Something Fishy | Ep. 236

There’s an old proverb that goes: “You must bait the hook to catch the fish.”

What this saying means is you must prepare, fully and properly, if you want to succeed at something.

In today’s story, we’ll meet a character who baits the hook and catches the fish. But the “success” he finds smells anything but sweet!

Our story is called "Something Fishy.” Versions of this tale come from Hawaii, the only U.S. state made up completely of islands.

Voices in this episode include Feodor Chin and Jorma Taccone. Writer, director and actor Jorma Taccone is one-third of the sketch comedy troupe The Lonely Island, along with childhood friends Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffer. You kids may recognize Jorma’s voice from the Spiderman Spiderverse and Lego movies, as well as our season five episode, “Queen of the Forest.” He’s also the producer of the new podcast, Camille Reads.

This episode was adapted for Circle Round by Rebecca Sheir. It was edited by Sofie Kodner. 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!

Remembering to appreciate and be grateful for what we have isn’t always easy. You can stay on track by creating your own Appreciation Alphabet.

On your own — or with a grown-up — write down all the letters of the alphabet, A to Z,  with a space after each one. Letter by letter, think of something or someone you appreciate that starts with that letter, then either write it down or draw a picture.

Some letters might be trickier than others, but keep at it. When you’re done, share your Appreciation Alphabet with someone you love, and hold on to it, as a reminder of all the wonderful people and things you can be thankful for!

When you’re done with your Appreciation Alphabet, snap a photo of you and your alphabet and send it to circleround@wbur.org. We may feature you in a future edition of “The Lion’s Roar,” the monthly newsletter for members of the Circle Round Club. Learn more about this exciting opportunity for Circle Round super fans here!

Musical Spotlight: Steel guitar

To play a traditional acoustic guitar (as Eric Shimelonis has done in many of our episodes, including "The Unjust Justice" and "One Speckled Hen"), you hold the instrument against your body and use your fingertips to press the strings against the frets as you strum. With the steel guitar, you play the instrument horizontally, and press and slide a polished steel bar against the strings as you pluck them.

The steel guitar was developed in the 1880s by Hawaiian teenager Joseph Kekuku’upena-kana’iaupunio kamehameha Apuakehau (who later shortened his name to Joseph Kekuku). Several stories have been told about his a-ha moment. In one, he laid a guitar across his lap and moved the back of a metal comb across the frets. In another story, he found a metal bolt on a railroad track, slid the metal along the strings of his guitar, and was intrigued by the sound! Either way, the original name was Kika Kila, which translates to “steel guitar.”

After Kekuku left Hawaii in 1905, he spent the next decades touring the U.S. mainland. By the 1920s and 1930s, his instrument was all the rage there. Mainlanders referred to it as the "Hawaiian guitar,” or – since it was held on the lap and played with a steel bar – as the “lap steel.”

While today the steel guitar is most closely associated with Hawaiian music, country music and bluegrass, some players have used it in rock, jazz, blues, and other musical genres. One band even uses it to play heavy metal!

Story Transcript:

NARRATOR: In a little village on a lush island in a vast turquoise sea, there lived a fisherman.

Each morning, the fisherman woke up in his ramshackle hut, pulled on his tattered coat, then carried his weather-beaten canoe to the shore. He slid the boat into the water, then baited his old wooden fishing hook and cast his line for tuna, marlin and snapper.

FISHERMAN: Okay… Let’s hope those critters are biting today!

NARRATOR: Despite the fisherman’s hard work – and high hopes – the fish weren’t often “biting.” Still, no matter how measly or meager his catch, at day’s end he always hauled his fish to the village market, where he sold them at the very reasonable price of one copper apiece.

FISHERMAN: Here you go, sir. That’ll be one copper, please. Thank you!

NARRATOR: But the fisherman didn’t sell all of his fish. If he encountered someone who couldn’t afford that one copper? Someone who was going through a rough patch and had fallen on hard times…?

FISHERMAN: Don’t worry about the copper, friend. I know what it’s like to struggle to get by. So please: take this fish, and enjoy it. As a gift from me!

NARRATOR: Early one day, the fisherman was floating in his canoe, waiting for a tug on his line, when suddenly the line didn’t just tug. It jerked!

FISHERMAN: Woah! I must have hooked something BIG!

NARRATOR: The fisherman gritted his teeth as he pulled the line in.

FISHERMAN: (ad-lib efforting sounds of pulling in line)

NARRATOR: And after one last yank…

FISHERMAN: (ad-lib efforting sound of yanking line out of water)

NARRATOR: …what should come rocketing out of the water and into his canoe…

NARRATOR: …but an OCTOPUS, its big eyes bulging and its sucker-covered arms wiggling every which way!

FISHERMAN: Oh my oh my! How did I catch a big fellow like YOU on my hook??

KANALOA: That’s simple, my friend! I LET you! 

NARRATOR: The fisherman jumped so high he nearly toppled overboard.

FISHERMAN: (shocked) Wait a minute!!!!! You SPEAK????!!?

KANALOA: I DO speak! And I’ve been wanting to speak with YOU for some time now. (beat) I… am Kanaloa.

