her… was Raven!

WOMAN: Don’t you come near me, you brutish bird! Shoo! Fly away!

NARRATOR: But Raven did not ‘fly away.’ Instead, she set to circling around the woman’s head!

RAVEN: Round and round and round I go! Where I stop nobody knows! (ad-lib more swooping commentary, a la: “Wheeeee! Yeah! Here I go again! And again!”)

NARRATOR: The woman threw up her hands, trying to swat Raven away.

WOMAN: Get off of me! Now! Cut it out!

NARRATOR: As you can imagine, between the howling wolf and the swooping raven, the woman was rather distracted. SO distracted, in fact, that she didn’t notice a certain bushy-tailed canine come creeping past her… and into the house!

Coyote bounded from room to room, keeping her eyes peeled. Then she saw it: a big black bag that was warm to the touch.

COYOTE: This must be it!

NARRATOR: Coyote jumped up and grabbed the bag in her teeth.

COYOTE: (ad-lib efforting of jumping, grabbing bag in teeth)

NARRATOR: But before she could leave the house…

WOMAN: Don't you dare steal my summer!

NARRATOR: Standing in the doorway… hands on hips, eyes blazing with fury… was the woman. Fast as a flicker, Coyote pushed past and beat a hasty retreat.

NARRATOR: The woman took off after her. She was surprisingly speedy for her age and before long, she was hot on Coyote’s heels!

COYOTE: Uh-oh!

NARRATOR: Coyote picked up speed, her heart racing with exertion and anxiety. But then, she heard the voice she’d been waiting for.

EAGLE: Reckon I can take that bag off your hands?

NARRATOR: Her eyes flashed upwards and there was Eagle! According to plan, he was waiting for Coyote high in a tree.

COYOTE: (tired, panting) Thanks a million, Eagle! It’s all yours!

NARRATOR: Eagle dove down and snatched the bag in his talons. Then he flapped his wings as hard as he could and flew all the way back to the other side of the world.

Once all the other animals were home safe and sound, Coyote gathered them round.

COYOTE: Okay, friends. Here it goes. The moment of truth… and warmth!

NARRATOR: She untied the bag, and yanked it open. There was a whoosh of hot air…

[SOT: whoosh]

NARRATOR: …and summer came bursting out! Within moments, the thick snow, slippery ice, and silvery frost melted away, and the ground was covered with lush grass, colorful flowers, and leafy trees!

But as the animals basked in the wondrous warmth…

WOMAN: YOU!

NARRATOR: They turned their heads and there – with clenched fists and a face twisted with fury – was the woman.

WOMAN: You took MY summer! And you’re trying to carry it away!

NARRATOR: The animals traded a look. Then Coyote took a careful step toward the woman.

COYOTE: You know, madam… Part of what you say is true. We DID “take” summer. But it isn’t YOURS! (beat) I know it’s a warm, glorious season… a season of blue skies and warm breezes and endless sun on your face. But this warm, glorious season should belong to everyone! Not just one person! (beat) And so… I have a proposition.

WOMAN: (guarded) And what would THAT be…?

COYOTE: I propose… we share summer!

WOMAN: “Share summer”????

COYOTE: Yes! “Share it”! For half of the year, you can have summer on your side of the world. And for the other half, we’ll have summer on our side of the world! It’s the right thing to do. The fair thing. (beat) So…? What do you say?

NARRATOR: The woman paused as she thought it over. Then, slowly, her fists unclenched, and her furious face melted into a smile.

WOMAN: Very well. We will do it. We will share summer.

NARRATOR: And… they did! To this very day, when it’s winter on one side of the world, it’s summer on the other. And when it’s summer on one side of the world, it’s winter on the other.

Thanks to crafty Coyote and her fearless, faithful friends, we all share the seasons, all the year round.