Circle Round Festive Folktales

This holiday season, our WBUR podcast is celebrating festive folktales: Circle Round stories honoring generosity, kindness and the spirit of being together.

To make your season even brighter, we’re offering fabulous gifts for the Circle Round fans in your life — so you can bring the Circle Round love with you wherever you go!

Please note: the deadline for international holiday shipping is December 1, 2025 and for US holiday shipping is December 12, 2025. Questions? Email circleround@wbur.org.

Storytime from WBUR’s Circle Round is possible thanks to the generosity of listeners like you. Support WBUR with a donation and help us bring more family-friendly folktales from around the world to life! Donate now to receive one of our Circle Round thank-you gifts!

Please note: Plush goat with Circle Round bandana available exclusively for Circle Round Club members. 

Come Circle Round with us for a live, on-stage recording! We’ve been recording never-before-heard Circle Round episodes on stages across the United States. Here’s where we’re headed next; we invite you to join us and watch the magic unfold!

Jan. 18, 2026, 1:00pm - Los Angeles, CA: Glendale Performing Arts Center (TICKETS HERE)

Feb. 7, 2026, 1:00 p.m. - Boston, MA: Symphony Hall with Boston Symphony Orchestra (TICKETS HERE)

Mar. 14, 2026, 1:00 p.m. - Cleveland, OH: Recording of two new episodes at the Cleveland Museum of Art (GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!)

Remember: Circle Round Club members get early access to tickets, plus an exclusive invitation to meet me and Eric after our shows! If you haven’t yet joined this growing community of super-fans, I invite you to sign up today – and support the public media podcast you love – here.

The holidays are a marvelous time to Circle Round and enjoy timeless tales from around the world, while learning about traditions from near and far. Listening to heartwarming stories with friends and family is a special way to celebrate this season of giving.

We hope you’ll enjoy these Circle Round episodes we handpicked just for you!

To celebrate the season of giving, we bring you this multi-episode compilation revisiting some of your favorite Circle Round stories about generosity, including “The Answer You Seek,” “The Beggar and the Baker’s Daughter,” “Nilsa and the Troll,” and “The Three-Legged Pot”!

Do you have a dream for your future? Something you wish to be or do? In this story, you’ll meet a selfless, helpful character who has a big dream. And though he’s not so big himself, he’ll do whatever it takes to make that dream come true!

Origin: Angola

Can you imagine a world without music? There wouldn’t be any songs on the radio or at parties; there wouldn’t be any concerts or musicals on the stage. There wouldn't be one musical note anywhere. In this tale, you’ll see what it’s like to live in a world without music… and you’ll meet the powerful spirit who helps to change that!

Origin: Aztec stories from Mexico

Think about someone you love. It could be a family member or friend, maybe even a pet or teddy bear! When we love someone, it can be hard to be away from them. In this story, you’ll meet two people who love each other so very deeply – and who give to others so very generously – they find a way to stay together forever!

Origin: Ancient Greece

If you were to finish the sentence, “Kindness is…” what would you say? You might say “Kindness is caring for others” or “Kindness is helping someone who needs help.” This story is about how good it can feel to give and receive kindness. In fact, as one of our characters learns, that feeling can be as good as gold!

Origin: the Burmese and Indian people of Southeast Asia

Have you heard the expression, “Every dog has its day”? What it means is that everyone will eventually experience luck or success. In this story, a wise judge helps a kind, generous, hardworking schoolboy have his day… and his dog!

Origin: Japan

Have you ever gotten lost? Maybe you and your family were on a road trip and you took a wrong turn, or you were hiking and you mistook one trail for another. In this story you’ll meet three characters who get lost in the forest. And what they end up finding is a magical lesson about the power of giving!

Origin: Jewish lore from the Republic of Türkiye

Do you have a friend or family member who’s gone through a tough time? When our loved ones are struggling, we want to do whatever we can to help them out. In this story you’ll meet a queen who is desperate to help her daughter. And the only thing that will truly help is nowhere to be found!

Origin: China and Vietnam

Ever heard of “the golden rule”? This idea goes all the way back to ancient Egypt, and basically says you should treat other people the way you want to be treated. In this story, you’ll meet a shoemaker who extends kindness to someone in need. And what she gets in return, she never saw coming!

Origin: India and South Asia

Think about a time somebody helped you. Maybe a grown-up helped you tie your shoes, or a friend helped you learn a new game. In this tale, you’ll meet a hardworking farmer who helps a whole bunch of people. And in return…? Well, let’s just say she’s in for more than a few surprises!

Origin: The Korean Peninsula