Hello, welcome to Story's Podcast. I'm your host Amanda Weldon. Today's story is called

NISA, an original story based on the Scandinavian legend written for you by Daniel Hines.

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NISA Once upon a time in the frigid winter of Scandinavia, there was a snug little house with a snug little family.

Outside, the wind howled and the snow fell in icy blanket drifts onto the woods.

Inside, a little boy named Lars howled, and his blanket, which wasn't icy at all, was kicked onto the floor.

Candy! he said, rolling back and forth like a dog who had found some old worms.

Candy, please!

His sister, Freya, couldn't help but laugh.

His parents were cooking something special, something strange, and there was a lot of melted sugar involved.

Lars could smell it and no amount of telling him it was too hot would calm him down.

You can have some when it's done, Papa said for the hundredth time.

He was stirring bits of berries into the molten sugar on the stove and the candy smell got even stronger.

Freya could have sworn that Lars was starting to drool.

After a moment, Papa pulled a few berries out,

let them cool, and gave them to Freya and Lars.

They both gobbled them down and asked for more,

but Papa shook his head.

Freya and Lars watched curiously, and then with more and more interest as Papa made a big bowl of porridge and Mama prepared a topping of butter and sugar and the candied berries.

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