Summer Camp: The Missing Mountainside

Summary

Circle Round – “Summer Camp: The Missing Mountainside”

Podcast: Circle Round (WBUR)
Host: Rebecca Sheir
Date: June 9, 2026
Episode Theme: An adaptation of a Taiwanese folktale about greed, gratitude, and taking only what you need, told through the mysterious story of Half Screen Mountain.

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Rebecca Sheir and a stellar cast bring to life the legend behind Taiwan’s Ban Ping (“Half Screen”) Mountain. Through the tale of a magical dumpling seller in a bustling market, listeners explore themes of kindness, restraint, and the consequences of greed. The story is sound- and music-rich, featuring the ancient Taiwanese instrument, the pipa, and ends with an interactive activity that inspires children and grown-ups to reflect further.

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Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. Setting the Scene: Folklore & Mystery

• Introduction to Ban Ping Mountain (00:10)
  • "If you visit the island of Taiwan, you'll find many hills and mountains, and one of those mountains has a most intriguing history. It's known as Ban Ping Mountain, or Half Screen Mountain." — Rebecca Sheir, 01:11
  • Science explains its flat face as tectonic, but legend offers a magical alternative.

2. The Magical Dumpling Seller

• A Curious Offer in the Marketplace (02:40)

  • A mysterious old woman appears, selling irresistible dumplings with an odd pricing scheme:
    • 1 dumpling = 1 copper piece
    • 2 dumplings = 2 copper pieces
    • 3 dumplings = FREE
  • Market-goers are baffled but eagerly take three dumplings each. No one chooses to pay.
    • “I would sell one dumpling for one copper piece, two dumplings for two copper pieces, and three dumplings for free.” — Old Woman / Mountain Spirit, 03:18

• Market Greed Grows (05:05)

  • Customers take advantage daily, never offering payment.

3. The Unexpected Twist: Kindness and Self-Restraint

• A Young Woman Breaks the Pattern (08:34)

  • A humble young woman with little money reaches the front and politely asks for just one dumpling, explaining:
    • “All week long she has fed everyone. Everyone for free. Is that true, madam?” — Young Woman, 09:23
  • “You deserve to make a living just like the rest of us. What you don't deserve is to be taken advantage of.” — Young Woman, 09:49

• The Spirit Unveiled (11:08)

  • The old woman reveals herself as the mountain spirit, seeking a trustworthy, true-hearted soul to reward.
    • “I am actually the spirit of the mountain that looms over this village... And as such, you shall receive a well deserved reward.” — Mountain Spirit, 11:16

4. The Reward – and the Lesson

• A Magical Dumpling Pot (11:56)

  • The mountain spirit gifts the young woman a magic pot that produces endless dumplings, “if you just take what you need.”
  • “The pot's magic will only work if you just take what you need. But something tells me you won't have a problem with that.” — Mountain Spirit, 11:56

• Revealing the Consequences of Greed (12:34)

  • The spirit confronts the greedy crowd, revealing their dumplings were made from the very stones of the mountain—now visibly missing.
    • “The dumplings you've been eating all week long were not real dumplings. They were made from the stones of the mountain. And now, thanks to your self-serving actions and gluttonous greed, half of the mountain is gone, never to return.” — Mountain Spirit, 13:24

• A Lasting Moral (13:57)

  • The market-goers feel remorse (and tummy aches from their rocky meal).
  • Rebecca Sheir notes that, in real life, the mountain continued to erode due to mining—a real-world echo of the story’s lesson.

