Encore: The Most Fabulous Fur of All

Summary

Summary of "Encore: The Most Fabulous Fur of All" - Circle Round Podcast

Episode Release Date: December 3, 2024

Host: Rebecca Shear

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Introduction

In the "Encore" edition of the Circle Round podcast titled "The Most Fabulous Fur of All," host Rebecca Shear brings to life a captivating Cherokee folktale that delves into themes of jealousy, honesty, and the repercussions of deceit. This episode, enriched with engaging soundscapes and a star-studded cast including Korianka Kilcher, offers listeners of all ages a meaningful narrative accompanied by thoughtful reflections.

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Plot Overview

The Contest of Fabulous Fur

The story begins in a time when the world was newly formed, and the Great Spirit had just created various birds and animals, each adorned with unique feathers and fur. However, harmony is short-lived as the animals start bickering over who possesses the most fabulous fur.

• Bear (03:30): "My fur is so glossy, so shiny you can practically see your reflection in it."

• Mink (03:37): "My fur is softer than snow. Or a cloud. Or a snow cloud."

• Skunk (03:49): "Gorgeous all over me, that's what."

• Rabbit (04:07): "The most fabulous fur, the most pleasing pelt, the most comely coat is undoubtedly, indubitably, unmistakably me."

To resolve the dispute, Bear proposes a contest judged by the birds, setting the stage for the central conflict.

Rabbit's Envy and Scheme

Upon hearing about a new animal named Otter, rumored to have an exceptionally majestic coat, Rabbit becomes envious and devises a plan to ensure her victory in the contest.

• Rabbit (05:56): "I say we bring Otter down from the top of the mountain and we hold a contest. Yeah, a contest. A grand competition to see who has the most famous fabulous fur so we can settle this matter once and for all."

Determined to outshine Otter, Rabbit plans to steal his coat, believing it will guarantee her the title of having the most fabulous fur.

The Encounter with Otter

Rabbit travels to Otter's mountainous abode, eager to execute her plan. Upon meeting, she invites Otter to participate in the contest under the guise of camaraderie.

• Otter (10:04): "I'd sure love to make some new friends. It gets awfully lonely on top of this mountain. Count me in."

Unbeknownst to Otter, Rabbit intends to deceive him to acquire his illustrious coat.

The Deceptive Rescue

As Rabbit and Otter journey down the mountain, Rabbit fabricates a legend about fiery rain threatening their safety, urging Otter to remove and hide his coat.

• Rabbit (14:16): "You should take off that magnificent fur coat of yours. Hide it somewhere safe. You wouldn't want the falling fire to burn a hole through."

• Otter (14:36): "Fire falls like rain. How do we protect ourselves from this fiery rain?"

Panicked, Otter complies, inadvertently falling into Rabbit's trap. That night, Rabbit ignites embers to simulate the fiery rain, causing Otter to flee into the river, giving Rabbit the opportunity to steal his coat.

The Unveiling at the Contest

Donning Otter's coat, Rabbit presents herself at the contest, impressing the other animals with the stolen fur.

• Rabbit (17:46): "Hello, everybody. I'm Otter. I heard you were holding a contest to decide who has the most fabulous fur of all."

However, Rabbit's deception unravels when her own ears emerge from under the coat.

• Rabbit (19:29): "Uh oh."

Realizing her scheme has been exposed, Rabbit flees, leaving behind Otter's coat. The other animals, having witnessed the deceit, retrieve and return the coat to Otter.

• Otter (20:50): "I thought I'd never see my coat again. Thank you, friends."

Resolution and Lessons Learned

The animals conclude that Otter rightfully deserves the title of possessing the most fabulous fur. Moreover, Otter discovers a newfound love for water, leading all otters to make their homes in aquatic environments, while rabbits are reminded of the consequences of dishonesty.

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Key Themes and Insights

1. Jealousy and Its Consequences: Rabbit's envy drives her to deceit, highlighting how negative emotions can lead to harmful actions.

2. Honesty and Integrity: The story emphasizes the importance of honesty, as Rabbit's dishonesty ultimately leads to her downfall.

