Episode notes
Charlene Amoia (The Breadwinner, How I Met Your Mother) plays a tiny but mighty bird in this French legend about the origin of fire. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .
Podcast
Circle Round
WBUR · Kids & Family · English
WBUR's Circle Round adapts carefully selected folktales from around the world into sound- and music-rich radio plays for kids ages 3-103. Each 15 to 25-minute episode explores important issues like kindness, persistence and generosity. And each episode ends with an activity that inspires a deeper conversation between children and grown-ups.
More from Circle Round All episodes →
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S9 · E42 · 19 May 2026 · 21 min
Seven Silver Rings
Marielle Heller (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Can You Ever Forgive Me) and Jorma Taccone (The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast, Little Fox and the Wild Imagination) headline a Seneca and Shawnee legend about how the raccoon got its eye mask and tail stripes. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .
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S9 · E41 · 12 May 2026 · 21 min
Leader of the Birds
Carolyn Michelle (Familiar Touch, The Chi) and Christopher Rivas (Brown Enough, Rubirosa) headline a Maya tale about lies having short legs... and long tails! Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .
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S9 · E40 · 5 May 2026 · 15 min
Chicken Scratches
Musician and podcaster Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder) plays a cocky rooster in this Southern American tale about judging a book by its cover and eating humble pie. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .
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S9 · E39 · 28 Apr 2026 · 22 min
Encore: The Blizzard Wizard
Vivien Lyra Blair (Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Boogeyman) headlines this story from the indigenous peoples of Siberia about a supernatural spirit with a very cold shoulder. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .
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S9 · E38 · 21 Apr 2026 · 29 min
Encore: The Magic Touch
Edi Gathegi ("The Harder They Fall," "For All Mankind") stars in this East African story about twin brothers, enchanted fruit, and the magic of an open heart. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .
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S9 · E36 · 7 Apr 2026 · 22 min
Swift Fox and the Coyote Twins
This Is Us co-stars (and That Was Us co-hosts) Sterling K. Brown, Mandy Moore and Chris Sullivan co-star in a multi-cultural legend about two conceited coyotes and the fox who outfoxes them. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .
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S9 · E35 · 31 Mar 2026 · 21 min
A Tale of Two Neighbors
Recorded live in Cleveland, OH, this Appalachian tale proves that true friends stick together through thick, thin, and everything in between. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .
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S9 · E34 · 24 Mar 2026 · 24 min
Copper and Dumplings
Recorded live in Cleveland, OH, this Japanese story pits a wise baker against two tricky goblins who refuse to face their fears. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .
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S9 · E33 · 17 Mar 2026 · 20 min
Encore: The Laughing Canoe
George Salazar (Be More Chill, Superstore) plays a wise-cracking waterborne vessel in this Brazilian story about the extraordinary things teamwork can bring. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .
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S9 · E32 · 10 Mar 2026 · 25 min
The Bolt of Silk
Samantha Béart (Baldur's Gate 3, Star Wars: The Old Republic) plays a sorceress with a knack for brewing up trouble in this tale with Sudanese, Egyptian and Palestinian roots. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .
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