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WBUR Podcasts Boston

Have you ever noticed what happens when you toss a pebble into a pond or lake? First circles

appear on the surface, right? Then they ripple outward and seem to go on forever. That's called

a ripple effect, and as we'll hear in today's story, just like a little pebble can create

big ripples in the water. Our actions can create big ripples too, beyond our wildest dreams.

I'm Rebecca Sheer and welcome to Circle Round, where story time happens all the time.

Today our story is called the Scholars' Reward. Versions of this tale come from the

southeast Asian country of India. Some really great people came together to bring you our

adaptation of this folktale, including Summer Bissiel and Michael Maliakel. Summer Bissiel

stars in the magicians on sci-fi, as well as the recent indie film For Somoses. Michael

Maliakel is starring as the title character in the hit Broadway musical Aladdin. So circle

round everyone for the Scholars' Reward.

Long ago in India, there was a Raja or King who had an enormous palace, a massive staff

of servants, and a colossal obsession with war.

Oh how I love the thrill of battle, the excitement of attack, the exhilaration of sending my

army to invade other lands. And from the comfort of his enormous palace, the Raja was always

...