Encore: The Magic Touch

Summary

Circle Round – “Encore: The Magic Touch”

Host: Rebecca Sheir
Date: April 21, 2026
Special Guest Voice: Eddie Gathege

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Episode Overview

This enchanting episode of Circle Round presents an East African folktale adaptation called "The Magic Touch." The story follows twin brothers, Juma and Imani, who set off on separate adventures that ultimately weave together themes of kindness, persistence, and the surprising rewards of generosity. The episode combines engaging performances, memorable lessons, and a touch of magic, making it meaningful for listeners of all ages.

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Key Discussion Points & Story Structure

1. Setting the Tale

• [00:01-02:18] Introduction by Rebecca Sheir; episode framed around the value of kindness.
• Quote:
  • "Think about a time somebody showed you kindness... We're about to meet a character who's all about being kind to others, and the result is truly magical." – Rebecca Sheir, [01:01]

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2. The Journey of Juma

• [02:18-06:19]
• Twins Juma and Imani are raised by a loving mother. When their mother falls ill, Juma is chosen to venture into the world first while Imani stays to care for her.
• Juma discovers a magical fruit on a mysterious island: every pit he spits out grows instantly into a new fruit tree.
• Attempting to sell the magical fruit on another island, Juma finds that the magic doesn’t work off the original island, leading the crowd and the queen’s guard to accuse him of dishonesty.
• Juma is imprisoned by the queen, who despises dishonesty.
• Quote:
  • “Magical fruit here. Get your magical fruit, spit out the pit, and watch a new tree grow in a flash.” – Juma, [04:25]
  • "On this island, we are honest because her royal majesty despises dishonesty. She loathes lying. She forbids any fibs." – Royal Guard, [05:43]

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3. Imani’s Adventure & Acts of Kindness

• [06:19-14:41]
• With his mother recovered, Imani embarks on his own journey, landing on a bleak island during a storm.
• Imani generously shares his food with a hungry talking bird (millet), an ant (honey), and a djinn (rice), each of whom promises to repay his kindness.
• Imani discovers the same magical fruit, but the djinn appears (via magical communication) to reveal the secret: the fruit's magic only works if accompanied by soil from its native island.
• Quotes:
  • “I'd be happy to share my millet with you, bird. And please, call me Imani.” – Imani, [09:43]
  • “I appreciate your kindness, Imani, and I promise one day I'll repay you somehow.” – Bird, [09:52]
  • “That fruit...will only grow on the soil of the island where you're standing right now. If you take the fruit with you, you must take some of the soil with you, too.” – Djinn, [14:03]

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4. Imani’s Encounter with Injustice

• [14:41-17:27]
• Arriving on the same island where his brother is imprisoned, Imani tries to sell the magical fruit, only to be confronted by the townsfolk, who mistake him for Juma.
• Imani realizes Juma’s plight and pleads with the queen, offering to demonstrate the fruit's true secret if given a chance.
• He proves the magic by planting the fruit on soil from its home island, impressing the queen, who challenges Imani to perform two more magical feats in exchange for his brother’s freedom.
• Quotes:
  • “A fib is a fib. And he told me a real whopper.” – Queen, [18:48]
  • “If you can work two more feats of magic, I will free your brother.” – Queen, [19:05]

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5. Two Impossible Tests & the Repayment of Kindness

• [19:27-24:36]
• First Challenge: Plant an enormous field with wheat overnight.
  • The bird Imani helped returns with masses of friends and together, they plant the entire field.
  • Quote:
    • “I brought along a few friends.” – Bird, [21:04]
• Second Challenge: Cut down a massive tree with one swing of a sword.
  • The ant, now with an army, hollows out the tree from within, making it possible for Imani to chop it down in one blow.
  • Quote:
    • “Here I am. And I didn't come alone.” – Ant, [23:08]
• The queen, astounded, upholds her promise and frees Juma.
• Memorable Moment:
  • The queen faints from astonishment when the hollow tree falls. [24:00]

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6. The True Magic Identified

