Encore: The Unselfish Shellfish

Summary

Circle Round Podcast Summary: "Encore: The Unselfish Shellfish"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Circle Round
• Host/Author: WBUR
• Episode: Encore: The Unselfish Shellfish
• Release Date: July 29, 2025

---

Introduction

In this special encore edition of WBUR's Circle Round podcast, Rebecca Scheer presents "The Unselfish Shellfish," an enchanting folktale adapted from Indonesian origins. Designed for children ages 3-103, the episode immerses listeners in a rich, sound-filled narrative that explores themes of kindness, sacrifice, and the true meaning of wealth. The story is brought to life by talented voice actors Eric Bauza and Harry Shum, Jr., complemented by original music and vibrant sound design.

---

Setting the Scene: A Struggling Family

The story unfolds in a modest house situated on a peaceful island spanning the vast waters between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Here lived a hardworking farmer and his daughter, who, despite their relentless efforts, found themselves facing severe hardships.

Farmer's Daughter:
"[00:02:51] Father, I've searched the kitchen high and low, and all I can find is one last cup of rice."

Faced with scarcity, the daughter proposes a daring plan to sustain their family:

Farmer's Daughter:
"[00:03:13] ...maybe you and I could go to the seaside and harvest oysters too. Then we'll either eat them or sell them at the market."

Her suggestion marks the beginning of their quest for survival beyond traditional farming.

---

Encounter with the Queen of the South Sea

The farmer expresses concern about venturing to the sea alone, citing the formidable Queen of the South Sea who governs the surrounding waters:

Farmer:
"[00:04:02] Because it's too dangerous. You know how temperamental the Queen of the South Sea can be..."

To seek the Queen's favor, they must present a meaningful offering:

Farmer's Daughter:
"[00:04:55] Wrap the rice in this scarf. Then offer that to the Queen too. We don't have a fancy silver platter or anything, so this will have to do."

Demonstrating selflessness, the daughter sacrifices their last cup of rice and her favorite scarf, embodying the essence of true riches as described by Oscar Wilde:

Rebecca Scheer:
"[00:01:40] ...real riches are the ones that can't be taken because they're what you have on the inside, things like kindness, honesty and compassion."

---

The Farmer's Offering and Reward

Upon reaching the seaside, the farmer encounters a trader who frivolously consumes his own offering, underscoring themes of greed versus generosity:

Trader:
"[00:07:22] This is so good. So good."

Ignoring his duty, the trader devours the food meant for the Queen, leaving nothing but remnants on the shore.

Undeterred by his hunger, the farmer presents his modest gift:

Farmer:
"[00:08:21] Oh, Queen of the South Sea, this humble offering is for you..."

In response to his genuine sacrifice, the Queen rewards him with an abundance of oysters:

Queen of the South Sea:
"[00:12:19] You have shown true sacrifice. So please take the oysters. Consider them your reward."

These oysters, each housing beautiful pearls, symbolize enduring wealth derived from generosity and integrity.

---

Parallel Tale: The Trader's Misfortune

Contrasting the farmer's selflessness, the trader's actions lead to dire consequences. Despite his bravado, his disregard for the Queen's power results in a failed quest for fortune:

Trader's Son:
"[00:14:09] May she bring us a fortune as great as the offering you gave her."

Unbeknownst to him, the trader's empty gesture fails to honor the Queen, leading to catastrophic repercussions:

Trader's Son:
"[00:18:02] No, Father, quite the opposite. Our house has been flooded..."

The trader's greed invites disaster, illustrating the peril of valuing material gain over sincere generosity.

---

Conclusion: Lessons in Generosity and Integrity

The narrative culminates with the farmer and his daughter thriving through their newfound wealth, which they choose to share generously. Their prosperity is a testament to the invaluable nature of inner riches—kindness, honesty, and compassion.

In stark contrast, the trader faces loss and regret, highlighting the consequences of selfishness and greed. The story beautifully emphasizes that true wealth lies not in possessions that can be taken away but in the virtues that enrich the soul.

