Throwback: One of Us

Summary

Stories Podcast: "Throwback: One of Us"

Host: Amanda Weldon (Starglow Media)
Original Story By: Daniel Hines
Air Date: April 29, 2026

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Overview

This throwback episode, “One of Us,” presents an original fable inspired by a Turkish proverb. Performed by Amanda Weldon, the story unfolds in a harmonious forest where the trees must decide which human, if any, to welcome into their midst. It’s a tale rich with lessons about trust, appearances, and the unpredictable consequences of decisions, aimed at young listeners but layered enough for family enjoyment.

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Key Discussion Points and Story Insights

1. Setting the Scene (02:43–03:15)

• The story opens in a happy little forest where various trees live in harmony and nature is peaceful.
• The arrival of humans nearby causes concern among the trees, prompting a meeting of the oaks, elms, maples, alders, and pines.

2. The Great Decision (03:16–04:00)

• The trees, wary of the humans, decide collectively to allow only one human into their forest.
• Humans, excited by this rare invitation, gather and select three candidates to present themselves: the maple sap tapper, the baker, and the woodcutter.

3. The Candidates Plead Their Case

The Maple Tapper (05:20–07:00)

• Maple Tapper:
  • Request: Gather sap for syrup.
  • Offers: To help the trees by keeping termites and woodpeckers away and watering saplings.
  • Response from the Trees (Notable Quote):
    Trees (06:50): “A hideous thing of fire and metal. It doesn't belong here and neither do you.”
  • Result: Rejected and sent away.

The Baker (08:44–10:36)

• Baker:
  • Request: Collect fruit for desserts, with an offer to help care for the trees.
  • Response from the Trees:
    Trees (10:20): “You steal our future, you'd purloin our destiny. No, human. The seeds belong in the forest, unlike yourself.”
  • Result: Rejected and sent away.

The Woodcutter (10:36–13:50)

• Woodcutter:
  • Claims kinship with the trees, pointing to his axe handle made of wood.
  • Trees are swayed by his care for the wooden handle.
  • Response from the Trees:
    Trees (12:00): “The handle is one of us.”
  • The path opens; woodcutter is granted entry.
  • Twist: The woodcutter cuts down many trees, opening the forest to more humans, destroying much of it.

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Key Lessons and Morals (13:50–14:19)

• Haunting Lesson:
  The surviving trees realize that outward appearances and words can be deceiving—what matters is what lies in a person’s heart.
• In the future, forests resolve to never again let in woodcutters, but welcome tappers, bakers, hikers, and others who offer care and appreciation.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Trust & Judgment:
  “It's dangerous to judge by looks alone. … It wasn't what humans showed on their faces, but what they carried in their hearts that mattered.” (13:56–14:10)

• Woodcutter’s Deceptive Logic:
  “Why, I'm practically one of you,” said the woodcutter. (11:22)

• Community Decision-Making:
  “After much grumbly arguing and rustling of leaves and creaking of branches, the trees decided…” (03:35)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Story Starts: 02:43
• Candidate Presentations:
  • Maple Tapper: 05:20–07:00
  • Baker: 08:44–10:36
  • Woodcutter: 10:36–13:50
• Moral and Epilogue: 13:50–14:19

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Language and Tone

• The narrative is gentle, imaginative, and rich with vivid imagery—a hallmark of Amanda Weldon’s style. Dialogue carries a whimsical yet instructive tone that is both entertaining and thought-provoking for children and adults alike.

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Summary

“One of Us” is a beautifully told cautionary tale about community, trust, and discernment. Despite good intentions and promises, the wrong decision leads to the loss of the forest, illustrating the importance of looking beyond appearances and considering someone’s true intentions. The story closes with hope, as the trees learn from their mistake and future forests thrive—welcoming those who nurture but remaining wary of those who would harm.

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Inspired by a Turkish proverb—written by Daniel Hines, performed by Amanda Weldon.

Transcript

[Trees]

Hello.

[Stories Podcast Announcer]

Welcome to Stories Podcast.

[Amanda Weldon]

I'm your host, Amanda Weldon.