• [24:36-25:00]
• The queen invites Imani to stay as her royal magician, but he politely declines, recognizing that his real “magic” is his generous heart.
• Quote:
  • “But Imani's magic came from something else entirely. A kind, generous heart. And he was eager to go out and share that heart with the world.” – Rebecca Sheir, [24:58]

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7. Episode’s Moral and Interactive Activity

• [25:00-25:52]
• Rebecca invites listeners to consider small acts of kindness in their everyday lives, reinforcing that generosity and kindness can be their own kind of magic.
• Quote:
  • “Think about your one good deed. Then go out and do it. And remember that little acts of kindness can do a lot.” – Rebecca Sheir, [25:31]

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8. Additional Highlights

• [25:52-27:47]

  • Credits, thanks to the voice cast, and mention of the featured instrument (Mbira).
  • Invitation to print coloring pages and participate further in the Circle Round community.

• [27:47-29:24]

  • Listener recordings of their favorite Circle Round stories—a lovely, community-driven finishing touch.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “A kind, generous heart...he was eager to go out and share that heart with the world.” – Rebecca Sheir, [24:58]
• “Always happy to help a friend in need, Imani.” – Bird, Ant, and Djinn (repeated motif)
• The queen’s repeated emphasis on honesty:
  • “Because I despise dishonesty, because I loathe lying, because I forbid any fibs...” – Queen, [16:23], [23:05]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:01 — Episode introduction and framing the theme of kindness
• 02:18 — Start of the story: Juma and Imani’s parting
• 04:25 — Juma tries to demonstrate the magic fruit in market
• 06:19 — Imani sets out on his adventure
• 09:05-12:21 — Imani helps bird, ant, and djinn
• 14:03 — The djinn reveals the secret of the magic fruit
• 17:48-18:10 — Imani proves the fruit’s magic to the queen
• 19:05 — Queen’s challenge: two more magical feats
• 21:04 — The bird orchestrates the planting of wheat field
• 23:08 — The ants help with the tree
• 24:00 — Imani fells the tree in a single blow
• 24:58 — Imani declines the queen's offer and the story’s moral is revealed
• 25:31 — The invitation to listeners for their own acts of kindness
• 27:47 — Listener shout-outs and endnotes

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Podcast’s Tone and Style

Cheerful, magical, and interactive, with a welcoming narrative style that directly involves young listeners and their grown-ups. The performances are lively and musical, with a recurring theme: kindness and its rewards.

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Takeaway Message

The greatest magic is a kind, generous heart. Acts of compassion can change the world—and sometimes, kindness is repaid in ways you’d never expect.

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Transcript

[Rebecca Scheer]

Wsbur podcasts boston. Hi, Rebecca Scheer here. We're excited to circle around with you this weekend at the Mega, Awesome, Super Huge Wicked Fun Podcast play date in Boston in person. Tickets to our April 25th show are sold out, but we invite you to join our livestream. Get your [e-mail] circleround while we gear up for the performance this week, we're bringing you an encore edition of Circle Round, a magical episode you may have missed the first time around. We'll be back with a new episode soon. Think about a time somebody showed you kindness. Maybe a family member gave you a compliment or a friend helped you solve a problem. We're about to meet a character who's all about being kind to others, and the result is truly magical. I'm Rebecca Scheer, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time. Today, our story is called the Magic to Versions of this tale originally come from East Africa. Some really great people came together to bring you our adaptation of this folktale, including Eddie Gathege, whom you grown ups may recognize from the American Western film the Harder They Fall and watch for him in the third season of the space drama for All Mankind on Apple tv. So circle around, everyone for the magic touch. There once were two brothers. Twins, actually. Their names were Juma and Imani. Juma and Imani were raised by their mother, a kind, generous woman whom her sons loved with all their heart. When the twins grew up and it was time for them to go out and make their way in the world, something unexpected happened. Mother fell ill. So ill she had to take to her bed.

[Juma]

Oh, Mother, Imani and I can't leave you like this.

[Imani]

Juma's right. We must stay here and take care of you.

[Mother]

That's very sweet, my sons, but I don't want to stop you from making your way in the world.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Mother turned to Juma.

[Mother]

Juma, you were born a handful of minutes before Amani was. So how about you go out into the world first while Amani stays home and takes care of me. Once I'm well again, he can follow you.