---

Theme and Moral

"The Unselfish Shellfish" imparts a profound lesson on the importance of selflessness and respect for nature. It underscores that genuine riches are those that endure beyond material wealth, fostering a harmonious and prosperous life.

Rebecca Scheer:
"[00:19:53] So what are three ways you can show love and care for the environment?..."

The episode concludes with actionable activities encouraging listeners to engage in eco-friendly practices, reinforcing the story's central message of environmental stewardship and personal responsibility.

---

Notable Quotes

• Rebecca Scheer:
  "[00:01:00] An author, poet and playwright named Oscar Wilde once said, 'Ordinary riches can be stolen. Real riches cannot.'"

• Farmer's Daughter:
  "[00:05:17] I'll manage, Father."

• Trader:
  "[00:16:25] O Queen of the South Sea. I can explain everything... Please, please forgive me. Have some pity."

• Queen of the South Sea:
  "[00:16:55] ...He has heard the words of your son. I listened to his words and have decided I will answer his prayer."

• Farmer's Daughter:
  "[00:19:39] Oh, my goodness. So many oysters. And so huge. Each one is the size of your shoe."

---

Closing Thoughts

"The Unselfish Shellfish" from Circle Round serves as a captivating narrative that intertwines cultural folklore with timeless moral lessons. Through its engaging storytelling, rich character development, and memorable dialogues, the episode not only entertains but also inspires listeners to reflect on the true essence of wealth and the impact of their actions on the world around them.

Listeners are encouraged to visit WBUR's website for additional resources, including coloring pages and picture books, to further explore and engage with the story's themes.

---

Credits:

• Adaptation: Rebecca Scheer
• Editing: Nora Sachs
• Music and Sound Design: Eric Shyamalonis
• Artwork: Sabina Hahn
• Voice Actors: Ryan Delousung, Jessica Rao, Erica Rose, Eric Bauza, and Harry Shum Jr.

Special Thanks To: Eric Bauza for his versatile voice work, including voices for beloved characters such as Bugs Bunny and Tweety Bird, and Harry Shum Jr. for his roles in Grey's Anatomy and Crazy Rich Asians spin-offs.

---

Transcript

[Rebecca Scheer]

WBUR Podcasts Boston hi, Rebecca Scheer here. If you've been listening to Circle Round lately, then you know we've been taking time off as we gear up for our WBOR podcast's ninth season, featuring dozens of folktales from around the globe and an exciting lineup of live episode recordings across the U.S. we we'll be back with one of those live episodes recorded at Tanglewood, summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, next week. For now, we're pleased to present a special encore edition of the podcast, a fantastic folktale you may have missed the first time around. Enjoy. An author, poet and playwright named Oscar Wilde once said, well, ordinary riches can be stolen. Real riches cannot. What did he mean by that? Well, ordinary riches are things you can buy with money, like jewels, cars and fancy clothes. And riches like that could be taken away. But real riches are the ones that can't be taken because they're what you have on the inside, things like kindness, honesty and compassion. And as we'll hear in today's story, those riches are truly priceless. I'm Rebecca Scheer, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time. Today, our story is called the Unselfish Shellfish. Versions of this tale come from Indonesia, a country consisting of thousands of islands that lie between the Pacific and Indian oceans. Some really great people came together to bring you our adaptation of this folktale, including Eric Bauza and Harry Shum, Jr. Eric Bauza is one of Mel Blanc's successors as the voice of Looney Tunes characters like Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird, and Daffy Duck. Eric does a ton of other voices, too, including Fozzie Bear in Muppet Babies and the Beagle Boys in DuckTales. Harry Shum, Jr. Appears in the feature films Crazy Rich Asians and Everything Everywhere all at once. Watch for Harry in Grey's Anatomy, which returns to ABC on February 23rd. So circle around, everyone for the Unselfish Shellfish. In a snug little house in the middle of an island, there lived a farmer and his daughter. The farmer and his daughter worked hard, but times were even harder, and before long, they found themselves scratching and scraping to get by.