5. Reflection and Interactive Activity

• Circle Round Activity & Community Invitation (14:50 – 16:50)
  • Rebecca invites listeners to contribute cheers and favorite quotes for the upcoming 200th episode, fostering community participation and deeper engagement with the story's themes.
• Featured Instrument: The Pipa (17:40)
  • Brief education about an ancient plucked instrument from Taiwan, connecting story and culture.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Greed:

  • “There seems to be no end to these people's appetite and no bottom to their stomachs. But if everything goes as I hope...they'll need a very strong stomach to handle what I have in store.”
    — Old Woman / Mountain Spirit, 06:26

• On Kindness and Self-Awareness:

  • “You deserve to make a living just like the rest of us. What you don't deserve is to be taken advantage of.”
    — Young Woman, 09:49

• The Big Reveal:

  • “I am actually the spirit of the mountain that looms over this village. A powerful entity who has been seeking a trustworthy and true hearted soul to reward for their goodness. And you, my dear, you are that trustworthy and true hearted soul.”
    — Mountain Spirit, 11:16

• The Moral:

  • “Let this be a lesson to you all that sometimes what is taken away cannot ever be replaced.”
    — Mountain Spirit, 13:24

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Key Timestamps

• 00:10 – Episode opens, introduction to the folktale and Ban Ping Mountain
• 02:40 – The old woman arrives at the marketplace; dumpling offer
• 05:05 – Growing market greed; everyone takes 3 dumplings for free
• 08:34 – The young woman’s selfless choice
• 11:08 – The mountain spirit reveals their true identity
• 11:56 – Magic dumpling pot is gifted, with a lesson on moderation
• 12:34 – The crowd learns they’ve eaten the mountainside; the lesson about greed
• 14:50 – Invitation for audience participation in the 200th episode
• 17:40 – Developmental information about the pipa, cultural connection

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Tone and Language

• Warm, gentle, and whimsical, suitable for young listeners but layered with meaning and nuance for adults.
• Character voices are expressive: The old woman is wily and warm; the young woman humble and thoughtful; the crowd is a comedic blend of greedy and clueless.

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Conclusion

“The Missing Mountainside” uses the vivid enchantment of folklore to teach timeless lessons about greed, gratitude, and the importance of taking only what you need. It gently prompts both children and adults to consider how their own actions impact the world, pairing a magical narrative with real-world environmental and ethical concerns. The episode’s interactive closing extends the story’s conversation into the real lives of listeners, inviting them to share and reflect in their own voices.

Transcript

[Rebecca Scheer]

Wbur podcasts boston. Have you ever taken more than you needed? It happens to all of us. When we're tempted by something, we sometimes end up going a little overboard. But in today's story, an entire town learns that when you bite off more than you can chew, it can leave a very bad taste. I'm Rebecca Scheer, and welcome to Circle Round, where storytime happens all the time. Today, our story is called the Missing Mountainside. Versions of this tale come from Taiwan, a mountainous island off the coast of China. Some really great people came together to bring you our adaptation of this tale, including Karen Huey, whom you kids may know from the animated series Abominable and the Invisible City on Hulu, and whom you grown ups might know from the Fox comedy. Welcome to Flatch, now in its second season. So circle around, everyone, for the Missing Mountainside. If you visit the island of Taiwan, you'll find many hills and mountains, and one of those mountains has a most intriguing history. It's known as Ban Ping Mountain, or Half Screen Mountain. And it has that name because when the mountain first formed, one side had a totally fine, flat face like a screen. It was as if someone had taken the biggest knife you've ever seen and sliced part of the mountain clear away. Science says this unusually flat face was the result of tectonic plates and movement of the Earth's crust. But legend says it was the result of something else entirely. And it all began long, long ago in a bustling town at the mountain's base. The town was home to a lively marketplace where people flocked from hither and yon to haggle over flowers and fruits, silks and spices, rugs and rice. One day, an old woman with long silvery hair showed up at the marketplace. She was pushing a rickety cart with a bright silver pot on top.

[Market Goer 1]

Dumplings.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

Steaming dumplings. Here, get em while they're hot.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The dumplings in the woman's pot sent a delicious aroma wafting through the marketplace, and before long, dozens of market goers were jostling for a place in line.

[Market Goer 2]

I must get my hands on those dumplings.

[Mountain Spirit (alternate lines)]

They smell amazing.

[Market Goer 3]

Tell us, old woman, how much do they cost?

[Rebecca Scheer]

The old woman tapped a wrinkled finger to her chin.

[Mountain Spirit (alternate lines)]

Hmm.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

How much do my dumplings cost, you ask?