[Juma]

Of course, Mother. That's a fine idea.

[Rebecca Scheer]

So Juma kissed his family goodbye, then set out on a sailboat across the sea. He had been drifting on the waves for a few days when he spotted an island.

[Juma]

Oh, look at this beautiful place. I don't see any people, but get a load of those fruit trees. Their branches are dripping with bright red fruit. This could be a nice place to stop for a while.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Juma went ashore and Began picking and eating fruit.

[Juma]

This fruit is delicious. So sweet, so juicy. But, oh, there are pits inside. Definitely don't want to eat those. I'll just spit them out.

[Rebecca Scheer]

But the moment the pits hit the ground, an unbelievable sight met Juma's eyes.

[Juma]

Could it be each pit is growing into a whole new fruit tree? In the blink of an eye, it's getting taller and taller. And now it's as tall as all the other trees, and it's bursting with bright red fruit. I've never seen anything like this.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Juma grabbed some barrels from his boat and began loading them up with fruit.

[Juma]

I'm going to bring this magical fruit to another island. With the way these trees grow, I'll have an endless supply to sell.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Juma hoisted his sails and put his boat back to sea. After a few days, he came to an island that was brimming with people. He made his way to the bustling marketplace and set out his barrels of fruit.

[Juma]

Magical fruit. Here. Get your magical fruit, spit out the pit, and watch a new tree grow in a flash.

[Rebecca Scheer]

It wasn't long before a curious crowd gathered. But when Juma went to demonstrate the magical powers of his fruit, chewing a handful of them, then spitting out the pits, nothing happened.

[Juma]

So sorry, ladies and gentlemen. Perhaps the pieces of fruit weren't ripe enough. Let me try again.

[Rebecca Scheer]

So he did. He grabbed another handful of fruit and began to chew. But once more, when he spit the pits out, nothing happened.

[Royal Guard]

Ah, this guy's a phony.

[Bird]

A fake, A total fraud.

[Imani]

We knew your magical fruit was too good to be true.

[Queen]

Oh, my mother always told me if

[Rebecca Scheer]

something was too good to be true, Juma was flummoxed.

[Juma]

But, ladies and gentlemen, I assure you I am not a phony. On the island where I picked this fruit, it worked like a charm. I swear, I just spit out the pits. And right there, before my very eyes.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Before Jumo could say another word, he felt someone grab his shoulder.

[Royal Guard]

So you're the one making up stories about magical fruit, huh?

[Rebecca Scheer]

Jumo whirled his head around. Standing before him was a burly man in uniform.

[Royal Guard]

Listen, pal, I am part of the queen's royal guard, and it is my duty to tell you that on this island, we are honest. Because her royal majesty despises dishonesty. She loathes lying. She forbids any fibs.

[Juma]

But I'm not telling any fibs. And I'm not lying. I'm telling you this fru.

[Royal Guard]

Enough arguing, mister. I'm taking you to the palace dungeon and putting you behind bars. Queen's orders.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Meanwhile, back at home, Mother and Imani were completely unaware of Juma's misfortune. Instead, the pair was in high spirits because Mother had finally recovered from her illness.

[Mother]

Imani, now that I'm feeling fit as a fiddle, it's your turn to make your way in the world. Now go out there and make me proud.

[Imani]

You bet I will, Mother.

[Rebecca Scheer]

So, like his twin brother before him, Imani kissed his mother goodbye, then headed out in his boat. Little did he know that ahead of him lay some stormy seas and some unimaginable adventures. What do you think will happen to Imani? And what about his twin brother, Juma? Will he ever go free? We'll find out after a quick break.