NARRATOR: The fisherman froze. Of course! Kanaloa! God of the Sea! Legends told how the deity would appear as a squid – or an octopus – in his rare interactions with humans. The fisherman could hardly believe he was one of those humans now!

FISHERMAN: Oh, Kanaloa! Great, great Kanaloa! I am honored to make your divine acquaintance. But tell me: why would you let a humble fisherman like me catch you on my line?

KANALOA: Well… I’ve been watching you for some time, my friend. I’ve seen how you share your fish each day, no matter how small your catch. I appreciate your spirit of selflessness, of generosity! And so, I wish to give you a GIFT. (beat) Look inside your pocket.

NARRATOR: With trembling fingers the fisherman reached into his pocket. And what should he find there… but a fish hook. Unlike his old wooden hook, however, this hook looked brand new, and was beautifully carved from sparkling seashells.

KANALOA: Attach this hook to your line, my friend. Cast your line into the sea. And whatever you catch… enjoy it. As a gift from me!

NARRATOR: The fisherman gazed at the hook with wonder. Then he gazed at Kanaloa with joy.

FISHERMAN: (joyful, excited) I thank you for this gift, Kanaloa! (beat) But I must return the favor. Is there something I can give you in exchange?

KANALOA: Well… you’ve already given so much, to so many! (beat) But since you ask… there is ONE thing you can give me. (beat) Your WORD.

FISHERMAN: “My word”…?

KANALOA: Yes! You can give me your pledge that you will always, ALWAYS use this gift wisely. (beat) Promise me you’ll do that?

FISHERMAN: Of course, Kanaloa! I promise I will use this gift wisely. Always.

KANALOA: Good! (beat) Now farewell, my friend! FAREWELL!

NARRATOR: And with that, the God of the Sea launched out of the canoe and into the water…

NARRATOR: …then disappeared into the depths below.

FISHERMAN: I can’t believe it! I just met the God of the Sea! And he gave me this magnificent fish hook! (beat) I must do as he says and cast it into the water. (beat) And then… who knows what will happen??!!!???

NARRATOR: What do YOU think will happen when the fisherman uses his new hook?

We’ll find out, after a quick break.

[BREAK]

NARRATOR: Welcome back to Circle Round. I’m Rebecca Sheir. Today our story is called "Something Fishy.”

NARRATOR: Before the break, Kanaloa, God of the Sea, rewarded the fisherman with a sparkling fish hook. In exchange, the generous fellow promised he would use the gift wisely.

Once Kanaloa leaped back into the sea, the fisherman tied the new hook to his line and cast it into the water. Within seconds, the line went tense!

FISHERMAN: A bite!!? Already??!!

NARRATOR: When the fisherman pulled the line in, what should he find snagged on the hook but the plumpest tuna he had ever seen!

FISHERMAN: By golly! You’re a big one, aren’t you?!? And I caught you so quickly!!!!

NARRATOR: He removed the tuna from the hook, then cast his line again. And just like that…

FISHERMAN: Oh!

NARRATOR: …he felt another tug! This time, he brought in a massive striped marlin.

FISHERMAN: Holy mackerel! (correcting himself, little joke) Or – marlin! You’re a big fella, too! And I caught you even faster than I caught the tuna!

NARRATOR: Well, no sooner had the fisherman said those words than his line tugged one more time…

FISHERMAN: No way!

NARRATOR: …and what should he spy dangling from his hook but a hefty red snapper.

FISHERMAN: This… is AMAZING! I’ve never caught so many fish before! And they’re all so big and beautiful! Kanaloa’s hook truly works wonders!

NARRATOR: By the end of the day, the fisherman’s canoe was brimming with tuna, marlin and snapper - some so mammoth and unwieldy he could hardly lift them from the boat! But he managed to stuff all the fish into his baskets and carry them to market. And just as he always did, he sold some of them…

FISHERMAN: That’ll be one copper, please. Thank you!

NARRATOR: …and gave the rest away.

FISHERMAN: You can’t afford the one copper, sir? No problem! This one’s on the house. (beat) And here’s one for you, miss. (beat) And one for you… and you… and you and YOU! Consider these fish a gift from me!

NARRATOR: Thanks to Kanaloa’s hook, the fisherman kept catching big beautiful fish every day. And as the weeks went on, word of his amazing tuna, marlin and snapper spread far and wide… and customers began flocking from all over the island to take advantage of the fisherman’s bargain price.

FISHERMAN: (growing more frantic/rushed to keep up with growing flock of customers) That’ll be one copper, please. Thank you! (beat) One copper, please. Thank you! (beat) One copper, please. Thank you!

NARRATOR: The fisherman’s sales picked up and up… and before long, he was selling out of fish each and every day!

Which was great for business, of course – but not so great for the needy people who would usually rely on the fisherman’s charity.

FISHERMAN: Sorry, sir. My fish sold like hotcakes today. I have no more left to give away!

NARRATOR: At first, the fisherman felt bad for no longer being able to help others. But as his sales grew and grew, the fisherman realized he could afford more and more. So he threw away his raggedy old coat and bought a spiffy new one. He  sprang for a bigger, flashier canoe. He even moved out of his ramshackle hut and splurged on a tidy cottage.