[Farmer's Daughter]

Father, I've searched the kitchen high and low, and all I can find is one last cup of rice.

[Farmer]

Just one cup of rice. How are we going to survive?

[Farmer's Daughter]

Well, obviously farming hasn't been supporting us very well. So what if we tried some other.

[Farmer]

Line of work, something other than farming? What do you have in mind?

[Farmer's Daughter]

Well, back at school, I had a friend whose father was an oyster man. He harvested oysters by the sea. He'd go out to the seaside when the tide was low. Then he would dig up oysters from the sand, or collect them from the rocky caves by the water's edge. From what I recall, he made a pretty good living. So maybe you and I could go to the seaside and harvest oysters too. Then we'll either eat them or sell them at the market.

[Farmer]

That's a very clever idea, daughter. But I must go to the seaside alone.

[Farmer's Daughter]

How come?

[Farmer]

Because it's too dangerous. You know how temperamental the Queen of the South Sea can be. She rules all the waters surrounding this island. And if you get on her bad side, you'd better watch out. She'll create waves that are stronger and fiercer than anything you can imagine. She'll swallow you right up.

[Farmer's Daughter]

But if you get on her good side, she'll keep you safe, right?

[Farmer]

Yes. But to get on her good side, you must bring her a gift. An offering of peace in exchange for your safety. And look around you, daughter. What could we possibly offer the Queen of the South Sea? You and I have nothing.

[Farmer's Daughter]

Well, not exactly nothing.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The farmer's daughter took out their last cup of rice.

[Farmer's Daughter]

You may go to the seaside alone. But you must bring this rice. We'll cook it up, then you can leave it as an offering on the beach.

[Farmer]

But daughter, if I take this rice, you will have nothing to eat.

[Farmer's Daughter]

I'll manage, Father.

[Rebecca Scheer]

And here she untied a colorful scarf from her hair.

[Farmer's Daughter]

Wrap the rice in this scarf. Then offer that to the Queen too. We don't have a fancy silver platter or anything, so this will have to do.

[Farmer]

You know I can't do that, daughter. That's your favorite scarf in the world.

[Farmer's Daughter]

And you're my favorite person in the world. I believe in you, Father.

[Farmer]

And I believe in you, daughter. Thank you.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The farmer and his daughter cooked up the rice and wrapped it in the scarf. Then the farmer packed the offering in his knapsack and set off down the long road to the sea. His stomach grumbled as he walked, but he knew better than to reach inside his knapsack and eat the rice. It was intended for the Queen. He just hoped she would be pleased with such a modest gift. Soon it began to rain. And when the farmer reached the seaside, the he was approached by a well dressed fellow carrying a shiny leather satchel and a wide umbrella.

[Trader]

Well, hello there. Have you come to harvest oysters?

[Farmer]

Uh, yes, I have come to harvest oysters. It's my very first time.

[Trader]

Mine too. I heard There's a lot of money in this business, so I simply could not resist. You see, I'm a trader by profession, and I'm always looking for new ways to trade goods and rake it in. But for now, I'm gonna break for a snack.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The trader opened his satchel. The moment he did, scrumptious smells wafted out from inside.

[Farmer's Daughter]

Ooh.

[Trader]

This morning, my son sent me off with all these delectable foods. Let's see. Fresh baked bread, roasted chicken, ripe bananas.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The farmer peered into the satchel and took a whiff. Mmm.

[Farmer]

Your son is quite the cook.

[Trader]

Well, to be honest, he told me I shouldn't actually eat this food. He said something about offering it to the Queen of the South Sea. But come on, I'm a working man, and a working man has gotta eat.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The trader pulled out a hunk of bread and shoved it in his mouth.

[Trader]

This is so good. So good.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The trader proceeded to stuff his face with all of the bread, chicken and bananas his son had packed. Before long, all that remained was a smattering of crumbs and a mess of chicken bones and banana peels, which the trader carelessly dumped on the wet sand. The farmer, meanwhile, was hungrier than ever. But he knew what he had to do. He left the trader and walked to the water's edge. And he reached into his knapsack, took out the rice in the scarf and held it out toward the sea.