[Mountain Spirit (alternate lines)]

What a marvelous question.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

I was thinking I would sell one dumpling for one copper piece, two dumplings for two copper pieces, and three dumplings for free.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The market goers were taken aback.

[Market Goer 2]

You aren't serious, are you?

[Market Goer 1]

Surely you must be joking.

[Market Goer 3]

Are you actually telling us that you'd Sell one dumpling for one copper piece

[Market Goer 4]

and two dumplings for two copper pieces.

[Rebecca Scheer]

But you give away three dumplings for free.

[Market Goer 2]

Is that correct?

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

That's absolutely correct. I would never lie. But these dumplings aren't going to sell themselves. So let's start with you, sir.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The woman turned to the first person in line.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

How many dumplings would you like?

[Market Goer 2]

Well, if you're really giving three dumplings away for free, then I'll take three dumplings.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

Alrighty then. Here you go. And you, ma', am, how many dumplings would you like?

[Market Goer 1]

I'd like three, of course. Why pay for just one or two when I can get three for free?

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

Why indeed.

[Mountain Spirit (alternate lines)]

And how about you, sir?

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

How many dumplings would you like?

[Market Goer 2]

Is there any question?

[Market Goer 3]

I'll take three.

[Rebecca Scheer]

All day long, people lined up at the old woman's cart to buy her dumplings. Though I shouldn't say buy, because all they did was take. Not a single person paid for one or two dumplings. They all took three for free, then gobbled them down with gusto.

[Market Goer 4]

Oh, these dumplings are delicious.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

Absolutely scrumptious.

[Market Goer 5]

I could eat these all day.

[Market Goer 2]

What do you think the old woman puts in them?

[Market Goer 1]

Hmm, I can't really tell. Rice, I think.

[Market Goer 4]

And mushrooms maybe, or some kind of meat.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

I don't know.

[Market Goer 5]

I don't know either. But what I do know is that if that kooky old lady comes back tomorrow, I'm going to take all the free dumplings I can get.

[Market Goer 2]

So am I.

[Market Goer 1]

Me too.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

Me three.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Much to everyone's delight, the old dumpling seller did come back and offered the same curious deal as yesterday.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

What? One dumpling for one copper piece, two dumplings for two copper pieces, and three dumplings for free.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Once more, crowds of market goers swarmed to her cart. And can you guess how many dumplings each of them ordered? That's right.

[Market Goer 2]

I'll take three dumplings.

[Market Goer 1]

Give me three dumplings.

[Market Goer 3]

I want three delicious dumplings now.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The old woman wasn't earning a cent, but she didn't seem to mind. She wore a big smile as she gave her dumplings away and as her customers stuffed themselves.

[Young Woman]

Silly.

[Rebecca Scheer]

She had a twinkle in her eye.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

My, my, my. There seems to be no end to these people's appetite and no bottom to their stomachs. But if everything goes as I hope

[Mountain Spirit (alternate lines)]

it will, they'll need a very strong

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

stomach to handle what I have in store.

[Rebecca Scheer]

And. What do you think the dumpling cellar is cooking up other than dumplings? We'll find out what happens after a quick break.

[Narrator / Promo Voice]

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 and 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 Shear. Today our story is called the Missing Mountainside. Before the break in the marketplace at the foot of a mountain, a mysterious old woman was offering appetizing dumplings at an unusual price.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

One dumpling for one copper piece, two dumplings for two copper pieces, and three dumplings for free.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The old woman attracted throngs of customers, all of them making the same demand.

[Market Goer 2]

Give me three dumplings.

[Market Goer 3]

Three free dumplings, and be quick about it.

[Rebecca Scheer]

This happened over and over again. But then, at the end of the week, a young woman wearing worn out shoes and a patched up shirt got to the front of the dumpling seller's line.

[Young Woman]

Excuse me, ma', am, but I've been hearing all week about your amazing dumplings, and I'd love to have a taste. So I'm wondering, may I please have just one?