[Narrator/Promoter]

100 years from now in a land far, far away. Hang on. It's not so far away at all, actually. Hey, Circle Round families. We're here to share a new listening experience from wbur, the Midnight Rebellion. It's a climate podcast adventure for kids 8 and up. Time traveling, problem solving, laughs in danger. It's here. Follow the feed to listen. Oh, and bring your goggles and boots. That's the Midnight Rebellion in your feed or wherever you get podcasts.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Scheer. Today our story is called the Magic Touch. Before the break, twin brothers Juma and Imani set off to make their way in the world. Duma went first and wound up in jail, but Imani didn't know that. So when it was his turn to leave home and go traveling, he was in high spirits as he hopped into his boat and took to the sea. Unfortunately, the sea was not kind to Imani. The clouds rolled in, the wind picked up, and sheets of rain surged down from the sky. After being tossed for days across the choppy, foam topped waves, Imani ran aground on a cold, rocky island.

[Imani]

Look at this place. So bleak and dreary. I definitely don't want to stay long, but the sea is too rough to head out again. I'll wait for the skies to clear and have a snack. All that sailing has me famished.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani plopped down on a rock and reached into his bag for a pot of cooked millet. But just as he was spooning the grain into his mouth.

[Bird]

Excuse me, sir. Any chance you could share some of that?

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani looked up. Perched on a cliff above him was a black and white bird. Its body was scrawny and its feathers were rough and matted.

[Imani]

Was that you talking just now, bird? What did those crazy waves toss my boat and my brains?

[Bird]

Oh, it was me. All right. And I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but the storm stranded me on this desolate island, and I haven't eaten in days.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The bird fluttered down and perched on Imani's shoulder. Imani gave the scraggly creature a pat.

[Imani]

I'd be happy to share my millet with you, bird. And please, call me Imani.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The ravenous bird stuck its beak into the pot and gobbled up all the millet.

[Bird]

Wow. That hit the spot. But I appreciate your kindness, Imani, and I promise one day I'll repay you somehow.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Then the bird spread its wings and took off across the island. Imani felt his stomach growl. He was still hungry, so he reached into his bag and fished out a small jar of honey. But just as he was about to suck down a spoonful.

[Ant]

Pardon me, sir. Any chance you could share some of that?

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani looked down. There on the ground was an ant. Its little black body was all shriveled, and it seemed to be walking with a limp.

[Imani]

Was that you talking just now, ant, or am I hearing things?

[Ant]

Oh, it was me, all right. And I'm so sorry to interrupt, sir, but I'm downright famished. This island is so rocky and barren, and I've had a devil of a time finding anything to eat.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The ant wiggled its antennae. Imani knelt down and gave the creature a smile.

[Imani]

I'd be happy to share my honey with you, ant. And please, call me Imani.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani drizzled all of his honey on the ground, and the ant went to work lapping up the sticky, sweet stuff.

[Ant]

That was just what I needed. I appreciate your kindness, Imani, and I promise one day I'll repay you somehow.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Then the ant scurried away. Imani rummaged through his bag and found a cup of rice. But just as he was about to stick a fistful into his mouth.

[Djinn]

I beg your pardon, sir. Any chance you could share some of that?

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani looked up. Floating in the air before him was a djinn. His mother had told many tales about these supernatural spirits, but this was the first time Imani had actually seen one.

[Imani]

Whoa. Was that you talking just now, Jin, or am I so hungry I'm hallucinating?

[Djinn]

Yep, it was me. I hope I didn't freak you out, sir, but evil spirits have banished me to this island, and it's an absolute wasteland. I've been without food for days.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani gave the djinn a sympathetic nod.

[Imani]

I'd be happy to share my rice with you, Jin. And please, call me Imani.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The djinn took hold of the rice and poured every single grain down its gullet. Yum.

[Djinn]

That was perfect. I appreciate your kindness, Imani. And I promise one day I'll repay you somehow.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Then the djinn disappeared with a poof.

[Imani]

Well, that was crazy. I met a talking bird, an ant. I even met a djinn. But I'm so hungry, I could pass out. And it's obvious I won't find any food in this dismal place. Now that the skies have cleared, I'll get back in my boat and move on.

[Rebecca Scheer]

So Amani hoisted his sails and took off across the calm, peaceful water. Before long, he caught sight of another island. And to his delight, it was covered with fruit trees. Now, as you might guess, this was the exact same island that his brother Juma had found. But Amani didn't know that. So he docked his boat, sprinted to the fruit trees, and stuffed handfuls of the bright red fruit into his mouth.