[Stories Podcast Announcer]

Today's story is a throwback episode. Tune in to hear one of our classic stories from the archive that you might have missed the first time around. We have Stories Podcast merch, [e-mail] shop. We're also on cameo for all of your personalized video message needs. And don't forget to follow us on Instagram Stories Podcast if you send us a drawing of your favorite scene or character, we'll share it on our feed. Now here's a word from our sponsors

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

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[Stories Podcast Announcer]

Thanks Enjoy the episode.

[Amanda Weldon]

One of Us Once upon a time, there was a happy little forest. All the trees, from the mightiest oak to the skinniest maple, lived together in harmony. All was quiet in the forest except for the pleasant rustle of leaves in the wind, and the bright trilling call of the birds that flitted from limb to limb. Until one day, a group of humans moved nearby. At first, they kept their distance, busying themselves with all kinds of strange chores. They'd fetch water from the river instead of drinking it out of the ground with roots. They'd eat fruits and vegetables instead of just using the sun's light. They'd even try to wander into the forest, which the trees were very worried about. They all got together, all the oaks and elms and maples and alders and pines, and they had a great meeting of the trees. After much grumbly arguing and rustling of leaves and creaking of branches, the trees decided that to keep the humans from invading, they would let one person into their forest. One and only one. The trees told their decision to the humans as a whisper of leaves on the wind. And all of the humans were very excited. They all got together, all the women and men and kids and babies, and they had a great meeting. After much grumbly arguing and waving of arms and stomping of feet, the humans decided on three possible people to take an advantage of the trees generous offer. Each would present themselves to the forest, and the trees would make the final decision. The first was a clever man who had invented a device to get the SAP out of trees. He would hammer in a little tap and hang a bucket, and it would slowly fill with delicious syrup. It worked on many of the trees, but maple was the best of them all. The second was a wonderful baker who specialized in desserts. Currently, her selection was pretty limited, but the humans knew that if she had access to the trees, she could make new and amazing concoctions. They thought of apple pies and peach cobblers and maple rolls, and their mouths watered. The third was a woodcutter with a long and gleaming axe. He promised the humans that if he was given access to the forest, he could chop down the trees for their wood. Wood the humans could use to make bigger homes and better goods.

[Stories Podcast Announcer]

It wouldn't work out well for the

[Amanda Weldon]

trees, but the humans didn't really think about that. Once the humans had their three candidates, the trees invited the first to enter the forest. The maple tapper walked up to the forest, his invention held tightly in one trembling hand. A dense crisscross of trunks and branches blocked the path into the heart of the woods.

[Trees]

Stop, human, said the trees. Why should you be the one who is allowed into our forest?

[Amanda Weldon]

The mapletapper looked around nervously, licking his lips his entire body shaking.

[Stories Podcast Announcer]

I I only want a bit of

[Amanda Weldon]

your SAP for syrup, he said.

[Stories Podcast Announcer]

It won't hurt you at all, and

[Amanda Weldon]

we'll just take a bit of SAP. The trees muttered and grumbled. It sounded like a creature crashing through the brush.

[Trees]

Why should we share our syrup with you?

[Amanda Weldon]

It's just a little. We would be really grateful. To make up for it, I'd keep the termites and woodpeckers off of your

[Stories Podcast Announcer]

trunks and make sure your saplings got plenty of water.

[Trees]

Hmm. How can we trust you?

[Amanda Weldon]

Oh, you can see the tap right here, he said, holding up his invention.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

Bah.

[Trees]

A hideous thing of fire and metal. It doesn't belong here and neither do you.

[Amanda Weldon]

The trees roared and the forest shook with thunder.

[Trees]

Begone.

[Amanda Weldon]

The inventor clutched his tap and fled from the forest.

[Sponsor/Ad Voice]

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[Stories Podcast Announcer]

We'll be back with the rest of the story after this. If you'd like Stories Podcast and other favorite kid podcasts ad free. Subscribe to Wondery Kids on Apple Podcasts

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[Amanda Weldon]

time for their bark to settle, the trees call the next human to come and make their case. The baker walked into the forest a Wide smile on her wide face. She smelled of cinnamon and cloves and sweet butter all mixed with honey, as it had with the maple tapper. A dense criss cross of trunks and branches blocked the path into the heart of the woods.

