The Flame Keeper

Summary

Circle Round Podcast: "The Flame Keeper" – Detailed Summary

Introduction In the "The Flame Keeper" episode of WBUR’s Circle Round, host Rebecca Shear narrates a captivating folktale inspired by the Huichol people of Mexico. This episode explores themes of sacrifice, generosity, and the courage to challenge injustice. Featuring talented voice actors Cameron Jones and Joy Ofodu, the story immerses listeners in a rich, sound- and music-enhanced narrative designed for children and families alike.

Setting the Stage: The Flame Keeper The tale begins with the enigmatic Flame Keeper, a solitary figure who hoards all the fire on earth within his mountaintop abode. Fire, a vital resource for warmth and survival, is strictly under his control. As a result, communities suffer from the cold, prompting desperate pleas for fire. Rebecca Shear sets the scene effectively:

"Long, long ago, in earlier times, all the fire on earth was kept locked away by a mysterious man known as the Flame Keeper." [00:01]

Desperate Pleas for Fire Periodically, groups of cold and shivering people brave the steep mountain to request a single flame from the Flame Keeper. Their requests are met with outright refusal:

Flame Keeper (Cameron Jones): "I will not share one little flame. I will not share any of my flame with anyone. Now get lost." [02:26]

The Flame Keeper's harsh response exacerbates the villagers' plight, highlighting his greed and lack of empathy.

Enter Opossum: The Clever Hero Witnessing the suffering, Opossum, a clever and nimble creature, steps forward to devise a plan to bring fire to the people. Opossum's leadership rallies the animal community, showcasing her initiative and compassion:

Opossum (Joy Ofodu): "Friends, I have decided. I shall visit the Flame Keeper's house and bring fire to the people." [03:04]

Despite skepticism from other animals about the daunting task and the Flame Keeper's reputation, Opossum remains undeterred:

Opossum: "He'll never share his fire with you. Don't worry. I have a plan." [03:16]

Opossum's Ingenious Plan Opossum’s strategy involves gathering ample firewood to exhaust the Flame Keeper's reserves, thereby compelling him to share his fire. She enlists the help of her fellow animals to collect wood, demonstrating the power of community effort:

Opossum: "I need you to gather wood." [03:35]

Meanwhile, Opossum herself prepares by weaving a net from vines and collecting papayas to sustain her energy for the mission:

Opossum: "Over and under, over, under." [04:21]

Opossum: "Gotta keep my strength up if I want my plan to work." [04:37]

Confrontation with the Flame Keeper Under the cover of night, Opossum approaches the Flame Keeper’s house. She offers her harvested papayas in exchange for shelter by his fire, appealing to his basic needs:

Opossum: "The way you guard that fun fire all day and night, you must be hungry. I'd be happy to give you all the papayas in this net if you let me sleep by your fire tonight." [06:48]

The Flame Keeper, driven by dwindling resources, agrees to her proposal:

Flame Keeper (Cameron Jones): "All right, fine. If you give me those papayas and gather more wood in the morning, you may sleep by my fire." [07:11]

The Sacrifice and Theft of Fire As night deepens, Opossum subtly sabotages the Flame Keeper’s fire management. Pretending to sleep, she waits until the Flame Keeper is vulnerable:

Opossum: Pretends to fall asleep [07:20]

Seizing the moment, she ignites a piece of firewood and attempts to sabotage his fire. However, her fluffy tail betrays her, waking the Flame Keeper:

Flame Keeper: "Opossum. You were trying to steal my fire? How dare you." [08:43]

A confrontation ensues, resulting in Opossum inadvertently catching her tail aflame. In a desperate attempt to escape, she panics and inadvertently ignites the amassed firewood:

Opossum: "Oh no." [09:45]

Triumph Through Sacrifice Despite the immediate danger, Opossum's actions lead to the liberation of fire. Her flaming tail ignites the woodpile, but she skillfully extinguishes the flames, ensuring the fire is now accessible to all:

Opossum: "Wait a minute. I did take fire from the flame keeper. I did it." [10:38]

The other animals witness the transformation, and the fire spreads, alleviating the people’s suffering. Opossum's sacrifice results in her losing her fluffy tail, symbolizing her selflessness:

"Thanks to the burning hot flames, every single hair had been scorched off, and Opossum's tail was now skinny, pink and bald." [11:22]

Legacy and Moral Opossum's bravery earns her a revered place among the Huichol people, symbolizing wisdom and the spirit of giving. Her story underscores the importance of self-sacrifice for the greater good and encourages listeners to take chances to make positive changes in their own lives:

"Opossum takes a chance to make the world a better and brighter place. What's something you'd like to take a chance on?" [11:30]