3. Self-Acceptance: Otter's contentment with his own fur teaches listeners to appreciate their unique qualities.

4. Community and Friendship: Despite Rabbit's betrayal, the other animals rally to support Otter, showcasing the strength of community bonds.

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Notable Quotes

• Bear on the Contest (06:32): "A contest is a fine idea, Rabbit."

• Rabbit's Strategy (07:29): "All I have to do is steal Otter's coat."

• Otter's Enthusiasm (10:04): "I'd sure love to make some new friends. It gets awfully lonely on top of this mountain. Count me in."

• Rabbit's Deception (14:16): "You should take off that magnificent fur coat of yours. Hide it somewhere safe."

• Revealing the Truth (19:35):

  • Skunk: "Rabbit, Is that you?"

  • Rabbit: "What happened to Otter?"

• Otter's Gratitude (20:50): "I thought I'd never see my coat again. Thank you, friends."

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Conclusion and Activity

At the episode's end, Rebecca Shear encourages listeners to reflect on the moral of the story:

"Honesty isn't always easy, but it can make you braver and make the world better."

Activity Prompt:

• Reflection Exercise: Think about a time when you told the truth, even when it was difficult. Share this story with a friend or family member and listen to their experience with honesty.

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Production Credits

• Adapted by: Rebecca Shear
• Edited by: Nora Sachs
• Music and Sound Design: Eric Shimalonis
• Artist: Sabina Hahn
• Featured Actor: Korianka Kilcher

For coloring pages and more, visit WBUR.org/CircleRound.

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"The Most Fabulous Fur of All" serves as a delightful and instructive narrative that not only entertains but also imparts essential life lessons, making it a valuable addition to the Circle Round collection for listeners of all ages.

Transcript

[Rebecca Shear]

Support for the Circle Round podcast comes from Indeed. Are you hiring with Indeed? Your search is over. Indeed doesn't just help you hire faster. 93% of employers agree that Indeed delivers the highest quality matches compared to other job sites and listeners get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at Indeed.com CircleRound that's Indeed.com CircleRound terms and conditions apply. Need to hire? You need Indeed. Hi, Rebecca Shear here with some really Fun News. On February 8th, Circle Round LIVE is coming to Symphony hall in Boston and you're invited join us for a live recording of two new episodes featuring me, composer Eric Shyamalonis, plus Boston Symphony Orchestra players and a star studded cast. Get your Tickets [e-mail] CircleRound.

[Otter]

WBUR podcasts.

[Rebecca Shear]

Boston hi Rebecca Scheer here. This week the Circle Round team is gearing up for our first live show in New York City. So we're bringing you a special encore edition of Circle Round, a really fun episode you may have missed the first time around. We're planning a bunch of live shows in Boston, Massachusetts, Massachusetts for the next year and you can be first in line for tickets by joining the Circle Round Club. As a member. You'll get early ticket access, bonus bedtime stories, ad free episodes and more. Memberships make great holiday gifts, so sign up [e-mail] CircleRoundClub and now, on with the story. Have you ever felt jealous? Maybe you looked around and thought, oh, if only I could have that kid's cool shoes. Or I wish I could do math problems as fast as my friend does. It's natural to feel jealous sometimes. But we're about to meet a character who feels so jealous she cooks up a hare brained scheme to get what she wants. I'm Rebecca Shear and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time. Today our story is called the Most Fabulous Fir of All. It was inspired by tales told among the Cherokee indigenous peoples from the southeastern United States. Some really great people came together to bring you our story, including Korianka Kilcher, whom you grown ups might recognize from Yellowstone and you kids might recognize from Dora and the Lost City of Gold. So circle around everyone for the Most Fabulous fir of all. In times long past when the world was new, the Great Spirit created the birds and the animals. The Great Spirit gave all the birds different feathers and all the animals different fur. But it wasn't long before the animals began to bicker about which one of them had the best fur of all. Among Those quarreling critters was Bear.

[Bear]

My fur is so glossy, so shiny you can practically see your reflection in it.

[Rebecca Shear]

And Mink. Well, my fur is softer than snow. Or a cloud. Or a snow cloud. And Skunk, what's black and white and.