[Farmer]

Oh, Queen of the South Sea, this humble offering is for you. I know it isn't much, but times have been hard, and it's the best I can do. May it be to your liking, and may you grant me safety along these shores.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The farmer placed the offering on the beach. Then he turned toward the rocky caves tucked along the water's edge.

[Farmer]

My daughter said her friend's father found oysters inside these caves. I'll head inside one to see what I can find and to take shelter from this rain.

[Rebecca Scheer]

As the farmer climbed into a craggy cavern and looked around, what should he spy but a heaping pile of oysters?

[Farmer]

Oh, my goodness. Look at all these oysters. And such big ones, too. Each one is the size of my shoe. I will gather them, but I won't sell them. I will bring them home to my daughter. She must be starving by now.

[Queen of the South Sea]

Yes, good farmer, bring the oysters home to your daughter.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The farmer gasped and swiveled his head around. As far as he could see, he was all alone. But as he would soon learn, he wasn't alone at all. Someone had been watching his every move and was about to change his fortune in an almighty way. Who do you think spoke just now and how will they change the farmer's fortune? We'll find out after a quick break.

[Meghna Chakrabarti]

Support for Circle Round comes from Indeed. You just realized that your business needed to hire someone yesterday. How can you find amazing candidates fast?

[Rebecca Scheer]

Easy.

[Meghna Chakrabarti]

Just use Indeed. There's no need to wait. You can speed up your hiring with Indeed and Circle Round listeners will get a $75 sponsored job credit. Get your jobs more visibility@ Indeed.com CircleRound just go to Indeed.com CircleRound right now and support the show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indeed.comCircleround terms and conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need.

[N/A]

I'm Meghna chakrabarti, host of OnPointe. Congress has voted to claw back all federal funding for public media for WBUR. That's 1.6% million this year and every year for the foreseeable future. Our mission has been and always will be public service, which means the news won't stop and neither will we. But we need help filling this gap. Please start a monthly gift or consider increasing your [e-mail].

[Rebecca Scheer]

Welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Scheer. Today our story is called the Unselfish Shellfish. Before the break, a poor, hungry farmer made a humble offering to the Queen of the South Sea. Then, just as he discovered a heap of oysters inside a cave by the water's edge, he heard a mysterious voice call out to him.

[Farmer]

Who was it that spoke to me just now? I don't see anyone else in this cave.

[Queen of the South Sea]

It is I, the Queen of the South Sea, calling out to you from the waters.

[Farmer]

The Queen of the South Sea.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The farmer dropped to his knees.

[Farmer]

Oh, great and mighty queen, I am honored. But why are you calling out to me?

[Queen of the South Sea]

Because you called out to me. I heard your plea, good farmer, and I saw your humble offering. You gave me your last bit of rice and your daughter's favorite scarf. You have shown true sacrifice. So please take the oysters. Consider them your reward.

[Rebecca Scheer]

And with that, the cave went silent. Without wasting a minute, the farmer stuffed his knapsack full of oysters and began the long walk back to his snug little house where, unbeknownst to him, his daughter was worried sick.

[Farmer's Daughter]

Oh, it's getting so late and Father isn't home yet. I hope he's safe.

[Rebecca Scheer]

She went to the window and gazed toward the distant sea on the horizon.

[Farmer's Daughter]

Oh, great and mighty queen of the South Sea, if you can hear me, please let me see my father again. I don't care if he comes home with any oysters. Just please bring him back to me safe and sound.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Please. Now, it just so happens that in yet another spot on the island, someone else was wondering about their father, too. It was the trader's son. The same fellow who had packed up all the delicious bread, chicken and bananas as a peace offering for the Queen of the South Sea.

[Trader's Son]

Where on earth is Father? The plan was for him to come home with the oysters. Then I would take them to the market to trade for something even better. So I could help us make a fortune.