[Rebecca Scheer]

A hush fell over the crowd. The old woman cupped a weathered hand over one ear.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

I'm sorry, young lady, but I can't always rely on these old ears of mine. Did I hear you correctly?

[Mountain Spirit (alternate lines)]

Did you really order just one?

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

One dumpling?

[Young Woman]

Well, yes. Just one dumpling.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The other market goers stared at the young woman in disbelief.

[Market Goer 4]

You're seriously ordering just one dumpling?

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

Then you must have dumplings for brains.

[Market Goer 5]

Didn't you hear the old woman's offer? It was one dumpling for one copper piece, two dumplings for two copper pieces and three.

[Young Woman]

And three dumplings for free. Yes, I know. Heard all about it. But this old woman of whom you speak, all week long she has carted her heavy load of dumplings to this marketplace. And from what I hear, all week long she has fed everyone. Everyone for free. Is that true, madam?

[Rebecca Scheer]

The old woman nodded.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

Yes, my dear, it is true.

[Young Woman]

So people near and far have been raving about your dumplings, yet no one has seen fit to pay you a cent. Am I the only one who sees how wrong that is? You deserve to make a living just like the rest of us. What you don't deserve is to be taken advantage of.

[Rebecca Scheer]

So here the young Woman reached into her pocket and pulled out one copper piece.

[Young Woman]

Times have been hard for me lately and I have just enough money to pay for one dumpling. But it's better than nothing.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The old woman gazed at the copper piece. Then she gazed at the young woman and grinned.

[Mountain Spirit (alternate lines)]

Good lady, good, good lady, I wish to thank you. You see, I was hoping this day would come.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

And thanks to you it has.

[Young Woman]

Well, it's only one copper piece. I wish I could afford more, but no, it's plenty.

[Mountain Spirit (alternate lines)]

Your one copper piece is more than enough to show me that you have passed my test.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The market goers exchanged a confused look. The young woman was pretty mystified herself.

[Young Woman]

Test? I don't understand. What kind of test are you talking about?

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

Well, the truth of the matter is I am not a kooky old dumpling seller as many people have come to call me.

[Mountain Spirit (alternate lines)]

I am actually the spirit of the mountain that looms over this village. A powerful entity who has been seeking a trustworthy and true hearted soul to reward for their goodness. And you, my dear, you are that trustworthy and true hearted soul. You are the one I have been waiting for. And as such, you shall receive a well deserved reward.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The mountain spirit lifted the dumpling pot and placed it in the young woman's hands.

[Mountain Spirit (alternate lines)]

This dumpling pot is for you. Keep it in your possession and whenever you are hungry, just reach inside and a fresh made dumpling will be waiting. The pot's magic will only work if you just take. Take what you need. But something tells me you won't have a problem with that.

[Young Woman]

Wow. Mountain spirit, I thank you truly.

[Mountain Spirit (alternate lines)]

And I thank you truly. But as for everyone else.

[Rebecca Scheer]

She shot the rest of the crowd a withering glance.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

I want all of you to look up, lift your heads and take a peek at the mountain towering above you.

[Mountain Spirit (alternate lines)]

Tell me what you see.

[Rebecca Scheer]

The market goers did as they were told and craned their necks upward. And what they saw made their jaws drop.

[Market Goer 3]

The side of the mountain, it's no longer there. It's like somebody sliced it clear off

[Market Goer 4]

or chopped it clear away.

[Old Woman / Mountain Spirit]

But where has it gone?

[Market Goer 2]

What have you done with it?

[Mountain Spirit (alternate lines)]

The question is not what have I done with it. The question is what have you done with it?

[Rebecca Scheer]

The market goers were too stunned to speak. The mountain spirit fixed them with a steely stare.

[Mountain Spirit (alternate lines)]

Ladies and gentlemen, the dumplings you've been eating all week long were not real dumplings. They were made from the stones of the mountain. And now, thanks to your self serving actions and gluttonous greed, half of the mountain is gone, never to return. So let this be a lesson to you all that sometimes what is taken away cannot ever be replaced.