Conclusion Circle Round's adaptation of "The Flame Keeper" not only entertains but also imparts valuable lessons on generosity, courage, and community. Through rich storytelling and engaging dialogues, the episode encourages both children and adults to reflect on the impact of their actions and the importance of sharing and sacrifice for the common good.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Rebecca Shear: "Sometimes we make sacrifices to benefit people we don't know, like donating our possessions or free time to a charity." [00:01]
• Flame Keeper (Cameron Jones): "I will not share one little flame. I will not share any of my flame with anyone. Now get lost." [02:26]
• Opossum (Joy Ofodu): "Friends, I have decided. I shall visit the Flame Keeper's house and bring fire to the people." [03:04]
• Opossum: "Gotta keep my strength up if I want my plan to work." [04:37]
• Flame Keeper: "No, Opossum, you may not come in. Especially if you're going to beg me to share my fire..." [06:32]
• Opossum: "Wait a minute. I did take fire from the flame keeper. I did it." [10:38]
• Rebecca Shear: "Opossum's tail was now skinny, pink and bald." [11:22]

Themes and Insights

• Sacrifice for the Greater Good: Opossum's willingness to risk her own safety and well-being to secure fire for her community exemplifies selflessness.
• Courage to Challenge Injustice: Confronting the Flame Keeper's greed requires bravery, highlighting the importance of standing up against wrongdoing.
• Community and Cooperation: The collective effort of the animals underscores the power of teamwork in overcoming challenges.
• Adaptation and Resilience: Opossum's ability to adapt and persevere despite setbacks teaches resilience and innovative problem-solving.

Conclusion "The Flame Keeper" serves as an inspiring narrative that blends cultural folklore with universal values, making it a meaningful addition to Circle Round’s repertoire. Through its engaging storytelling and moral lessons, the episode encourages listeners to reflect on their ability to make positive changes through courage, cooperation, and sacrifice.

Transcript

[Rebecca Shear]

WBUR Podcast Boston. Have you ever given up something you value so that someone else can benefit? It's what we call a sacrifice. Sometimes we make sacrifices to benefit people we know, like letting a friend step ahead of us in line. Sometimes we make sacrifices to benefit people we don't know, like donating our possessions or free time to a charity. We're about to meet a character who makes her own sacrifice, and when she does, she truly heats things up. I'm Rebecca Shear, and welcome to Circle Round, where story time happens all the time. Today, our story is called the Flame Keeper. It was inspired by tales from the Huichol people, an indigenous group from Mexico, the southernmost country in North America. Some really great people came together to bring you our version of this folktale, including Cameron Jones and Joy Ofodu. Grown ups. You may recognize Cameron Jones from Panic on Prime Video and the Showtime series Shameless. Joy Ofodu is a comedian, voice actor, and host of the podcast Dating Unsettled. She'll make her directorial debut with her new film, Heart of Sunshine. So circle around, everyone, for the Flame Keeper. Long, long ago, in earlier times, all the fire on earth was kept locked away by a mysterious man known as the Flame Keeper. The Flame Keeper hoarded the fire in his house atop a mountain. And every now and again, a desperate group of cold, shivering people would venture up the slope and knock at his door.

[Cameron Jones]

Flame Keeper, we've come to ask you about your fire.

[Joy Ofodu]

The only heat we enjoy comes from the sun.

[Cameron Jones]

Only like two.

[Joy Ofodu]

Can you please share one little flame?

[Rebecca Shear]

But each and every time share one little flame. The response was the same.

[Cameron Jones]

I will not share one little flame. I will not share any of my flame with anyone. Now get lost.

[Rebecca Shear]

The animals of the world saw the people's suffering, and one animal took pity on them. The clever, nimble creature known as Opossum had a long, pointed face, small, rounded ears, and back in those long ago times, a fluffy, bushy tail. One day, Opossum called all the animals together to make an announcement.

[Joy Ofodu]

Friends, I have decided. I shall visit the Flame Keeper's house and bring fire to the people.

[Rebecca Shear]

The animal's mouths, snouts, and beaks dropped wide open.

[Cameron Jones]

Are you for real, Opossum? The Flame Keeper's mountain is steep and tall, and the Flame Keeper is nasty and mean.

[Joy Ofodu]

He'll never share his fire with you. Don't worry. I have a plan. But in order for it to work, I need your help. I need you to gather wood.

[Cameron Jones]

Wood?

[Joy Ofodu]

Yes. The other night, I journeyed up the mountain and hid outside the Flame keeper's house. When I peeked through the window, I saw that he was feeding the fire with wood. He was dropping in all these branches, sticks and twigs, and the flames gobbled him up. So while I'm gone, I need you to collect as much wood as you can, then pile it into a big heap at the foot of the mountain. Can you do that for me?

