The Weeping Witness | Ep. 238

Do you know what it means to “face the music”?

When we “face the music,” it doesn’t mean we’re enjoying a symphony or dancing at a concert! It means we’re facing the consequences of our actions.

In today’s story, thanks to the wisdom of a beloved queen, a dishonest man has to face the music – and change his tune!

Our story is called “The Weeping Witness.” We found versions of this tale from Japanese and Persian folklore.

Voices in this episode include Feodor Chin, Paul Dateh and Brittany Ishibashi. You grown-ups might know Britany from “Grace and Frankie” and “Hawaii 5-0. You kids might recognize her from “Mickey and the Roadster Racers” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” Brittany also voices characters in the upcoming Netflix series “Ultraman: Rising.”

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!

Who do you turn to when you have a problem? Is it a family member? A friend? A teacher?

Think about your problem solver, then make a list of all the reasons you turn to them for help. Do they have amazing patience? Are they excellent listeners? Do they keep an open mind? Do they practice compassion?

Look at all the reasons you’ve listed, and think about how you can apply these traits to your own life. Then perhaps YOU can be the go-to person for others when they need help!

Musical Spotlight: Shamisen

The Japanese lute known as the shamisen has a rounded,drum-like body and a notably long neck that can measure as long as 30 inches (one meter)! It also has three twisted-silk strings; in fact, the word shamisen translates to “three strings.”

Many musicians compare the sound of the shamisen to that of the American banjo, since the shamisen’s skin-covered body (dō) similarly amplifies the sound of the strings (note: nowadays, the material used to cover the body is synthetic).

As with numerous instruments popular in Japan, experts trace the shamisen’s origins back to China. The instrument made its way to Japan’s main island some time in the late 16th century, and became a near-instant hit!

Traditionally, the shamisen has accompanied Japanese narrative songs, Bunraku (puppet theater), Kabuki (drama) and koto chamber music, but nowadays you can hear the shamisen in everything from rock music to bluegrass to jazz – and in our episodes, “The Wrong Day” and “The Fishermen’s Leftovers!”

Story Transcript:

NARRATOR: There once was a queen. A most beloved queen, who ruled her people with compassion, dedication, and – most of all – wisdom.

The queen was so wise that when her subjects had a dispute they couldn’t settle, they traveled from across the kingdom so she could hear their case. The shrewd and clever ruler always listened to their arguments, before sifting through all the evidence and deciding which side was in the right.

And somehow… without fail… the queen’s decisions were never wrong.

One spring morning, the queen’s guards led two men into the throne room. One man was a peddler, the other was a farmer. Both fellows wore scowls on their faces, and kept shooting each other dirty looks.

QUEEN: Good morning, gentlemen! Though judging from what I’m seeing, I suspect it’s not a very “good morning” for either one of you…

NARRATOR: The peddler and farmer exchanged another withering glance, then the peddler turned to the queen with a bow.

PEDDLER: Your Majesty. In all your wisdom you are correct. It is NOT a good morning. And I’ll tell you why. (beat) You see, as a peddler, I make my living traveling from place to place selling goods. Last week I happened to travel to a charming little seaside village. After working hard peddling my wares all day, I set up my campsite at the edge of town, as I always do. And then… in the dark of night, while I lay sleeping in my tent… I was ROBBED. (beat) By HIM!

NARRATOR: The peddler jabbed an accusing finger at the farmer. The farmer threw a hand to his chest.

FARMER: Your Majesty! This man is spouting NONSENSE! As a farmer, I am a simple, humble fellow who would NEVER steal from anyone! What’s more, I’ve never even BEEN to this “charming little seaside village” of which the peddler speaks! In fact, I have no idea which village he’s talking about!

NARRATOR: The queen gazed at the two men. She paused, then drew a deep breath and fixed her eyes on the peddler.

QUEEN: Peddler. You claim this robbery happened in the dark of night, while you were asleep. Is that correct?

PEDDLER: (getting progressively teary) That IS correct, Your Majesty. But I wasn’t asleep for long! A sudden commotion outside my tent startled me awake! I leaped to my feet, threw on my coat, and stepped into the moonlight – just in time to see this scoundrel scampering off with all my goods! And all my money!

NARRATOR: The peddler sniffed and wiped his eyes. The farmer rolled his eyes.

FARMER: (eye rolling) Oh, please. The peddler is telling lies, Your Majesty! (beat) I told you. I don’t even know what village he’s talking about! I am no thief!

QUEEN: I haven’t said you ARE a thief, farmer! In my court, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. (beat) And one way to tell the innocent from the guilty is to bring in… witnesses. 

NARRATOR: The queen turned back to the peddler.

QUEEN: Peddler? Do you have any witnesses who can testify in your favor? Someone who might have seen the farmer make off with your goods and your money, as you claim he did?

NARRATOR: The peddler frowned.

PEDDLER: I’m afraid I haven’t ANY witnesses, Your Majesty. Like I said, it was the middle of the night. And I was on the edge of town. And there wasn’t a living soul about. Nothing was around, really – except… a weeping willow tree.

QUEEN: A weeping willow tree…?

NARRATOR: The queen cocked her head to the side.

QUEEN: You’re telling me… there was a weeping willow tree?