[Rebecca Scheer]

He turned his eyes toward the clock.

[Trader's Son]

Well, so much for our plan. The market is about to close. But good thing I gave Father all that food for the Queen of the South Sea this morning. May she give us a fortune. And as great as my father's offering.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Was, now we know the truth about the trader's offering. Right? He hadn't actually offered it to the queen at all. Instead, what did he do? That's right. He ate it all up and left nothing but bread crumbs and chicken bones and banana peels scattered on the beach. But the trader's son had no idea. He also had no idea that when the trader was done with his feast, he didn't even collect any oysters. Instead, he was so groggy from his feast that he had taken shelter in one of the seaside caves and fallen fast asleep. As the trader dozed, the drizzle of the rain outside turned into a downpour. Thunder rumbled and storm streaks of lightning lit up the sky. The waves on the sea grew stronger and stronger and higher and higher. But the trader slept right through it. Until a colossal whitecap came crashing into his cave and jolted him awake.

[Trader]

What's happening?

[Rebecca Scheer]

The trader leaped to his feet and clawed at the cave's walls, trying to escape the rising water.

[Trader]

Oh, no.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Oh no.

[Trader]

Somebody help me. Help me.

[Queen of the South Sea]

Help you? And why should anyone help you?

[Rebecca Scheer]

The traitor flicked his head round in fear.

[Trader]

Who are you? Who said that?

[Queen of the South Sea]

It is I, the Queen of the South Sea, calling out to you from the waters. And you. You are nothing but a greedy glutton who devoured the offering that was meant for me. Why did you do it?

[Rebecca Scheer]

Why? The trader felt a knot tighten in his stomach.

[Trader]

O Queen of the South Sea. I can explain everything. I can. You see, I ate all that food because I was hungry. And truth be told, I didn't even know you were real. Please, please forgive me. Have some pity.

[Queen of the South Sea]

You Deserve neither forgiveness nor pity. However, I have heard the words of your son. He called out to me and made a little prayer.

[Trader]

He did.

[Queen of the South Sea]

I listened to his words and have decided I will answer his prayer.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Now.

[Queen of the South Sea]

Go back home, and I promise you will have everything your son asked for.

[Rebecca Scheer]

And with that, the sea calmed and the trader clambered out of the cave, breathless with excitement about whatever great fortune his son's prayer would bring.

[Trader]

That son of mine is one smart cookie. So surely he prayed for something. A boatload of money, perhaps, or a new house, one even grander and more spacious than the abode we already have.

[Rebecca Scheer]

But as the trader neared his grand and spacious abode, he was surprised to see his son come running toward him with his eyes full of tears.

[Trader]

My son, why are you crying? Oh, let me guess. They are tears of joy because the Queen of the South Sea has brought us great fortune.

[Trader's Son]

No, Father, quite the opposite. Our house has been flooded, and the rushing waters have carried all of our belongings away.

[Trader]

I don't understand. The Queen of the South Sea said she would answer your prayer and give us what you asked for. Did you wish for us to be struck by disaster?

[Trader's Son]

Of course I didn't.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The young man sniffed and wiped his eyes.

[Trader's Son]

I wished for her to breathe. Bring us a fortune as great as the offering you gave her.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The traitor froze. His blood ran cold. The offering. Of course, his son had no way of knowing that he didn't give the queen a great offering at all. Instead, he devoured all the food and left nothing but crumbs and bones and banana peels. It was a most unfortunate offering. Hence his misfortune. Now, well, while the trader felt his heart flood with regret, elsewhere on the island, the farmer was all smiles as he returned to his snug little house. When he stepped through the door, his daughter ran into his arms.

[Farmer's Daughter]

Oh, Father, you're back. I was so worried that I called out to the crowd, Queen of the South Sea, and asked her to bring you home safely. She must have listened.

[Farmer]

Oh, she did more than that, my dear. Take a look.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The farmer threw open his knapsack. His daughter let out a gasp.

[Farmer's Daughter]

Oh, my goodness. So many oysters. And so huge. Each one is the size of your shoe.