[Rabbit]

Gorgeous all over me, that's what.

[Rebecca Shear]

And, Rabbit, My body's velvety.

[Rabbit]

My ears are satiny. And look at my tail. It's as fluffy as a cloud. Long as a summer's day too.

[Rebecca Shear]

Indeed. Unlike the rabbits you see nowadays with those little puffballs on their backside. Back when the world was new, Rabbit's tail was long and fleecy.

[Rabbit]

It's obvious, folks. The one with the most fabulous fur, the most pleasing pelt, the most comely coat is undoubtedly, indubitably, unmistakably me.

[Rebecca Shear]

The animals kept quibbling and squabbling until one day, Bear made an announcement.

[Bear]

Listen up, folks. I've just heard that the Great Spirit has created a whole new animal. And word has it that his coat is more majestic than anything we've ever seen.

[Rebecca Shear]

What's this new animal's name?

[Rabbit]

Bear.

[Bear]

His name is Otter.

[Rabbit]

And where does he live?

[Bear]

He lives way on top of the tallest mountain.

[Rebecca Shear]

Okay, I know what you may be thinking. Otters don't live way up on mountaintops. They live in streams and rivers, lakes and ponds, seas and oceans. And it's true. These days, otters dwell in the water. But back when our story takes place. Otter made his home on land, high atop a mountain. And rumor had it that his coat was fabulous.

[Bear]

From what I've heard, folks, Otter's coat is the thickest and the softest.

[Rabbit]

The thickest and the softest.

[Rebecca Shear]

Mink and Skunk were instantly impressed. Rabbit was instantly envious. Though she tried not to show it.

[Rabbit]

Okay, so, yeah, Otter's coat sounds unbelievable. So unbelievable that I won't believe it until I see it for myself. I say we bring Otter down from the top of the mountain and we hold a contest. Yeah, a contest. A grand competition to see who has the most famous fabulous fur so we can settle this matter once and for all.

[Rebecca Shear]

The other animals pondered Rabbit's proposal. And then.

[Bear]

A contest is a fine idea, Rabbit.

[Rebecca Shear]

Yes, the birds can be the judges.

[Rabbit]

After all, they have feathers, not fur. Terrific. That settles it, then. We'll hold a contest in the clearing in the middle of the forest. I will personally go to the top of the mountain to fetch Otter. With these swift, nimble legs of mine, I can make it up there in a matter of days. I'll be back by the end of the week.

[Rebecca Shear]

Before we go on, something you should know about Rabbit. It wasn't just her legs that were swift and nimble. Her mind was, too. And she loved using that swift and nimble mind to play tricks and get exactly what she wanted. So as the cunning creature set off to find Otter. She had already cooked up a plan for how she would win the contest.

[Rabbit]

It's simple. All I have to do is steal Otter's coat.

[Rebecca Shear]

Yep, you heard that right. Steal Otter's coat. Because back when our story takes place, the animals could remove their fur. Just like you and I would take off a jacket or a sweater or. Yes, a coat.

[Rabbit]

All I have to do is find Otter, trick him into taking off his coat. Then I'll run away with it and wear it to the contest. If Otter's coat is anything like they say it is, I'm destined to win.

[Rebecca Shear]

So Rabbit bounded off to Otter's Mountain. Once she got there, she scuttled up treacherous trails.

[Rabbit]

Watch out.

[Rebecca Shear]

She crept along craggy cliffs. She bounded across broad bluffs. And when she finally reached the top.

[Otter]

Welcome.

[Rebecca Shear]

She heard a friendly voice.

[Otter]

I never get visitors at the top of this mountain. I'm so happy to see you.

[Rebecca Shear]

Rabbit's eyes fell upon a stocky creature with short legs and long whiskers. His dark brown fur dazzled in the sun.

[Rabbit]

Otter? Is that you?

[Rebecca Shear]

The stocky critter smiled.

[Otter]

That's right. I am Otter, at your service. And who might you be?

[Rabbit]

Me?

[Rebecca Shear]

Rabbit felt a stab of envy as she eyed Otter's spectacular coat.