[Imani]

This fruit is delectable. But wait. It has pits inside. Better spit them out.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Of course, the moment Imani spit out the pits and the pits hit the ground, you know what happened, right? Would you look at that? They instantly blossomed into new trees. My goodness.

[Imani]

Not only is this fruit delicious, juicy and sweet, but it's magic. I'll bring a bunch of this with me to my next destination. I bet it can come in very handy.

[Rebecca Scheer]

But just as Imani went to fetch some barrels from his boat.

[Djinn]

Imani, wait.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani flicked his head around. He couldn't see anyone, but he could have sworn he heard the Djinn, the supernatural spirit with whom he'd shared his rice on the desolate, barren island.

[Imani]

Djinn? Is that you? Are you here?

[Djinn]

Not exactly. I'm still stuck on that bleak, forlorn island. But I've used my powers to watch over you ever since you left. And since I promised I'd repay you for your kindness, I. I must tell you, that fruit you're picking, it won't grow just anywhere.

[Imani]

It won't.

[Djinn]

It will only grow on the soil of the island where you're standing right now. If you take the fruit with you, you must take some of the soil with you, too. Only then will the fruit work its magic and grow before your very eyes.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani felt his heart overflow, flow with gratitude.

[Imani]

Thank you, Jin. Thank you so much.

[Djinn]

Always happy to help a friend in need. Imani.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani smiled to himself as he filled his barrels with fruit and soil. Then he got back in his boat and sailed off. He soon arrived at another island. And as fate would have It. It was the same island where his twin brother was imprisoned. But again, Imani didn't know that. So he snatched up his barrels and hustled over to the marketplace.

[Imani]

Magical fruit here. Get your magical fruit, spit out the pit, and watch a new tree grow in the blink of an eye.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani expected a crowd to gather round, eager to catch sight of his marvelous, mystical fruit. But instead. Magical fruit, you say?

[Queen]

You're seriously gonna play that trick again?

[Bird]

Last time you pulled that stick, you wound up in the queen's dungeon.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Given how much she despises dishonesty and

[Imani]

loathes lying, I can hardly believe she let you out.

[Rebecca Scheer]

At first, Imani was utterly confused.

[Imani]

Wait. What are you talking about? I have never been to this island before. You must be talking about somebody who looks just like me. Someone? Oh.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Suddenly, Emani understood. They must be referring to his twin brother. In which case, Juma was locked in the queen's dungeon. Imani rushed to the palace and demanded to speak with the queen. But when the queen caught sight of Imani, her royal face broke into a scowl. You again.

[Queen]

Need I remind you that because I despise dishonesty, because I loathe lying, because I forbid any fibs, I threw you into the dungeon. How in the world did you break out?

[Imani]

But that wasn't me, you, Majesty. It was my twin brother, and he didn't mean to deceive you. Those fruits he brought to the island, he couldn't get them to grow because he didn't know their secret. But I do. Please, your Highness, give me a chance to prove myself. First thing tomorrow, come to the palace garden. I will show you this miraculous fruit.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The queen gave Imani a very long, very stern look.

[Queen]

All right, fine. Tomorrow morning, you may show me this so called miracle. But remember, if you fail, you will be cast into the dungeon with your treacherous twin, and the two of you will live out your dishonest days behind bars.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The next morning, Imani woke before sunrise, hurried to the palace garden, and sprinkled the magic soil upon the ground. By the time the queen arrived. Imani. Imani had covered the entire garden with a thin layer of the enchanted earth.

[Queen]

Well, young man, I don't have all day. Show me this supposed magic of yours.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani grabbed a piece of fruit and popped it into his mouth. He began to chew and chew, and then he spat the pit onto the ground right on top of the magic soil. And just like that, a whole new tree began to grow, springing from the earth. In the blink of an eye. The queen was Gobsmacked.

[Queen]

That was phenomenal. Extraordinary. I must try it for myself.

[Rebecca Scheer]

She reached into Amani's barrel of fruit and popped a handful into her mouth. Then she began spitting and spitting until, much to her delight, the royal garden was filled with magical fruit trees.

[Queen]

This fruit of yours is utterly spectacular, young man.