[Farmer]

That's what I said. What do you say we open one up and have a taste?

[Rebecca Scheer]

Mm.

[Farmer's Daughter]

Yes, please.

[Rebecca Scheer]

So they picked up an oyster and pried open its shell. But when they looked inside, they found a wonderful surprise. A bright, glistening pearl.

[Farmer's Daughter]

Wow.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The farmer and his daughter opened another oyster. And another, and another. And inside each and every shell was a pearl, a bright glistening gift from the all powerful Queen of the South Sea. Well, as you can probably guess, never again did the farmer and his daughter have to scratch and scrape to get by. With their newfound treasure, they were able to get back on their feet and share their good fortune with others. Because the two of them weren't just rich in wealth, they were rich in generosity too. Now it's your turn. As we heard in today's story, when we respect nature, everybody wins. So what are three ways you can show love and care for the environment? Maybe you can recycle items like glass and plastic and paper. Maybe you can turn off the lights when you're not using them or turn off the water when you're brushing your teeth. Perhaps you can bring reusable bags to the grocery store or donate your outgrown clothing and toys. Find a grown up and make a list of three eco friendly things you can do. Draw a picture of yourself doing these tasks. Then hang the picture somewhere you can see it to remind yourself how easy and rewarding it can be to show a little love to our planet. This week's story, the Unselfish Shellfish was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear. It was edited by Nora Sachs. Our original music and sound design is by Eric Shyamalonis. Our artist is Sabina Hahn. Sabina has drawn a black and white coloring page for every Circle Round story and you can color them in while you listen. Grown ups. Visit our website WBUR.org CircleRound and click on coloring pages. And while you're at WBUR.org CircleRound you can find a link to our Circle Round picture books adapted from some of your favorite episodes. Just click on books. Special thanks to this week's actors Ryan Delousung, Jessica Rao, Erica Rose, Eric Bauza and Harry Shum Jr. Eric Bauza is one of Mel Blanc's successors as the voice of Looney Tunes characters like Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird and Daffy Duck. He does a ton of other voices too, including Fozzie Bear in Muppet Babies and the Beagle Boys in DuckTales. Watch for Harry Shum Jr. In Grey's Anatomy Season 19, which returns to ABC for its mid season premiere on February 23rd. Harry can also be heard starring in the grown up mystery podcast Echo park and see in the Oscar nominated film Everything Everywhere all at Once. Coming up, Harry will reprise his role of Charlie Wu in the much anticipated spin off of Crazy Rich Asians. Our featured instrument this week was a collection of instruments known as Gamelan to learn more about this percussion based ensemble type found in Indonesia and to see a photo, visit our website. Again, that's WB Grown Ups. If you enjoy what you hear on Circle Round, please write us a five star review on your favorite podcast app. And please tell your friends about the show. It'll help us keep Circling Round with you for years to come. 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.

[N/A]

Hi, my name is Vivi and I live in Halliburton, Ontario. And my favorite Circle Round is Fens in High Places. And I like the part when Rhino says that the leaves are dying. Hi, my name is Lewis, I'm from Vineland, New Jersey. And my favorite episode of Circle Round is Thunder and Lightning.

[Rebecca Scheer]

My name is Aday.

[N/A]

I live in Massachusetts and my favorite Circle Round story is the Lion Twist. And my favorite part is where the.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Line wings at the Cake.

[N/A]

My name is Junava, I live in Colorado. My favorite story is The Teddy River Joey 2. I like it because when a robot is easy, it does.

[Farmer's Daughter]

I want to.

[N/A]

My name is Jasper and I live in Colorado. And my favorite Circle Round story is the Peach of Life. And my favorite part is when the wizard says good day. Hi, my name is Brooks. I live in Charlotte, North Carolina. And my favorite story is Giant Footsteps. My name is Luke and I'm from Longmont, Colorado. And my favorite Circle Round story is the Chameleons Contest. My favorite part is when Chameleons says I challenge you to a fashion contest.

[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.