[Rabbit]

I'm Rabbit. I'm like a total around these parts. On account of my long, fluffy tail. No big deal.

[Otter]

Well, it's nice to meet you, Rabbit. And look.

[Rebecca Shear]

Otter stuck out his backside.

[Otter]

I have a tail, too. Of course, it's much longer than yours and much furrier, but honestly, it isn't like we're in a contest or anything.

[Rabbit]

Actually, Otter.

[Rebecca Shear]

Rabbit smiled her sweetest smile.

[Rabbit]

We are in a contest. Or at least we will be. The other animals and I are trying to decide who has the most fabulous fur of all. And that's why I'm here. We'd be honored for you to participate.

[Rebecca Shear]

Otter's face lit up.

[Otter]

Wow. I appreciate the invitation, Rabbit. Truth be told, I don't really see the need for a contest. But I'd sure love to make some new friends. It gets awfully lonely on top of this mountain. Count me in.

[Rebecca Shear]

So Otter began following Rabbit down the mountainside. Little did he know. But he was also following her directly into a trail wrap. What do you think, Will Rabbit's scheme work out? We'll find out after a quick break. Circle Round superfans have been raving about the Circle Round Club, an exciting way to support our public radio podcast and get ad free episodes, exclusive swag, early access to events and bonus bedtime stories. Check out this rave review.

[Skunk]

One thing I like about Circle Round Club is all the bedtime stories. It's really fun and they're almost like a mini sort of Circle Round story, except they're much shorter.

[Rebecca Shear]

Grown ups. Get your Circle Round superfans signed up [e-mail] CircleRoundClub. I'm Rebecca Shear. Welcome back to Circle Round Today. Our story is called the Most Fabulous Fur of All. Before the break, the animals were planning a contest to decide who had the most fabulous fur of all. Rabbit went up the mountain to fet Otter so that he could participate too. Little did Otter know, but clever, crafty Rabbit was cooking up a scheme to steal his thick, soft coat and wear it to the contest. As Otter followed Rabbit down the mountain, he noticed that she began loading pieces of wood and bark onto her back.

[Otter]

Um, Rabbit, may I ask why you're collecting all that wooden bark?

[Rabbit]

For kindling, Otter to build a campfire. The sun's going down, so we'll have to spend the night on the mountainside. Wherever we set up camp, we'll want a fire to keep us warm and cozy, right?

[Otter]

Well, actually, Rabbit, my fur is so thick that I never get cold. But a fire would be nice for providing some light. And I've always been a bit scared of the dark. I'll help you gather kindling.

[Rebecca Shear]

Rabbit's heart burned with jealousy. Of course, Otter never got cold in his magnificent coat. But no matter if everything went according to plan, that magnificent coat would soon be hers. Rabbit and Otter kept walking until they reached a river. Tiny silver fish swam about in the swift.

[Otter]

Wow. Rabbit Living way on top of the mountain. I've never seen anything like this. What do you call this long, winding body of water?

[Rabbit]

It's a river otter. And I'm glad we found it, because all this water sure could come in handy tonight.

[Otter]

You mean for drinking?

[Rabbit]

Well, yes, but also for keeping us safe.

[Otter]

Keeping us safe? What do you mean?

[Rebecca Shear]

Well, Rabbit smiled to herself. If Otter fell for the story she was about to tell, she would be home free.

[Rabbit]

You see, this part of the mountain is a magical place. If you spend the night here, legend has it that good luck will come your way. But danger may come your way, too.

[Otter]

Danger?

[Rabbit]

Yes, danger. Legend has it that in this very spot. Fire sometimes falls from the sky, just like rain.

[Rebecca Shear]

Otter began to tremble.

[Otter]

Fire falls like rain. How do we protect ourselves from this fiery rain?

[Rabbit]

Well, for starters, you should take off that magnificent fur coat of yours. Hide it somewhere safe. You wouldn't want the falling fire to burn a hole through.

[Otter]

Oh, of course. Will you take your coat off, too?

[Rabbit]

Nah. With these swift, nimble legs of mine, I can hop right to safety. But rabbits are faster than otters. So how about tucking your coat beneath that big rock over there?