[Imani]

Thank you, your majesty. Now that you know I was telling the truth, will you please free my brother from his cell?

[Rebecca Scheer]

The queen gaped at Imani as if he had three heads.

[Queen]

Free your brother. No, I will not free your brother. A fib is a fib. And he told me. A real whopper.

[Imani]

But your highness, I assure you my brother did not know it was a fib. He just didn't know the secret. Only I know the secret.

[Queen]

Young man, you appear to be some sort of magician, and that intrigues me. So I tell you what. If you can work two more feats of magic, I will free your brother.

[Rebecca Scheer]

At the thought of his brother going free, Imani's heart leapt. But at the thought of having to perform two more magic tricks, his heart fell.

[Imani]

Um, your majesty, with all due respect, is there any way you can just let my brother go without me having to?

[Djinn]

Absolutely not.

[Queen]

You must work more magic, or your brother will never see the light of day. Here is the first thing I want you to do.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The queen pointed a bejeweled finger.

[Queen]

Do you see that field over there?

[Imani]

You mean that huge field that stretches on for miles and miles?

[Queen]

That's the one. I want you to plant it not with that fruit of yours, but with wheat. All the wheat in the royal storehouse. The entire field must be planted by tomorrow morning. Now get to it.

[Rebecca Scheer]

As the queen marched away, Imani felt a pit form in his stomach. How could he possibly do as the queen asked? He spent the rest of the day trying to formulate a plan. But by nightfall, he hadn't come up with a single idea.

[Imani]

Oh, man. That field is bigger than my hometown. How in the world will I single handedly plant it with wheat?

[Bird]

That's easy. You won't.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani glanced up. And do you know who he saw?

[Imani]

Bird.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The same bird with whom he had shared his millet on the desolate island.

[Bird]

I told you I'd find a way to repay you, Imani. So here I am. Or rather, here we are. I brought along a few friends.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani heard a great whoosh of wings. And suddenly the night sky filled with black and white birds. So many birds, they blocked out the moon and stars. The birds swooped into the royal storehouse, scooped up grains of Wheat in their beaks, then went about planting the field, dropping the wheat on the earth and using their wings to smooth the soil. By morning, the job was done, and Imani was overcome with gratitude.

[Imani]

Thank you, bird. Thank you so much.

[Bird]

Always happy to help a friend in need. Imani.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The black and white bird took off into the air, followed by its flock of friends. Once the last feathered creature was out of sight, the queen came riding over on horseback. She galloped up and down the field, her gleaming eyes fixed on the ground.

[Queen]

Well, young man, seems you managed to plant my entire field by morning.

[Imani]

I did, your highness. Though if you must know, I actually had a little bit of.

[Queen]

I don't care what you had. You passed my test. That's all that matters. But you still have one more trick to perform.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Hmm.

[Queen]

Do you see that tree over there?

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani peered into the distance.

[Imani]

You mean that tall one with a trunk as wide and broad as a house?

[Queen]

That's the one. I want you to cut through that tree with one stroke of a sword. Just one. If you succeed, I will free your brother.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Then the queen turned around and galloped away. Imani spent the rest of the day racking his brain, trying to figure out how he could possibly cut down such a massive tree with just one stroke of a sword.

[Imani]

Oh, boy. I am in real trouble now. There is no way one hack can knock that tree down.

[Ant]

I wouldn't be so sure of that.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani glanced down and do you know who he saw?

[Bird]

Ant.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The same ant with whom he'd shared his honey on the rocky island.

[Ant]

I told you I'd find a way to repay you, Imani. So here I am. And I didn't come alone.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani heard a rustling, tapping, skittering sound, and suddenly the ground was swarming with ants. The army of ants marched over to the tree and scuttled up its trunk. They chewed a hole, burrowed inside, then began eating their way through the trunk's wood. By morning, the bark of the trunk still stood in place, but the inside of the trunk was all hollowed out. Imani felt a rush of gratitude.

[Imani]

Thank you, aunt. Thank you so much.

[Ant]

Always happy to help a friend in need. Imani.

