Podcast Summary: Circle Round – "A Sticky Situation" (Ep. 306)

Podcast: Circle Round
Host: Rebecca Scheer (WBUR)
Episode Title: A Sticky Situation
Date: November 25, 2025
Episode Length: ~21 min

Main Theme

This episode, performed live at the Dale F. Halton Theater in Charlotte, NC, features the folktale "A Sticky Situation," inspired by Japanese stories. The narrative explores themes of kindness, respecting nature, greed, and poetic justice, cleverly intertwined with playful and musical storytelling for young audiences.

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. Introduction to Poetic Justice (00:10–01:30)

• Rebecca Scheer introduces the concept of poetic justice: “Poetic justice is when at the end of a story, goodness gets rewarded and misdeeds get punished, often in a very fitting way...”
• Sets up audience expectations, noting that this story’s main character receives poetic justice from none other than a poet.

2. Meet the Characters: Rao & Wren (02:21–03:41)

• Rao: Humble villager, earns a living by gathering dead branches as firewood, emphasizing respect for living trees.
• Wren: New neighbor, focused on profit, chops living pine branches for the market with little concern for the trees.
  • Memorable exchange:
    • Wren (03:20): “How else would I chop it? With my pinky finger?”
    • Rao (03:23): “But the pine trees on this mountain are alive, just like you and me. Why would you chop off their limbs?”

3. The Crying, Rhyming Pine Tree (04:27–06:20)

• Rao encounters a majestic pine tree crying from wounds where branches were cut—branches Wren had taken.
• The pine tree speaks in rhyme, sharing her sorrow:
  • Pine Tree (05:10): “Yes, trees can cry. If, like me, they’re cursed. I’m doomed and done for unless my fate is reversed.”

4. Rao’s Act of Kindness (06:45–07:10)

• Rao tears his own clothes to create makeshift bandages for the tree, tenderly tending to its sappy wounds.
  • Rao (07:02): “I’m so sorry this happened, pine tree, but I think the bandages are sealing the wounds. Do you feel any better?”

5. A Magical Reward (08:50–10:19)

• The pine tree, in gratitude, showers Rao with silver coins.
  • Pine Tree (10:09): “The coins are yours. Oh yes indeed. For helping out a tree in need.”

6. Wren’s Envy and Greed (10:46–12:27)

• Wren, seeing Rao’s newfound wealth, queries where Rao got it. Rao honestly explains the pine tree rewarded him.
  • Wren (11:26): “A pine tree gave you money? You have got to be joking. You know the old saying, right? Money doesn’t grow on trees.”
  • Rao (11:34): “Yes, I know the old saying. But a pine tree did give me this money. Every single coin.”

7. Wren’s Foolish Attempt (12:56–14:09)

• Blinded by greed, Wren rushes to the same tree, demanding a reward.
• The pine tree responds with poetic justice: instead of coins, Wren receives a sticky, sappy flood.
  • Pine Tree (13:16): “You’re the man I met today. The one who took my branches away. Sticky, sticky is my blood. So give me a pat and get a flood.”
  • Wren (13:47): “…Now bring it on, tree. Have at it. Unleash that flood.”
  • Pine Tree (14:16): “It was a flood you wanted so. A flood you shall know as I drip and dribble, gush and flow.”

8. Sticky Consequences and Lesson Learned (15:06–16:00)

• Wren becomes stuck in the pine sap overnight, finally escaping with a resolve to never chop living wood again.
  • Wren (15:43): “I will never chop wood from a living tree again. I’ll only gather fallen wood, just like Rao. My neighbor’s tender heart may be sappy, but better a sappy heart than a sappy head and face and body.”

9. Interactive Activity & Story Reflection (16:00–17:00)

• Rebecca invites listeners to try writing their own four-line poem about any topic, using the story’s ABAB rhyme scheme.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Pine Tree’s Lament (05:10):
  • “Yes, trees can cry. If, like me, they’re cursed. I’m doomed and done for unless my fate is reversed.” — Pine Tree
• Wren Mocks Rao (11:26):
  • “A pine tree gave you money? You have got to be joking. You know the old saying, right? Money doesn’t grow on trees.” — Wren
• Poetic Justice Delivered (14:16):
  • “It was a flood you wanted so. A flood you shall know as I drip and dribble, gush and flow.” — Pine Tree
• Resolution (15:43):
  • “Better a sappy heart than a sappy head and face and body.” — Wren

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | | ----------- | -------------------------------------- | | 00:10 | Introduction, theme of poetic justice | | 02:21 | Introduction to Rao and Wren | | 04:27 | Rao finds the crying pine tree | | 05:10 | Pine tree speaks in rhyme | | 06:45 | Rao bandages the tree with his shirt | | 10:09 | Pine tree rewards Rao with coins | | 11:26 | Wren’s disbelief and questioning | | 12:56 | Wren runs to seek his own reward | | 13:16 | Pine tree sets up Wren’s poetic justice| | 14:16 | Flood of sticky sap for Wren | | 15:43 | Wren’s promise to change his ways | | 16:00 | Invitation: write a poem with ABAB rhyme|

Tone & Language

The language is playful, gentle, and rhyming, well-suited to young listeners but layered with lessons for all ages. The tone is warm and engaging, encouraging both reflection and creativity.

Conclusion & Activity

The episode concludes with a creative invitation for listeners to write their own poem, connecting storytelling to personal expression and deepening the episode's central lessons on kindness and accountability.

Activity Prompt (16:00):
“Pick a topic, then write a short poem about it. Just four lines. If you’d like, you can use our pine tree’s rhyming scheme of ABAB… Once you’re done, share your poem with someone you love. Then share it with us…”

Additional Notes

• Episode performed live, featuring various actors and live music accompaniment for a rich, theatrical experience.
• Encourages family conversation, creativity, and positive environmental values.
• Listeners’ favorite stories are featured at the end, with audience participation highlighting Circle Round’s community focus.