[Otter]

Okay.

[Rebecca Shear]

Otter wiggled out of his coat and tucked it beneath the rock.

[Otter]

There. All safe.

[Rabbit]

Great. Now we'll build a campfire, Then we'll get some rest. We have a lot of traveling to do before the big contest. So.

[Rebecca Shear]

Rabbit and Otter made a fire, then huddled up together on the riverbank. Otter immediately Drift. Rabbit, on the other hand, stayed wide awake. She gazed at the campfire as the flames leaped and danced. Eventually, they died down, leaving behind a glowing, burning pile of red hot embers. As Otter continued to snooze away, Rabbit tiptoed to a nearby tree. She broke off a branch, then carried it over to the fire.

[Rabbit]

Here goes nothing.

[Rebecca Shear]

Rabbit stuck one end of the branch into the embers until it began to burn like a torch. Then she hoisted the torch up toward the sky and started waving it around and flinging red hot sparks every which way.

[Rabbit]

Otter. Otter. Wake up. Otter. It's happening. Fire is flying from the sky. Fire is falling from the sky.

[Rebecca Shear]

Otter snapped open his eyes and leapt to his feet.

[Otter]

Oh no, Rabbit.

[Rabbit]

You were right.

[Otter]

It's raining fire everywhere. I'm so scared. What do we do?

[Rabbit]

There's no time to waste. Run to the river and dive in. The water will keep us safe.

[Otter]

I've never swum before, but here goes nothing.

[Rebecca Shear]

Without missing a beat, Otter dashed to the river and plunged into the water. As he quickly swam away, Rabbit scampered over to the big rock where Otter had hidden his fur coat. She snatched up the thick, soft pelt, then took off down the mountainside. When Rabbit reached the bottom, she pulled down her long silky ears and tied them in a knot under her chin. Then she slipped on Otter's coat. Once it was wrapped around her body, she hurried to the clearing in the middle of the forest where the animals and birds were waiting for the contest to begin.

[Rabbit]

Hello, everybody. I'm Otter. I heard you were holding a contest to decide who has the most fabulous fur of all.

[Rebecca Shear]

Much to Rabbit's delight, Otter, the others totally fell for her disguise.

[Bear]

So pleased to meet you, my friend. I am Bear.

[Rebecca Shear]

And I'm Mink.

[Rabbit]

And I'm Skunk.

[Bear]

And we are honored to have you join us today.

[Rebecca Shear]

I gotta say, your fur is amazing.

[Rabbit]

It sure is.

[Bear]

But where's Rabbit?

[Rabbit]

Rabbit, I. She made a pit stop at her burrow to brush her fur. She should be here any minute. We might as well get started.

[Rebecca Shear]

So they did with the birds. Judging from the treetops, the animals took turns parading around the clearing showing off their fur. When it was Otter's turn, Rabbit, who, remember, was disguised as Otter, didn't just parade around the clearing. She was so excited to show off her glorious coat that she began leaping. Woo hoo. And hopping.

[Rabbit]

Check me out.

[Rebecca Shear]

And bouncing from tree to tree.

[Rabbit]

Have you ever seen a coat so glorious?

[Rebecca Shear]

Rabbit began to move faster and faster. Soon she was moving so fast that the knot holding her ears beneath her chin began to loosen. It got looser and looser until it came completely undone. And Rabbit's long, silky ears sprang up above her head.

[Rabbit]

Uh oh.

[Rebecca Shear]

The animals and birds gasped.

[Skunk]

Rabbit, Is that you?

[Rabbit]

What happened to Otter?

[Rebecca Shear]

Rabbit knew the jig was up.

[Rabbit]

Well, here, I gotta go.

[Rebecca Shear]

And with that, she pulled off Otter's coat, flung it to the ground, then took off like a shot. The other animals followed in hot pursuit. Bear managed to get close enough to thrust out a burly paw and yank Rabbit's long, curly tail clear off her body.

[Rabbit]

Oh no. My tail.