[Trees]

Stop, human, said the trees. Why should you be the one who is allowed into our forest?

[Stories Podcast Announcer]

Hello there, she said. I'd like to gather some of your fruit for my desserts. I'd make pies and cakes and turnovers,

[Amanda Weldon]

and I'd always share them with y'.

[Nintendo Switch Ad Voice]

All.

[Stories Podcast Announcer]

Of course you share with us.

[Trees]

We have no use for human food. The better question is why we should share with you.

[Stories Podcast Announcer]

Well, it would be awfully nice of y', all, don't you think? You're not really using the fruit anyway. And if you were giving me fruit,

[Amanda Weldon]

I'd be sure to help keep you healthy.

[Stories Podcast Announcer]

I could keep away the pests and bind broken branches after storms and whatever else y' all needed.

[Trees]

Not using the fruit. Our fruit has seeds. How would we spread and grow our forest?

[Stories Podcast Announcer]

Well, like I said, I'd just take a little fruit and I'd help you out in exchange.

[Amanda Weldon]

I think it would be a good deal.

[Stories Podcast Announcer]

Bah.

[Trees]

You steal our future, you'd purloin our destiny. No, human. The seeds belong in the forest, unlike yourself.

[Amanda Weldon]

The trees roared and the forest shook with thunder.

[Trees]

Begone.

[Amanda Weldon]

After allowing time for their branches to calm, the trees called the next human to come and make their case. The woodcutter sauntered into the forest. He had a great beard that hid a crooked smile, and his eyes seemed to flash with laughter. He held his shoulders tall and square, and he seemed as solid as the trees that towered all around him, as it had with the maple tapper and the baker. A dense crisscross of trunks and branches blocked the path into the heart of the woods.

[Trees]

Not another step, human, said the trees. Why should you be the one who is allowed to enter into our forest?

[Amanda Weldon]

Why, I'm practically one of you, said the woodcutter. This confused the trees. They groused and grumbled, leaves shaking down and see sawing lazily to the forest floor.

[Trees]

Explain yourself. We only see a human.

[Amanda Weldon]

With a wide grin, the woodcutter pointed his thumb over his back where the wooden handle of his axe was slung. Knowing trees hated metal, he wisely kept the blade of the axe hidden in a leather sheath.

[Trees]

Look, he speaks truly, the trees said with wonder. The handle there is good tree wood, and it looks well cared for.

[Amanda Weldon]

Of course, said the woodcutter with a wide, disarming smile. I care for it nightly rubbing the wood with oils to keep it well preserved and healthy. The trees were well impressed by this answer. The handle is one of us, they said, and the wind took their words and spread it all through the forest. So the woodsman heard it a hundred times from a hundred directions, from a hundred voices. The dense crisscross of trunks and branches that blocked the path into the heart of the woods began to shiver and shake. Then, as the woodcutter watched, they pulled aside and opened a path into the heart of the forest. Thanks for the welcome, said the woodcutter. And then, before the trees knew what was happening, the woodcutter limbered his axe and began to lay about them, cutting down oak, maple, and elm all alike. The woodcutter and his axe cleared a wide path through the forest, and before long, the trees didn't have strength enough to keep others out. More men came, more axes came, and soon, where the happy little forest once stood, there were big patches of cleared earth and tall human homes, all made of wood. The remaining trees came together and moved on. They put their seeds to the wind and traveled across the land, growing anew. They had learned this lesson and learned it hard. It's dangerous to judge by looks alone. In solemn voices, they told their sprouts and saplings that it wasn't what humans showed on their faces, but what they carried in their hearts that mattered. And so other trees, other forests, learned from their mistakes. And the next time humans came, they let in the tappers, the bakers, the hikers and the painters, the climbers, the rangers and the old picture takers. But never, ever the woodcutters. The End Today's story, One of Us, was inspired by an old Turkish proverb and written for you by Daniel Hines, performed for you by me, Amanda Weldon,

[Stories Podcast Announcer]

with songs by us both. If you would like to support Stories podcast, you can leave us a five star review on iTunes. Check out all of our merch available@stories podcast.com shop commission a special video on cameo. Follow us on Instagram Stories Podcast or simply tell your friends about us. Thanks for listening.