[Rebecca Scheer]

And with that, she raised her head, waved her arms, and disappeared. The market goers felt their hearts throb with remorse and their stomachs ache with pain because all of a sudden, they could feel the heavy, rocky pieces of the missing mountainside churning in their bellies. I wish I could say that's the end of the story. But years and years later, humans began eating away at the mountain again. You see, Sometime in the 20th century, Ban Ping Mountain became a quarry, with miners chipping away at the mountain's precious limestone and carting it off to sell. So these days, Half Screen Mountain no longer has that sheer cliff drop like someone sliced one side clear away. Instead, it has sloping sides all around. But even though it looks much like many other mountains, it can still serve as a towering reminder to take only what we need and never bite off more than we can chew. Now it's your turn. It's hard to believe, but our 200th Circle Round episode is coming up and guess what? We want you to be a part of it. We're inviting listeners like you to send us recordings that we'll use in the show. All you need is a smartphone or some other recording device and, well, you find a grown up and ask them first to record you doing a cheer. It could be yay.

[Child Listener 1]

It could be hooray.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Either way, this cheer will be a very important part of our 2 200th episode. The second thing we want you to record is a line you've heard me say more than a few times now. And that line is thanks for circling around with us. Once you've got your cheer and your thanks for circling around with us, ask your grown up to email your audio to circleroundbur.org it can be one audio file or two. And grown ups, please be sure to include your child's name so we can give them a shout out on the show. And hey, if you missed anything I just said no worries. If you you can find all the instructions on our website, WBUR.org CircleRound. This week's story, the Missing Mountainside was adapted by me, Rebecca Scheer. 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 all 190 plus Circle Round stories 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 new picture books adapted from some of your favorite Circle Round stories. Just click on books. Special thanks to this week's actors, Theodore Chin, Rishikesh Hirway, Shelley Lee, Jessica Rao, Nick Shali Dawn, Ursula and Karen Huey. Kids, listen for Karen in the animated series Abominable and the Invisible City on Hulu. And grown ups. Check out Karen in the Fox comedy. Welcome to Flatch, now in its second season. And one more big thanks. This week we'd like to give a grateful shout out to the science professors who helped with the technical details of this story, Will Wimet at the University of Connecticut and Dr. Tony Lee at National Taiwan Normal University. Our featured instrument this week was the pipa. To learn more about this ancient plucked instrument popular in Taiwan and to see a photo of Eric Shyamalanis playing it, visit our website. Again, that's WBUR.org CircleRound Grown Ups. If you enjoy what you hear on Circle Round, please write us a five star review on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. It helps keep us going strong so we can circle around with you for years to come. Circle Round is a production of wbur, Boston's NPR News Station. I'm Rebecca Scheer. And one more time, thanks for circling Round with us. One of the best things about creating Circle Round is hearing from listeners like you. Circle Round fans have been telling us about their favorite Circle Round stories and we're excited to share some of their voices with you.

[Child Listener 2]

This is Adam from Burntville, Melee. My favorite Circle Round story is the Three Lumps of Clay. I like the part where Bebold helps the other characters help. Thank you Rebecca Shear and Amber Shimonis, we love you. My name is Louise and I live in Madison, Wisconsin. And my favorite Circle Round story is Fair Feathered Friends.

[Child Listener 1]

My name is Mare and I'm from San Francisco. My favorite story is the Fantastic Fiddle and I like the part where nobody can see stop dancing and the rancher says this is a wicked spell. My name is Palmer and I'm from North Carolina and my favorite Circle Round is the Days of Honey. I like the part when the gore tricks the deeds. My name, it's Jennifer and I'm from Oklahoma. And my favorite storage is the rice cakes and the oni. I like the part when the onis eat the rice cakes.

[Child Listener 3]

My name's Claire. I live in Hawaii in Kailua. My favorite circ around story is the golden coconut. I like the part when the grandma says, this is my golden coconut.

[Rebecca Scheer]

Did someone mention an episode you missed? No problem. You can find every single Circle Round story on our website. That's WBUR.org CircleRound or wherever you and your grownups get your podcasts.