[Rebecca Shear]

With nothing but a fluffy little puffball left on her backside, Rabbit dashed away and disappeared into her burrow. Once Rabbit was gone, the other animals decided to abandon the chase. Instead, they picked up Otter's stolen coat and carried it up the mountainside, where they found Otter swimming in the river.

[Bear]

You must be Otter.

[Rebecca Shear]

We brought you your fur coat since.

[Rabbit]

That rascally Rabbit stole it.

[Rebecca Shear]

When Otter caught sight of his thick, soft coat, he hurried back to the shore and slipped it on with a smile.

[Otter]

I thought I'd never see my coat again. Thank you, friends.

[Bear]

No, Otter. Thank you.

[Rebecca Shear]

Because with your help, now we finally.

[Rabbit]

Know which one of us truly has the most fabulous fur of all.

[Rebecca Shear]

And wouldn't you know it? Otter has had that fabulous fur ever since. He's also lived in the water ever since. Because even though Rabbit tricked Otter into taking his very first swim, he discovered he loved paddling and playing in the water. So to this day, all otters make their homes in streams and rivers, lakes and and ponds, seas and oceans. And all rabbits have nothing more than a puffball of a tail. It's a constant reminder of their wily ancestor who tried to pull the wool or fur over everyone's eyes. Now it's your turn. Rabbit had a difficult time being honest. And yes, it can be tough sometimes to tell the truth. Can you think of a time when you told the truth, even if it was hard to do? Think about that time. Then find someone you have fun with, a friend or family member and tell them your story. Then ask them to tell you about a time they told the truth, even when it was difficult or scary. Honesty isn't always easy, but it can make you braver and make the world better. This week's story, the Most Fabulous Fur of All, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear. It was edited by Nora Sachs. Our original music and sound design is by Eric Shimalonis. Our artist is Sabina Hahn. Sabina has created a black and white coloring page for every single Circle Round story. Grown Ups. You can find all 180 plus coloring pages and print them out on Our website website WBUR.org CircleRound Special thanks to this week's actors, Ryan Delousung, Jefferson A. Russell, Alexia Trainor, Astrid W.S. and Koreanka Kilcher, an indigenous actress of Quechua Huachi descent whom you grown ups might know from Yellowstone and you kids might recognize from Dora and the lost City of Gold. Korianka co wrote, produced and stars in the feature film Yesteryear coming out in 2023. This week's featured instrument was the tenor banjo. You can learn more about this plucked four stringed instrument and see a photo of Eric Shyamalanis playing one on our website. Once more, that's WBUR.org CircleRound Grownups, if you enjoy what you hear on Circle Round, please write us a five star review on Apple Podcasts or whatever podcast app you use. It makes us feel like a million bucks and it helps other listeners find the show. Circle Round is a production of wbur, Boston's NPR News station. I'm Rebecca Scheer. Thanks for Circling Round 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 yours too.

[Skunk]

I'm Skye and I'm from Oakland, New Zealand. My favorite Circle Round story is the roll cliffs and slides. My favorite part is when the dad goes ah mouth. Hi, my name's Nico in Charlottesville, Virginia and my favorite episode is the rightful Heir. My favorite part is when the boys bicker over the money. My name is Navy and I live in Chicago, Illinois. And my favorite Circle round story is the Crystal Story Box. My favorite part is when Anansi lets the stories free. My name is Milan, I live in Buffalo, New York. My favorite circle round is Beans and Bunnies. I like the part when Pedro teaches the banker a lesson. Hi, my name is Kyra. I'm from Buffalo, New York. My favorite circle wand is the Basilisk there. I like the pond when the basket turns to stone. Hi, my name is Joshua. I'm from Honolulu, Hawaii. My favorite Circle round story is the Basilisk Stair and my favorite part is when the sister's younger brother got frozen. I'm Mul and I live in Portland, Oregon. My favorite circle well story is Kangaroo and Joey 2. I like the part when Wombat turns himself into the Spirit. My name is Griffin, I'm from SoCal, California and my favorite circle around story is the Crystal Story Box. My favorite part is where Anansi battles Python. My name is Opal, I live in SoCal, California and my favorite Circle Round story is the Friendship.

[Rebecca Shear]

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.