[Rebecca Shear]

The animals agreed. And while they set to work gathering firewood, Opossum jumped into action. First, she scampered through the forest, yanking vines off trees. Then she wove the vines into a net.

[Joy Ofodu]

Over and under, over, under.

[Rebecca Shear]

After that, she tracked down a papaya tree and picked as many bright orange fruits as she could, pausing every now and then to devour one herself.

[Joy Ofodu]

Gotta keep my strength up if I want my plan to work.

[Rebecca Shear]

Then, with her net full of papayas slung across her back, Opossum clambered up the mountain, all fired up to face the flame keeper and set the fire free. What will Opossum do when she meets the flame keeper? Will her plans succeed? We'll find out after a quick break. What are Circle Round listeners saying about the Circle Round Club, the newest membership opportunity for super fans like you? Here's a taste.

[Listener]

I love being in the Circle Round Club because the snuggle times are perfect for when you want to listen to Circle Round, but you don't have that much time.

[Rebecca Shear]

Grown ups get your Circle Round superfan signed up [e-mail] CircleRoundClub welcome back to Circle Round. I'm Rebecca Shear. Today our story is called the Flame Keeper. Before the break, Opossum asked her fellow animals to gather a big stack of firewood. Then she picked a bunch of papayas, and under the light of the moon, she climbed to the mountaintop abode of the flame keeper, a mysterious man who was keeping the world's fire to himself. Poking her head through the window, Opossum smiled her friendliest smile.

[Joy Ofodu]

Good evening, Flamekeeper. May I come in?

[Rebecca Shear]

The flame keeper flashed his unwanted visitor a glare.

[Cameron Jones]

No, Opossum, you may not come in. Especially if you're going to beg me to share my fire, as all those silly people have been doing.

[Joy Ofodu]

I won't do anything of the sort. But I will offer you these.

[Rebecca Shear]

She held up her net of papayas.

[Joy Ofodu]

The way you guard that fun fire all day and night, you must be hungry. I'd be happy to give you all the papayas in this net if you let me sleep by your fire tonight. Then in the morning I'll get up nice and early and Bring you more wood.

[Rebecca Shear]

The flamekeeper stole a glance at his dwindling stack of branches and his waning stash of food.

[Cameron Jones]

All right, fine. If you give me those papayas and gather more wood in the morning, you may sleep by my fire.

[Joy Ofodu]

Thank you, Flame Keeper. Thank you.

[Rebecca Shear]

Opossum bounded through the door, and as the flame keeper tore into the papayas, Opossum stretched out by the fire, wrapped her fluffy bushy tail around her body and pretended to fall asleep. It was late at night and soon the flame keeper began to nod off. He fought to keep his eyes open, but within minutes he was snoring away, rivulets of sticky papaya juice streaming down his chin. A possum rose to her feet and tiptoed to the stack of firewood. She grabbed a stick, clenched it in her teeth, then lowered it into the flames, allowing one end to catch fire. Then she spun around and raced toward the door, her fluffy bushy tail wagging with delight. Unfortunately, as she scurried past the snoozing flame keeper, the thick fur of her fluffy bushy tail tickled his face and he woke right up.

[Cameron Jones]

What's that? What's going on?

[Rebecca Shear]

When the flame keeper caught sight of Opossum, his angry eyes glowed as bright as the fire.

[Cameron Jones]

Opossum. You were trying to steal my fire? How dare you.

[Rebecca Shear]

The furious man grabbed the stick from Opossum's mouth and flung it into the flames.

[Cameron Jones]

There. So much for your pathetic attempts at robbery, Opossum. I should have known I couldn't trust.

[Joy Ofodu]

You, you rascally, rascally thief.

[Rebecca Shear]

Opossum felt a rush of rage.

[Joy Ofodu]

You're the one who's been hoarding all the fire in your house and refusing to share it. If anyone is a rascally thief in this scenario, it's you.

[Rebecca Shear]

The flame Keeper gnashed his teeth. Next thing Opossum knew, he was lunging right at her, doing his best to grab her fluffy bushy tail. Opossum jumped back to get away from him. Get off. But in doing so, she ventured too close to the fire. Her tail brushed against the flames and the fur began to spark and smolder.

[Joy Ofodu]

Oh no.

[Rebecca Shear]

The flame Keeper's face broke into an evil grin.

[Cameron Jones]

I've heard of a thief getting caught red handed, Opossum, but I've never heard of one getting caught red tailed until now.

[Rebecca Shear]

As the flame keeper fell down in hysterics, clutching his belly and hooting and howling, Opossum saw her chance. With her tail flaming behind her, she took to her heels and bolted out the door.

[Joy Ofodu]

Oh, my tail. My poor, poor tail. How foolish was I to think I could take fire from the flame keeper.

