W-B-U-R Podcasts, Boston.

Do you know what it means if you have the upper hand?

Having the upper hand means you hold an advantage.

You're in a stronger position or situation than someone else's.

And we're about to meet a character who gets the upper hand

by taking the lower half.

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

Today our story is called Top Banana.

It was inspired by tales told in the Philippines,

a country of over 7,000 islands in Southeast Asia.

Some really great people came together to bring you our adaptation of this story

including Tatiana Ali and Jack DeSena. Grown-Umeups you may know Tatiana Ali from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, the original and

reboot as well as Abbott Elementary on ABC.

And kids you can hear Jack DeCena's voice in a bunch of animated TV shows, including LEGO Monkey

Kid, The Dragon Prince, and Avatar The Last Airbender.

So circle around everyone for top banana. It was summertime in the lush mossy forest and all morning long turtle had been sunning her brownish red shell and skin on a big flat rock.

I'm starting to get overheated.

I think I'll go for a swim in the river.

Splashing around in the cool clear water would hit the spot right now.

When turtle shuffled over to the riverbank, her bright round eyes were met with an astonishing sight.

It's a banana plant, and it's in the water,

floating down the river.

...