PEDDLER: Yes! I’ve always had a fondness for weeping willow trees, you see. The way their slender branches droop to the ground in a cascade of leaves? It’s like a beautiful, delicate curtain of green! So that night I set up my tent beneath a weeping willow tree.

QUEEN: I see… (beat) In that case… we DO have a witness. The weeping willow tree! We must summon it at once!

NARRATOR: The peddler’s jaw dropped. The farmer’s did, too. After being at odds all day, the two men finally agreed on one thing: it was beginning to look like the queen had lost her marbles!

PEDDLER: Um… with all due respect, Your Majesty…

FARMER: …did you say we must ‘summon’...

PEDDLER: / FARMER: (simultaneous) …a TREE?!????

NARRATOR: The queen smiled.

QUEEN: That’s precisely what I said! (beat) So peddler? I order you to leave the palace at once. Travel back to the charming seaside village where this alleged robbery took place, and bring back the weeping willow tree. (beat) Justice must be served, so I must unlock this case. (dramatic) And the key… is THAT TREE!

NARRATOR: What do you think the wise queen is up to?

Has she really lost her marbles?

We’ll find out, after a quick break.

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

NARRATOR: Before the break, a wise queen was hearing a case between a traveling peddler and a farmer. The peddler claimed he’d been sleeping under a weeping willow tree, outside a seaside village, when the farmer robbed him.

To both men’s surprise, the queen ordered the peddler to return to the seaside village and bring back the weeping willow tree, as a witness!

So, shaking his head in bewilderment, the peddler turned on his heel and left the palace. Once he was gone, the queen turned to the farmer with a smile.

QUEEN: Farmer! While we’re waiting for the peddler to come back from his errand, how about some music?

NARRATOR: The farmer nodded in agreement. Some musical entertainment would be a welcome diversion right now. And besides, the queen was acting so strangely, he didn’t dare disagree with her!

QUEEN: Wonderful! I shall summon my finest musicians and dancers!

NARRATOR: The queen rang a bell, and a band of musicians came filing in, followed by a team of dancers dressed in bright, flowing costumes. The queen greeted them warmly, then she clapped her hands together…

NARRATOR: …and the music began.

NARRATOR: The tune was a lively one, and as the musicians played, the dancers leaped and twirled around the room. The farmer was instantly enchanted. He had never experienced such a marvelous musical spectacle before!

Within moments, the farmer was tapping his toes. Within a few more, he was snapping his fingers. And before long, the enraptured farmer was up on his feet, swaying and bouncing to the beat!

The queen looked on with an amused grin. After an hour, she glided over to her guest and tapped him on the shoulder.

QUEEN: (over the music) Tell me, farmer! Do you think the peddler is on his way back with the tree?

NARRATOR: The farmer was so engrossed in the music, he didn’t even turn his head.

FARMER:  (over the music, dancing, distracted) I seriously doubt he’s on his way back, Your Majesty!

QUEEN: (putting two and two together) I see….

NARRATOR: After another hour, the queen tapped the farmer’s shoulder a second time.

QUEEN:  (over the music) Tell me, farmer! NOW do you think the peddler is on his way back with the tree?

NARRATOR: Again, the distracted farmer kept his eyes straight ahead.

FARMER: (over the music, dancing, distracted) It’s highly unlikely he’s on his way back, Your Majesty!

QUEEN: (continuing to put two and two together) I see…

NARRATOR: After another hour, the queen tapped the farmer’s shoulder a third time.

QUEEN:  (over the music) Tell me, farmer! NOW do you think the peddler is on his way back with the tree?

NARRATOR: The farmer kept dancing. But as he bounced his legs and waved his arms, he threw back his head and let out…

FARMER: (LAUGH)

NARRATOR: …a laugh!

FARMER: (over the music, dancing, with a smile) With all due respect, Your Majesty, there’s no need to keep asking me this question!

QUEEN: (over the music) No? Whyever not?

FARMER: (over the music, still dancing) Well… to get to the seaside village, the peddler has to pass through a deep forest! Then a winding valley! Then a series of rugged hills! And once he arrives, he has to climb to the top of a steep cliff overlooking the sea! Because that’s where the weeping willow grows! So even if he does succeed in chopping the tree down, chances are good it’ll fall right into the water! And after that, there’s no way he could possibly – (stops short)

NARRATOR: The farmer stopped short. He also stopped dancing. The queen waved her hand and the music stopped, too.

QUEEN: What’s wrong, farmer? Cat got your tongue? I believe you were right in the middle of providing an ever-so-detailed description of the scene of the crime! The same place, just a few short hours ago, that you claimed you’d NEVER BEEN TO! (beat) That is the case… is it not?

NARRATOR: The farmer frowned. He knew he was caught.

FARMER: Yes, Your Majesty. That’s the case.

QUEEN: Then this case is closed. And this court finds YOU guilty! (beat) Guards?

NARRATOR: The queen snapped her fingers and a team of uniformed men snapped to attention.

QUEEN: Please. Find the peddler and bring him back to the palace. I believe the farmer has something he’d like to tell him… and a whole lot of things he’d like to RETURN.

NARRATOR: As the guards rushed from the palace, the farmer sighed and hung his head. Because even though the room was now quiet, and the magnificent concert had come to a close, he knew that thanks to the wise and clever queen, it was time for him to face the music.