Now that the fisherman was enjoying a taste of the high life, a sneaky thought crept into his brain.

FISHERMAN: Ya know… I’ve been selling the finest fish this market has ever seen. And yet I’m still charging just one copper apiece…?!?? It’s ridiculous! I am going to raise my prices! That way, I can live even higher on the hog than I already do!

NARRATOR: So, the fisherman doubled his price.

FISHERMAN: That’ll be two coppers, please.

NARRATOR: Then he doubled it again.

FISHERMAN: That’ll be four coppers, please.

NARRATOR: Then he doubled it again!

FISHERMAN: That’ll be eight coppers, please.

NARRATOR: And as you may have guessed, now when he came across a villager in need… someone who had fallen on hard times and was struggling to get by… he no longer felt sad or sorry.

FISHERMAN: Look, buddy. If I gave you my precious catch for free, who’s gonna buy it for eight coppers a piece??? Don’t expect any handouts from me!

NARRATOR: But here’s the thing. At some point, the fisherman had raised his prices so high that no one could afford to buy his fish! He was still catching more tuna, marlin and snapper than ever, and he still refused to give any of it away for free, so heaps of fish began piling up in the yard of his tidy cottage. And in no time at all that fish began growing rotten and rancid.

FISHERMAN: Yuck! This fish is getting so stinky and smelly, I can hardly stand it! I must find a way to get rid of it all. (beat) (a-ha moment) And I know JUST how I’ll do it!

NARRATOR: Late one night, beneath a shimmering, silvery moon, the fisherman scooped up as much rotten fish as he could and loaded it in his canoe.

FISHERMAN: (as he scoops fish into canoe, reacting to smell) Yuck! Ugh! Ick!

NARRATOR: Then he brought the reeking boat to the shore and paddled out to sea. When he reached a deep, placid spot, he took all the stinky, smelly fish…

FISHERMAN: Here goes…!

NARRATOR: …and dumped them into the water!

FISHERMAN: Goodbye! Good riddance! SMELL ya later!!!!!!! (laughter)

NARRATOR: But he wasn’t laughing for long. Because all of a sudden the water around him began to bubble and churn…

FISHERMAN: WOAH!

NARRATOR: …and what should come rocketing out of the foaming sea and into his shiny new canoe, but – you guessed it –

KANALOA: Hello, old friend!

FISHERMAN: Kanaloa! What are YOU doing here?

KANALOA: “What am I doing here”????

NARRATOR: The God of the Sea thrust a sucker-covered arm toward the fisherman.

KANALOA: The question IS… what are YOU doing here? Clearly not FISHING! After all, a GOOD fisherman catches live fish from the sea. He doesn’t dump dead ones INTO it! (beat) Unless, of course, he has broken a certain promise…???? And NOT used a certain gift WISELY…????

NARRATOR: The fisherman shook his head.

FISHERMAN: On the contrary, Kanaloa! I HAVE used your gift wisely!

KANALOA: Have you? So, charging an arm and a leg for your fish is using my gift wisely???? (beat) Not sharing that fish with others is using my gift wisely???? (beat) Allowing that fish to rot…??? And go to waste….? Would you say that THAT is using my gift wisely????

FISHERMAN: I would say it’s the cost of doing business! And my business is booming, Kanaloa! I am so much richer than I was before!

NARRATOR: Kanaloa fell quiet. He fixed the fisherman with his twinkling, bulging eyes.

KANALOA: (plotting) So…. You really believe you’re “richer,” do you?

FISHERMAN: Of course! Look at my clothing! Look at my canoe! And you should see my cottage; it’s like a miniature palace!

KANALOA: (plotting) In that case, I offer you a new gift. To celebrate your rich, new life. You’ll find it next time you cast your line.

NARRATOR: And with that, Kanaloa fixed the fisherman with one last look, then sprang from the canoe…

NARRATOR: …and disappeared into the sea.

The fisherman could hardly wait to see Kanaloa’s new gift. Quickly, he did as the sea god said and cast his line again. And when he felt a tug, and pulled the line in, what should he find dangling at the end, but…?

FISHERMAN: Ewwwwwwwww!

NARRATOR: …one of the rotten, stinking fish he had tossed into the water!

FISHERMAN: Ugh! This thing is RANK! I must try again!

NARRATOR: Heart racing and palms sweating, the fisherman cast his line a second time. But once more…

FISHERMAN: Ugggghhhhh!

NARRATOR: …dangling from his hook was another putrid fish.

So the fisherman cast his line again…

FISHERMAN: Gross!!!

NARRATOR: …and again…

FISHERMAN: Disgusting!

NARRATOR: But try as he might, all he could catch was smelly, decaying fish.

FISHERMAN: Agggghhhhh!

NARRATOR: You see, Kanaloa had noticed that as the fisherman became richer and richer in money… he’d become poorer and poorer in kindness.

So now, thanks to the clever God of the Sea, the fisherman would no longer enjoy the sweet smell of success. Instead, he’d be stuck with the stench of rotting fish!