[Rebecca Shear]

The possum fought back tears as she dashed down the steep slope. But when she neared the foot of the mountain and caught sight of the animal's stack of firewood, her tears vanished.

[Joy Ofodu]

Wait a minute. I did take fire from the flame keeper. I did it.

[Rebecca Shear]

Without missing a beat, she sprinted toward the wood pile and took a running leap. The moment she landed, the fire on her tail spread to the branches, sticks and twigs. As they began to crackle and spark, Opossum dove to the ground and batted her tail on a stone to snuff out the flames. All the commotion brought the other animals running.

[Cameron Jones]

Opossum, you're back. And you brought fire, just like you said you would.

[Joy Ofodu]

But what happened to your tail?

[Rebecca Shear]

Opossum stared at her friends. Then she stared at her tail. The fluffy, bushy appendage was no longer on fire, but it was also no longer fluffy or bushy. Thanks to the burning hot flames, every single hair had been scorched off, and Opossum's tail was now skinny, pink and bald. But you know what? That skinny, pink, bald tail wound up coming in quite handy. To this day, Opossum uses her naked, muscular appendage to climb trees and balance on branches. She even uses it to pick up and grasp on to food. What's more, ever since that fateful day, Opossum has held a place of honor in Mexico. The Huichol people revere the Opossum as a symbol of wisdom because of the kind and courageous way she put her life and tail on the line to bring warmth and light to the world. Now it's your turn. Opossum took a chance to make the world a better and brighter place. What's something you'd like to take a chance on? Or something new you'd like to try? Perhaps you can try placing your own order at a restaurant or climbing higher on the playground. Maybe you can try out for a new team or try making a new friend. When we take chances, it stretches us and takes us out of our comfort zone. But even if it's challenging, it can bring big and bright rewards. This week's episode, the Flame Keeper, was adapted by me, Rebecca Shear. It was edited by Dean Russell. Our original music and sound design was by Eric Shyamalanis. Eric's featured instruments this week were the congas and bongos, traditional to Latin percussion. To learn more about this family of instruments used in Latin and Latin American music, and to see a photo of Eric playing. Visit our website wbor.org CircleRound Circle Round's artist is Sabina Hahn. Sabina has created a black and white coloring page for every single Circle Round story and you can print them out and color them in Grown Ups. Visit our website WBUR.org CircleRound and click on coloring pages. Special thanks to this week's actors Cameron Jones and Joy Ofodu. Cameron Jones credits include Panic on Prime Video and the Showtime series Shameless. You can also see him in the award winning short film Chocolate With Sprinkles. Joy Ofodu is a comedian, voice actor and podcast host who heads her own company, Enjoyment Endeavor. Joy is working on a short film about fathers and daughters. You can find a link to this project and learn how you can be part of it on our website WBUR.org survey circle round love Circle Round and Want to Circle Round with us in even more ways while also supporting public radio? Join the Circle Round Club and we'll send you ad free episodes, bonus bedtime stories, music education videos, special Circle Round Swag, a monthly newsletter and early access to our live events. You can also add on fun perks like our snuggly Circle Round lion, our handy dandy tote bag, and a personalized message from me. Sign up today and support the public radio podcast you [e-mail] Circleround Grown Ups. If you have a moment, can you do us a favor? Please leave us a five star rating or review on whatever podcast app you're using right now. It helps other listeners find the show so we can make the Circle Round circle even bigger. Circle Round is a production of wburg, 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 to hello, My name is.

[Listener]

Maxwell and I'm from Perth, Australia. And my favorite soccer Round story is A Laughing Canoe because I like the part when the canoe tries to suck the fishywoman cousin up. My name is Esther, I live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. My favorite Circle Rounds story is the Bright Yellow Hat because I love flowers. My name is Angie and I'm from Massachusetts and my favorite Silk Hunt story is the Free Waking Part. I like the part where the pot says wee. My name is Judah, I live in Chicago, Illinois and my favorite Circle round is the Shepherd's Disguise. And I like the part when the shepherd tricks Lamo. My name is Adira, I live in Chicago, Illinois. And my favorite circle round story is Hungry Hippo. And I like the part when Hippo interrupts everybody when they want to share. Hello. My name is Sawyer. I live in Mukilteel, Washington. My favorite circle round story is the Starfruit Tree. I like the part when the older sister saying it's left on the island of Gold. Because who cares if you get left on an island of gold if you can't sell gold to anyone to get food. My name is Lucy, I live in Mukilteer, Washington. And my favorite Circle One story is the rice cakes and the onis. I like the part when they hop in the pan and they try to fold away but then the onis suckle the water water out.

[Rebecca Shear]

Did someone mention a story you've missed? Not to worry grownups. 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.