[Rebecca Scheer]

As the ants marched up and over the hill, the queen came riding over. She hopped off her horse and handed Imani a steel sword.

[Queen]

All right, magician. Let's see what you can do.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Imani took the sword, lifted it high in the air, then brought it down across the tree's trunk. Because the inside was hollow, the enormous tree immediately toppled over. And guess what? So did the queen. She was so astounded by what Imani did that she fainted to the ground. When she finally came to, she knew she had no choice but to make good on her promise and set Juma free. She was a staunch supporter of honesty, after all. But before the twin brothers could set sail and leave leave her island.

[Queen]

Imani, wait. Oh, I wonder, will you stay here and join my court as the new royal magician? You can cast your spells all over the palace, all over the kingdom, even now.

[Rebecca Scheer]

If you were Imani, what would you say? Yes or no? Well, Imani answered without hesitation. And he said no because he knew the queen wanted a magician whose magic comes from a wand or a hat or a big book of wizardly spells. But Amani's magic came from something else entirely. A kind, generous heart. And he was eager to go out and share that heart with the the world. Now it's your turn. What's one good deed you can do this week? Maybe you can donate extra toys to a charity, pick up trash or recycling you find in a park, or write a thank you note to someone who's always there for you. Whether it's a librarian, a postal worker, a bus driver or family member. Think about your one good deed. Then go out and do it. And remember that little acts of kindness can do a lot. This week's story, the Magic Touch, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear. It was edited by Circle Rounds supervising producer Anne Marie Sivertson. Our original music and sound design is by Eric Shyamalonis. Our artist is Sabina Hahn. Sabina has drawn a black and white picture for every Circle Round story and you can color them in Grown Ups. You can print out more than 150 coloring pages on our website, WBUR.org CircleRound Special thanks to this week's actors, Theodore Chin, Thais Harris, Anthony Palmini, Erica Rose, Nick Sholly, Mike Smith, Alexia Trainor, Dawn Ursula and Eddie Gathegi. Grown Ups Check out Eddie Gathegi in the American Western film the Harder They Fall and watch for him in the third season of the space drama For All Mankind on Apple tv. Our featured instrument this week was the Mbira. You can learn more about this percussive instrument from Africa and see a photo of Eric Shyamalonis playing it on our website. Again, that's WBUR.org CircleRound Love the stories you hear on Circle Round. Please help us spread the word, give us a five star review on your favorite podcast app and tell your friends to follow us wherever they get their podcasts. Circle Round is a production of wburg, Boston's NPR News station. I'm Rebecca Scheer. Thanks for circling around with us. Now that you've made it to the end of this circle Round episode, we want to know what's your favorite circle round story? Thousands of fans just like you have been telling us about the circle round stories they like best. Take a listen. Maybe one of their favorites is one of your yours too.

[Listener Brian]

I'm Brian. I come from China. This year. My favorite circle round story is the Crystal Story Box. My favorite part is when Anansi tripped Paisan and brought Paisan to the sky.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Queen.

[Listener Brian]

I love you. Rebecca Shear. Hi. My name is Ellie Davis and I live in Seattle, Washington. And my favorite story is the three like a My favorite favorite star is when Felix goes. Ah, what are you doing? You know I can go to the North Pole, right? My name's Evelyn, I live in Belgrade, Maine. And my favorite store is the Lone Dragon because I like to park when I cross. My name is Ru and I'm from Falmouth, Massachusetts. And my favorite circle round story is the Stone Horse. And I like the part when the horse comes to life. My name is Henry and I live in Oregon. And my favorite circle round is the Basil Stand. My favorite part is when he talks about the treasure. My name is Otto. I live in Albany, Oregon. And my favorite circle round story is the Palace's Cat by Rebecca Shear. We love you. Thank you so much. My name is Icy and I am from Candia, New Hampshire. And my favorite circle round story is Rhyming Rhynmo. My favorite part is when Rhino rhymes about being hungry. I love your stories. Rebecca's here. Bye.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Did someone mention a story you've missed? Not to worry, grown ups. You can find all of our circle round stories plus links to the Circle Round Club, picture books, coloring pages, and oh so much more on our website, WBUR.org CircleRound.